Eulogy In Memory of Text by Prof Chew Chin Hin, Honorary Advisor, Division of Graduate Medical Studies, National University of Singapore; Emeritus Consultant, Tan Tock Seng Hospital Dr Robert Loh Choo Kiat (25 May 1925 – year later to head the ophthalmology Singapore. Today, the membership 31 January 2017) was born in Singapore department, following the retirement comprises over 240 ophthalmologists. in 1925. Despite having his education of Dr Williamson and Dr Wong Kin In 1964, Bob was elected President rudely interrupted by World War II, he Yip. Bob and Dr Wong were the first of SMA and had the unique honour of graduated in 1949 with a MBBS from Singaporean heads of ophthalmology delivering the SMA Lecture – twice – Bombay's top medical school – Seth in the government sector; the doyens in in 1976 and 1995, an award reserved Gordhandas Sunderdas Medical College the private sector from the early years only for persons of eminence and and the King Edward VII Memorial were Drs SH Tan of The Eye Hospital and distinction. In 1999, he was conferred Hospital. He returned to Singapore soon TH Oh of Eye Clinic. SMA's highest honour, the Honorary after, joining Singapore General Hospital Bob's contributions to ophthalmology Membership. In 1968, he presided (SGH) and initially serving as houseman in Singapore have been immense. over the third Asia-Pacific Academy of to Prof ES Monteiro for Medicine Starting out with only a handful of Ophthalmology Congress successfully and Dr BM John for Surgery (which trainees, he built up the unit and trained held here with delegates coming from then included otorhinolaryngology). numerous expert eye surgeons within all over the world. However, ophthalmology was to a decade. He transmitted his clinical He retired from Government service be his career-long discipline. After skills and instituted in them his ideals postgraduate training and learning in 1969, and for his contributions to the and values in the treatment of patients, Government, he was among the first to under top surgeons, including the doyen regardless of their social station. It was Sir Stewart Duke-Elder at Moorfields in be appointed honorary consultant to he who established the first eye bank, the Ministry of Health, alongside Profs London, he returned to SGH and joined as well as introducing micro and laser Dr AD Williamson's eye department at Benjamin Sheares, Ernest Monteiro and surgery, implants, retinal detachment Yeoh Ghim Seng. Norris Block as a registrar in 1954. surgery, corneal grafting and other Friendships were renewed in the I have known Dr Robert Loh, innovative procedures. 1960s when Bob and I were elected affectionately addressed as Bob by In 1963, Bob set up the Society of to the AMS Council, where we worked his dear friends, since 1956, when I Ophthalmology with only 13 members closely with the School of Postgraduate was posted to Prof Gordon Ransome's and he was elected as the Founding Medical Studies to advance Singapore's Medical Unit I which was also housed President from 1963 to 1976. Over postgraduate specialty training in Norris Block. Over the years, we time, the society established close programmes and our own higher became firm friends, having a common ties with the Chapter and the College examinations. I will always be grateful interest in advancing the standards of of Ophthalmologists of the Academy for the immense support he gave to me professional and ethical practice. of Medicine, Singapore (AMS). They when he and I were Assistant Master and In 1958, Bob was awarded a also collaborated closely with regional Master of AMS, respectively, from 1973 scholarship. He soon secured the FRCS fraternal bodies and brought several to 1975. It was he who proposed that in Edinburgh and returned hardly a regional and global conferences to Mr Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s first prime 16 apr 2017 SMA News 1 2 3 minister, be conferred AMS' honorary newly restructured National Council walking, he had been conscientiously fellowship. On the tenth anniversary of Social Service. For a full decade, he attending bible study fellowship. He of our young nation in 1975, Bob virtually gave his all in this national was not only a man of faith, but also personally brought this to fruition at the service to our fellowmen, especially a family man – a devoted and loving tenth Singapore-Malaysia Congress of the poor, disadvantaged and disabled, husband, father, grandfather and great- Medicine. In 1978, when AMS was invited retiring only in 2002. grandfather. He is survived by his dear wife Mary, sons Stephen and Andrew, to attend the Conference of Presidents His enormous contributions to the daughter Pat, five grandchildren and of the British Commonwealth Colleges public service were duly recognised three great-grandchildren. of Physicians in Glasgow, I was happy by the award of numerous national to witness Bob as master, AMS, and honours, including the Public Service Dr Robert Loh was a completely other presidents being conferred the Medal in 1982; Public Service Star in wonderful gentleman and an exemplary College’s Fellowship by Prof Tom Gibson, 1991; Public Service Star (Bar) in 1996; Singaporean. I'm sure all who knew him then president of the Royal College of and Meritorious Service Medal in 2002. will be thankful for the eight decades of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow. He was appointed a Justice of Peace service he gave so unstintingly. His professional qualifications included in 1989. MBBS (Bombay), 1949; DO (London), Sports had always been an important Legend 1954; FRCS(Edin), 1959; FAMS, 1959; part in Bob's life. During his youthful 1. Past Masters of AMS with the late FACS, 1966; FRACS, 1973; FRACO, 1973; years, he played badminton, table President Wee Kim Wee FRCPS(Glasg),1978; and FRCOphth, 1988. tennis and cricket in school. He excelled 2. The fifth SMA Council (1964/1965) when Charity was another lifetime in tennis, becoming the medical school Dr Robert Loh was President commitment, a passion Bob inherited champion during his university days. In 3. Masters of AMS with the late President SR from his parents, Dr and Mrs Loh Poon later years, to quote him: “the passion Nathan at AMS's Golden Anniversary 2007 Lip. He led the Young Men’s Christian for golf prevailed over the years” and Association, a Christian charity, from he achieved a hole-in-one in 1968. 1970, where he served wholeheartedly He served the golfing fraternity by for over 20 years despite his busy being president of Singapore Island professional schedule and thriving Country Club in 1979 for three years and private practice. He was conferred the travelling widely with his kakis (slang for title President Emeritus in 1993. The friends) to play in leading golf courses Rotary Club was another charitable body around the world. which demanded his leadership. Thus, In Bob's book, An Eye on Life, he he was appointed president in 1976 and testified: “I've always been a Christian... the district governor serving the region and on retirement later, my realisation from 1991 to 1992. of how much I owed to God heightened For his dedicated commitment my sense of fulfilment”. I was much in service to the community, he was heartened when he told me from the appointed by the Government in 1992 hospital bed that over the last few to lead and be the first president of the years, despite having great difficulty in apr 2017 SMA News 17.