The National University Hospital (NUH) has officially launched the National University Centre for Digestive Health (NUCD) to improve early detection and treatment of digestive diseases. The centre, inaugurated on 16 January 2026, serves as a referral hub for complex cases from hospitals within the National University Health System, including Ng Teng Fong General Hospital and Alexandra Hospital.
NUCD aims to streamline patient care by accelerating access from initial consultations to surgical expertise in areas such as Upper Gastrointestinal, Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic, and Colorectal. This approach reduces waiting times and enables faster treatment decisions. Since September 2022, NUCD has screened over 12,000 high-risk patients for chronic liver diseases, facilitating earlier interventions.
A significant focus of the centre is improving colorectal cancer detection. New initiatives, including AI-enabled colonoscopy, have increased the Adenoma Detection Rate (ADR) from 33.5% in 2022 to 42.4% in 2025, surpassing the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy’s guideline of 25%.
The Inflammatory Bowel Disease Centre of Excellence, part of NUCD, offers innovations such as home administration of intravenous biologics and point-of-care intestinal ultrasound.
“The launch of NUCD marks a significant step forward in how we care for patients with digestive conditions,” said Adj A/Prof Lee Guan Huei, Centre Director.
The centre’s advancements in diagnostics and treatment aim to improve patient outcomes and contribute to ongoing research in digestive health.
