Old Changi Hospital, situated on the small Barrack Hill along Netheravon Road, was a fascinating place with a long history, going all the way back to the mid-thirties as a small British military hospital called Royal Air Force Hospital.
The hospital was captured by the Japanese forces during World War II, and was used as a healthcare facility for the prisoners-of-war detained at the Changi military base nearby.
After the war, the British regained possession of the hospital. It was handed over to the Commonwealth forces in 1971 when the British started withdrawing their troops from an independent Singapore. The hospital was renamed as Anzuk Hospital, where the name Anzuk referred to the Australian, New Zealand and United Kingdom armed forces.
As the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) started to take shape in the early seventies, the Commonwealth forces withdrew gradually. In 1975, Singapore government took over the hospital and converted it to SAF Hospital, which provided medical, surgical and dental healthcare to the servicemen.
Just one year later, SAF Hospital was passed to the Ministry of Health (MOH), which opened it to the public. Combining with nearby Changi Chalet Hospital, the new healthcare center of the eastern side of Singapore, equipped with x-ray devices and emergency services, was now capable of taking care of 150 hospitalised patients.
As the hospital was situated on a hill, the healthcare personnel as well as the patients found it difficult to access various blocks (Block 24, 37 and 161) using the steep flights of stairs. Thus MOH decided to source for another better location. In 1997, the staffs of Changi Hospital were shifted to their new workplace in Simei. Combining with Toa Payoh Hospital, the new site was called Changi General Hospital.
For many years, Old Changi Hospital remained vacant and unattended. Shortly after its abandonment, it became one of the favourite spots in Singapore for ghost sighting. Haunted stories about the hospital spread like wild fire, but the sources were never confirmed.
In 2006, Singapore Land Authority (SLA) invited private investments to develop the hospital. Real estate company Bestway Properties won the contract to turn the historical site into a lifestyle haven of resorts, spas and restaurants. However, the plans never materialised, probably due to the 2008 financial crisis, and the site was returned to SLA in 2010. The forgotten hospital was vacated once more.
Published: 17 May 2011
Hey brothers and sisters,
This place is being protected by Motion censors, its located at the front entrance and at the top of the stairs which is located at the main gate. If you enter, you will trigger the motion censor and Aetos officer will come and catch you.
So i suggest you guys better not go in.
Peace.
thanks for the info!
no problem!
I was born May 20th 1950 in Changi Hospital. I would love to know what is going to happen to it now
Gail, I was born May 19th, 1952 in Changi Hospital. I would really love to visit it!
So would I. Maybe as we are both Taurus we will make it one day. Still trying to persuade my husband to take me to Australia via my birthplace
Is there any way to get authorized access? I’m visiting Singapore in June and would love to photograph this building? Thanks
Gail, my parents lived in Australia for 17 years and we visited them in Sydney, Perth and Melbourne. Perth was our favorite! What country do you live in now? I’m in Canada.
i was born here in 1971 i came home 2 england a few months old but i would still love to go back there and often look at old photos
Linda, I live in the UK now. I came back here when I was three years old so only have flashes of memory like Father Christmas arriving in a rowing boat. Can that be true? Trish, I have joined SingaporeVR on Facebook for brilliant panoramic pics of Singapore today
Gail, sorry, didn’t see this until now. We left S’pore when I was only 6 months old, so I have no memories at all from when we lived there. Lots of photos though.
I suggest you bunch who are located outside of Singapore to make a trip down real soon. Unfortunately (or fortunately), the relevant authorities have been actively sourcing for developers to “rejuvenate” this place. In 2007, there were plans to convert the hospital into a spa-hotel-resort. But for unknown reasons, the plans never took off.
Besides just being a normal functioning hospital, OCH was more importantly the site where traumatic tortures occurred during WW2. Since then, it has never been able to revert back normally to its “clean reputation”, and urban myths about ghosts have always plagued the building (yes, even throughout the years that you guys were born. But I supposed the local people are much more superstitious, unecessarily superstitious, than all your parents!).
I would like to believe that even tho this building stands probably as the “eeriest” building in Singapore, this eerieness is beautiful as it stands testimony to the trauma that happened, and then its subsequent abandonment and natural destruction. It’s in a lovely derelict state now. Better commemerate it fast before it becomes any typical hotel-spa resort!
Thanks BUT how do I get access? Ive heard its now fenced off and there are security sensors everywhere?? is that the case? Who do I talk to to get approved access?? Thanks
The place is currently being managed as a state land by SLA (Singapore Land Authority).
I really doubt they will allow visitors to old Changi Hospital, especially when the place is not properly maintained after years of abandonment… some parts of the buildings might be structurally unsafe now
is och really haunted
Thanks, its worth a try, some people/groups are currently getting in, I’m visiting late June and would love to visit it one night. many thanks
I visited in 2009 and entered the building, it was full of broken glass and broken fittings. It really was dangerous to go in. If you follow the main road through Changi Village and keep walking, past the gated entrance to the SAF Changi Chalets, on your left you will see the set of stairs leading steeply up to the main entrance to the lower block (as pictured in the first and second photos on this page) At least you can view it from the street. I can give more details on google maps if needed.
