KK Women's and Children's Hospital

KK Women's and Children's Hospital (abbreviation: KKH; known formerly as Kandang Kerbau Hospital) is the largest hospital specialising in healthcare for women and children in Singapore, located at 100 Bukit Timah Road in Kampong Java, within the planning area of Kallang.[2]

KK Women's and Children's Hospital
Hospital Wanita dan Kanak-kanak Kandang Kerbau  (Malay)
竹脚妇幼医院 (Chinese)
கே கே பெண்கள் மற்றும் குழந்தைகள் மருத்துவமனை (Tamil)
SingHealth
The facade of KK Hospital
Geography
Location100 Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 229899, Singapore
Coordinates1°18′38.0″N 103°50′49.0″E
Organisation
TypeSpecialist
Services
Emergency departmentChildren's Emergency and Women's 24-Hour Clinic
Beds830 [1]
SpecialityWomen's and Children's Hospital
History
Opened1858
Links
Websitehttp://www.kkh.com.sg/
ListsHospitals in Singapore
KK Women's and Children's Hospital
Another view of the hospital

From its humble beginnings as a small general hospital in 1858 to a 30-bed maternity hospital in 1924,[2] KKH has grown into an 830-bed hospital providing obstetric and gynaecology, neonatology and paediatric services. Often affectionally referred to as "KK" amongst locals, it is the birthplace of a sizeable proportion of Singaporeans, delivering over half of total newborns in the country as early as 1938.

In 1966, the hospital entered the Guinness Book of Records for delivering the highest number of newborns within a single maternity facility for that year, and it continued to hold on to this record for a full decade,[2] delivering 85% of the population.[3]

In 1997, the hospital moved to its present site.[3] In 2003, the old premises was marked as a historical site by the National Heritage Board,[2] a tribute to an institution that has been the birthplace of over 1.2 million Singaporeans since its inception.[3]

History

The hospital's name comes from the Malay term for "buffalo shed" (kandang = shed / pen + kerbau = buffalo), reflecting the area's past link with buffalo rearing.

While the hospital started as one catering to health care for women, mainly for gynaecology and obstetrics, it has since expanded its role.

First, the paediatrics department was added for the care of the babies after delivery, but over the years it expanded into a full paediatric service, treating younger patients for all kinds of illnesses up to teenage. An offshoot, the neonatology service, was then added. Thus the expanded role of the hospital warranted a renaming to KK Women's and Children's Hospital.

Over the recent years, the scope of care has expanded even more to provide holistic care to women and children patients. It strives to become the "Healthcare Leader for Women and Children", which has become its slogan. New departments were added to the hospital. Paediatric surgery was first added, followed by others such as colorectal surgery, psychiatry and orthopaedics for women with illnesses requiring expertise in those areas.

As a result of a restructuring exercise in the local healthcare scene, the hospital became a member of the Singapore Health Services on 1 April 2000.[3]

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References
  1. "Overview". KK Women's and Children's Hospital. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  2. Thulaja, Naidu Ratnala (11 December 2002). "Kandang Kerbau Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH)". National Library Board Singapore. Archived from the original on 17 March 2011. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
  3. "Hospital Milestones". KK Women's and Children's Hospital. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
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