How is an individual responsible for his own healthcare?

An example would be the H5N1 flu which hit Singapore on October 17 2005.

On October 24, 2005, the Ministry of Health issued a public advisory calling for several groups of people to get themselves vaccinated against flu.[1] They include

* elderly aged 65 years and above,
* those with chronic heart and lung diseases, and diabetes or renal diseases,
* children and teenagers aged six months to 18 years, who are receiving long-term aspirin therapy, and
* women in the second or third trimester of pregnancy.

Those planning to travel to the Northern Hemisphere over the next few months are also encouraged to get a flu vaccine at least a week or two before departure.

The Ministry also advised extra precaution for travellers to areas affected by the avian influenza outbreak including countries in Asia (Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and China) and Europe (Turkey, Romania, Greece, Russia). Travellers are advised avoid contact with poultry such as chickens, geese, ducks, pigeons and wild birds and not go to places such as commercial or backyard poultry farms and markets selling live birds. They are advised not to handle or eat raw or undercooked poultry or foods containing uncooked poultry, including eggs.

Those who develop flu-like symptoms should seek medical help promptly, and inform the doctors of their travel history.Masks were also given for the covering of the mouths(If Infected)

Advises and talks were also given to Singaporeans on how they could prevent themselves from getting the virus.

How is our government responsible for healthcare in Singapore?

Health care in Singapore is mainly under the responsibility of the Singapore Government's Ministry of Health. Singapore generally has an efficient and widespread system of health care. It implements a universal healthcare system, and co-exists with private healthcare system. Infant mortality rate – a standard in determining the overall efficiency of healthcare. In 2006 the crude birth rate stood at 10.1 per 1000, a very low level attributed to birth control policies of the 1960s-70s, and the crude death rate was also one of the lowest in the world at 4.3 per 1000. In 2006, the total fertility rate was only 1.26 children per woman, the 3rd lowest in the world and well below the 2.10 needed to replace the population. Singapore was ranked 6th in the World Health Organization's ranking of the world's health systems in the year 2000.

Singapore has a universal health care system where government ensures affordability, largely through compulsory savings and price controls, while the private sector provides most care. Overall spending on health care amounts to only 3% of annual GDP. Of that, 66% comes from private sources.[1] Singapore currently has the lowest infant mortality rate in the world (equaled only by Iceland) and among the highest life expectancies from birth, according to the World Health Organization.[2] Singapore has "one of the most successful healthcare systems in the world, in terms of both efficiency in financing and the results achieved in community health outcomes," according to an analysis by global consulting firm Watson Wyatt.[3] Singapore's system uses a combination of compulsory savings from payroll deductions (funded by both employers and workers) a nationalized catastrophic health insurance plan, and government subsidies, as well as "actively regulating the supply and prices of healthcare services in the country" to keep costs in check; the specific features have been described as potentially a "very difficult system to replicate in many other countries." Many Singaporeans also have supplemental private health insurance (often provided by employers) for services not covered by the government's programs


Healthcare today in Singapore

The Bowyer Block at the Singapore General Hospital now houses the SGH Museum which was officially opened in May 2005.Singapore’s well-established healthcare system comprises a total of 13 private hospitals, 10 public (government) hospitals and several specialist clinics, each specializing in and catering to different patient needs, at varying costs.

Patients are free to choose the providers within the government or private healthcare delivery system and can walk in for a consultation at any private clinic or any government polyclinic. For emergency services, patients can go at any time to the 24-hour Accident & Emergency Departments located in the government hospitals.

Singapore's medical facilities are among the finest in the world, with well qualified doctors and dentists, many trained overseas.

Singapore has medical savings account system known as Medisave.







Source from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_care_in_Singapore



Summary

Overall,I feel that the government is doing a good job in subsidising money using Medisave as most Singaporeans are dependant on it.Medisave can also be used to pay almost all of the hospital bills.This least affects the poor and people with lower income.The government should continue with this process to ensure that all Singaporeans become beneficial to Medisave