It is haunted
While night comes , don’t look back when u are inside .. heard whispers beside u and behave normally ..
last night me and my 2 frnds went to that hospital… but when we were about to reach main gate one of my frnd heard some whisper …so he ran away..and then after wards we 2 also left that place….have any one of u felt or heard anything over there???
The fences can be cut off went in but there is a really bad filin so I got out,to be safe.
till what extent u went????
hi are u scared about och
i think i am going there but i dont know when….
Hi all. i was born in old Changi hospital on 18th April 1964. In February 2013 I will arrive on Queen Mary 2 for my first visit to singapore where I’m staying for 5 days and would love to visit the old hospital. If anyone knows where the maternity ward was in the hospital (I believe it was 4th or 5th floor) can they let me know? I realise it may be dangerouse to visit and would not like to get into any trouble but my Father died recently and I am desperate to visit.
Many thanks- and wishes to all others who were born there too!
Paul
Paul, I was born there in 1952 and have some pictures taken on the maternity floor. They match the architecture of the 2nd floor in the picture on this link. http://hongray28.webs.com/oldchangihospital.htm
However, if they moved the maternity ward before 1964, I wouldn’t know that. We left S’pore when I was 6 months old. Hope you get to visit. I would love to do that too. There are some great images on the web though.
Hi Linda and those who have replied- many thanks! Sorry for the delay in my response I am not on the net very often. I am very keen to see where I was born, but would only go there in the day with permission- so I’ll try with the authorities first. I would love to see some photos of when the hospital was operational, as it is sad to see it run down
. My parents visited again in 1995 when it was still open, and were allowed to visit the intensive care ward which used to be the maternity ward when I was born. If I do get any photos I’ll share them, but my Mum isn’t coming on the trip with me next Jan 13, so I am hoping to identify the right ward if I am allowed to go in. he memory isn’t clear on which floor. Mum says she was moved from a lower floor after I was born- which could be the second floor as you say Linda. Anyhow- it is really cool to communicate with you all as I don’t know Singapore at all but have always longed to visit. We had an amah called Te Chua in 1964 who looked after me and wanted Mum to leave me there. If by any chance Te could get a message I would love to meet her next Jan 13. My Parents are Barbara and Peter Sanderson, (Dad passed away in Feb 12) and we lived at Jalan Rabu on Thompson Garden Estate. Dad was in the RAF. Before I was born they lived at Jalan Ketumbit. Any messages much welcome! Kind regards all, Paul
Hallo Paul
I suggest you contact the Singapore Land Authority and ask for permission to visit. You can say you are visiting on behalf of all we who were born there. I have loads of photos of Singapore – but not of the hospital. We lived in a thatched house
which is apparently under the runway of the airport now.
Gail
We lived in Paya Lebar. I think that house was thatched too, Gail!
And I agree…If you get to visit, Paul, it would be great to do it on behalf of us all, and definitely with permission from the proper authority. Are either of you on facebook? That would be a great way to share pictures.
I doubt there’s a way you can get pass the authority to get in the hospital. most people sneak in there to visit the hospital. if you ever visit OCH there’s a stairs and somewhere you have to climb through to the top level, there’s where you get the most brilliant view. good luck! try visiting in the afternoon/evening. that was what i did, less spooky feeling.
OMG! DONT VISIT IT!ITSIS VERY VERY HAUNTED.yes,iam a singaporean and i know what will happens when u went in.IF ITS AT NIGHT,AND YOU GOIN,YOU WONT STAND ACHANCE TO COME OUT.but in the day,behave just very very very normally as if you dont know about its past of the hostpital.VISIT AT YOUR OWN RISK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Today’s news just reported that SLA has put Old Changi Hospital for lease again. The response is poor due to the high rental and cost for renovation and maintenance. They will announce the result of the bidding in October 2012.
Thanks for the update here. I am keen to know the outcome of any ease bids, so may be able to contact the right party when I come over in Feb 13. Please can you update us again after the October bid results.
Linda / Gail – I would be please to represent us all when I visit (if I can gain proper access). My dream would to be if they renovated the building for use again to have a small plaque from al those who were born there. I know it is unlikely to happen, but you never know!
Regards,
Paul
Great idea, Paul! Hope you get to go.
I made a trip down there and saw that the grafitti was removed. Who did it?
I thought it was a good idea to link up on Facebook – until I saw how many Linda Rosengrens there were! Maybe you should contact me – I could only find one Gail Coleshill. I have a few Singapore photos which I will digitalise and try to put up. Hope to get an update on the hospital after the bidding stops in October.
yea passby there recently and saw a big signage up for lease, few years back some foreigners bid to run a spa hotel but for unknown reasons never materialise, 2 years back saw SLA clearing up the area and now all fence up, wonder why nobody consider turn this into a horror theme park cum hotel ???
