A commonly accepted broad measure is the expected health span and lifespan of our people. In Singapore, a person is expected to live up to 74 years old in good health, one of the highest in the world; compared to 66 in the US; 70 in the UK; 71 to 72 in Germany, France, Denmark, Netherlands, Australia and so forth.
Singapore achieved this by spending about 5% of our gross domestic product (GDP) on healthcare, compared to 10% to 13% in most developed countries; 17% in the US. In short, we have better outcomes with less spending and lower hospital beds and doctors-to-population ratios than many OECD countries, because it is not just a numbers game.
The quality and the mix of doctors, the geographical spread of the country, how the whole system is run, the behaviour of patients – all makes a big difference. We have a lot of room for improvement, but there is no reason to feel bad about ourselves or to envy others. We are, in fact, in a good place as we continue to learn from others and strive for improvements.
新加坡国会丨来源
新加坡国会丨图源
