Kandang Kerbau Women's and Children's Hospital (abbreviation: KKH) is the largest public hospital specialising in healthcare for women and children in Singapore, located at 100 Bukit Timah Road.[2]
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Kandang Kerbau Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) Hospital Wanita dan Kanak-kanak Kandang Kerbau(Malay) 竹脚妇幼医院(Chinese) கே கே பெண்கள் மற்றும் குழந்தைகள் மருத்துவமனை(Tamil)
Often referred to as "KK" amongst locals,[3] it is the birthplace of a sizeable proportion of Singaporeans, delivering over half of total newborns in the country as early as 1938.
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.[3]
While the hospital initially started as one catering to health care for women, mainly for gynecology and obstetrics, it has since expanded its role.[citation needed]
First, the pediatrics department was added for the care of the babies after delivery, but over the years it expanded into a full pediatric service, treating younger patients for all kinds of illnesses up to teenagers. 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.[citation needed]
On 1 October 1924, KKH was converted to a maternity hospital with 30 beds.[3] It was also used to train students in midwifery and medicine.[3]
During World War II, KKH became an emergency general hospital for the population when Japan attacked Singapore.[3] During the Japanese occupation of Singapore, the hospital was called Chuo Byoin or Central Hospital.[3]
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.[4]
In March 1997, the hospital moved to its present site.[4]
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.[4]
In 2003, the old premises were 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.[4]