Hi everyone
Im visiting Singapore in November but just for 3 days before going onto Penang, but really want to visit the hospital as i was born there as well in May 1962. I have always wanted to go back and see where i was born, so im really hoping i will be able to see the building even if i cant go inside…..dont really fancy breaking a leg or anything else in a derelict building.
The family name is Simmons, dad was posted to Penang initially but ended up at Changi would be great if theres anybody on here that knew him and mum (Pete & Pat)
Wendy
)
Wendy, I hope you do get to visit the hospital. Dad and Mom and I (6 months old) left S’pore at the end of 1952, so a bit before your time. There are some great websites where you can see pictures and even video footage of the inside of the building. I was fascinated by them! Just google Old Changi Hospital and look for the links with photos. Let us know if you get to go!!
thanx Linda,
)
Have seen loads of photos of the hospital…….even the so called spooky ones! But all very interesting but really cant wait to see for myself….hopefully. Will definatly let you know anything i get to see.
thanx for the reply
I haven’t watched the “spooky” ones. So much drama and hype. My favorite was a 360 degree pan of the hallway where the maternity floor used to be (according to the architecture in the photos we have from the time of my birth). I can’t seem to find that link anymore though. Good luck!
it’s is really beautiful from the top level. full view of the sea! please go in the afternoon/ evening.
I lived in a house at the base of Changi Hospital for three years from ’57 to ’60. My friend lived in a house in Halton Road. Which was above the one where I lived(Upavon Rd). We used to go up and down to each others’ houses in complete darkness. I was also a patient in the hospital twice, as was my little brother. We never saw or heard of anything remotely spooky! We used to go and watch the open-air film shows on a huge screen in the car park and all the patients would crowd onto the various balconies to watch! It is so sad to see this building, which commands the most marvelous views across to the sea, being allowed to crumble slowly away. It has been vandalised over the years by people who think they are going to have a “haunting” experience.. The Singapore Government should spend a bit of money on it – or pull it down. It does not desrve to be left like this.
I visited the place several times a couple of years back and I am confident to say that I am pretty familiar with the interior layout of the place. I knew where the operating theatres, elevator engine room, the famous devil’s room and the mortuary are located. Old Changi hospital is certainly creepy but I will not go as far as saying it is haunted.
Recalling from memories, I found the famous devil’s room being the strangest thing in the entire hospital. It is an odd looking room which entrance is from a corner of the corridor. I have never seen any entrance placement quite as strange as this. All the patient wards on this floor are layout on one side of the corridor in a parallel/adjacent manner but the devil’s room was diagonal. The entrance was in a direct corner thus making a corridor a weird hexagonal shape instead of a proper rectangle. It is like the rectangular corridor has only 3 sharp corners and a gaping hole at the place where the 4th corner should have been. It just felt strange and incomplete.
Unfortunately, I was told that the mortuary was no more. My friends and I gave up searching for it so we went down to the main entrance and asked the security guards there. Instead of asking us to leave, he brought us to the place where the mortuary supposedly were and told us that it was already demolished. It might the security guard way of asking us to leave politely but it was just too much effort on the security guard part to be it. Anyway, it was great fun time.
Hi all
My cousin & I were born in BMH Singapore within a few months of each other in 1963
There seems to be some confusion as to which location however.
Dean & I both thought this building, now abandoned and in decay up near the airport but my father just said no, the Alexandra – which is a fully operational community hospital way over in the south-west of the city.
Can you help clarify? Which one of the two was the BMH?
Hi MartyThe British Milatary Hospital is the Alexandra Hospital.
Well, if those that have been before may you all write more about it so that I can know more info about it as I always want too:)
Well just today after I waited so long when I can visit this place and today I saw it.When I really eager to visit this place when they filmed haunted changi in 2010 and also I saw many videos made by teenagers in the YouTube. I took a walk from changi village to nethervon road than I met this hospital. But I am very upset because when I see from YouTube even though people take from outside the hospital the hospital can see clearly and today when I saw most of trees and bushes covered the whole buildings and staircase even worse only can see the name CHANGI HOSPITAL clearly which is written at the building. But one day I will come one more time and try to view from other entrance which can see clearly.
Last Sunday afternoon around 2pm I revisit the Hospital. But this time I walked in Sealand road and turn right to Halton road then I can see clearly the Hospital.But sorry friends you can’t take the staircase climb up and view because even this staircase very worse situation because it was fully covered with grass.The only way to view this Hospital this is the best route.And more thing now this is very worst compared the videos in YouTube lastly shown in 2011, the place right now covered with a lot of growing trees and grasses and I think comming very soon even you can’t view the Old Hospital. People wants to visit this place do so within this year.