How effectively is public health promoted and managed in your society?

How effectively is public health promoted and managed in your society?

Define

Effectively- What is effective? To decide if something is effective, one has to measure the results against the intended objective. In this case, what is the state’s objective with regards to public health?

Promoted- to raise awareness about public health

Managed- suggests a deliberate control by the government to shape Singaporeans’ health and lifestyle into their state’s vision

This question requires students to assess whether how successful the state has been in meeting her objective to ensure that Singaporeans age gracefully, keep active and are healthy so that they will not be a burden to the state. Students are required to take a look at the strategies adopted by the government and assess them accordingly. Students need to also define what is “public health”. Does it just mean the general health of all Singaporeans? Or does it mean the public spaces of health in Singapore?

Yes it is effectively managed and promoted

1.Public spaces of health have been well managed and promoted, so much so that Singapore has been making waves as a prominent medical hub for tourists to come and seek treatments.

E.g. Raffles Hospitals cater to the rich Indonesians for medical treatment mostly, new hospitals have been built to cater to rising demand such as Ng Teng Fong Hospital. Singapore has a medical research institute- Duke NUS to respond to new medical advances and at the same time, Singapore has various specialist and general practitioners clinics to deal with medical issues.

2.The government has been active in raising awareness and influencing the lifestyles and mindsets of Singaporeans with regard to health.

E.g. Healthy lifestyle campaigns; recent rise of marathons to encourage running, free screening tests for the elderly at the community centre, advertisements to encourage individuals to go for regular screenings.

3. The government ensures that every Singaporean takes responsibility towards his or her health by ensuring that the state co-pays instead of adopting a total welfare perspective.

E.g. Medisave, Medishield work on a co-payment system. Even government officials on pension schemes have to co-pay 30% for their medical bills to prevent abuse.

No it is not effectively managed and promoted

1.Lower socio-economic Singaporeans find it hard to keep pace with the high costs of healthcare here, and current schemes we have are unable to ensure adequacy.

E.g. Increasing number of Singaporeans crossing over the causeway to buy over-the-counter medicine in order to save costs. Some have even gone to seek medical treatment there or even operations. Medisave is inadequate for many Singaporeans especially if they have been down with a critical illness.