Singapore's total health expenditure amounts to just 3.4 percent of its gross domestic product. That's not only a fraction of what Western nations spend; even Malaysia, China and India spend more.
Malaysia spends 4.3 percent of its GDP on health care, China 4.5 percent and India 4.9 percent.
But Singapore spends more per head in dollars — $1,228 — than Malaysia, China and India. (All figures here date back to 2006 and are taken from World Health Statistics 2008.)
Life expectancy in Singapore is as high as in America, Britain and other Western nations and Japan and South Korea. So though Singapore spends far less than those countries on health care, it is getting good results.
America spends as much as 15.3 percent of its GDP on health care, Switzerland 11.3 percent, France 11.1 percent, Germany 10.4 percent, Canada 10 percent, Portugal 10 percent, Denmark 9.5 percent, New Zealand 9.4 percent, the Netherlands 9.3 percent, Italy 9 percent, Sweden 8.9 percent, Norway 8.7 percent, Australia 8.7 percent, Britain 8.4 percent, Spain 8.1 percent, Japan 7.9 percent, Israel 7.8 percent, Ireland 7.5 percent, South Korea 6.5 percent.
I came across these figures on the World Health Organization website today while checking on its swine flu updates.
Singapore will lower the swine flu alert level from orange to yellow next Monday, reported the Straits Times today. That's why I visited the WHO website to get more information. The Singapore newspaper's website seldom carries much detail.
These WHO country profiles, for example, I haven't seen in the Straits Times. If you want to know about any country, visit WHO and check Countries.
Singapore
Total population: 4,382,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 43,300
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 78/83
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 69/71
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 3
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 83/50
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 1,228
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 3.4
USA
Total population: 302,841,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 44,070
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 75/80
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 67/71
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 8
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 137/80
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 6,714
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 15.3
UK
Statistics:
Total population: 60,512,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 33,650
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 77/81
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 69/72
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 6
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 98/61
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 2,784
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 8.4
Australia
Total population: 20,530,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 33,940
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 79/84
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 71/74
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 6
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 82/47
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 3,122
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 8.7
Austria
Total population: 8,327,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 36,040
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 77/83
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 69/74
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 4
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 105/51
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 3,545
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 9.9
Belgium
Total population: 10,430,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 33,860
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 77/82
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 69/73
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 5
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 111/61
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 3,183
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 9.5
Canada
Total population: 32,577,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 36,280
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 78/83
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 70/74
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 6
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 89/55
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 3,672
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 10.0
Denmark
Total population: 5,430,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 36,190
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 76/81
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 69/71
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 4
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 111/65
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 3,349
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 9.5
France
Total population: 61,330,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 32,240
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 77/84
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 69/75
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 5
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 124/57
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 3,554
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 11.1
Germany
Total population: 82,641,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 32,680
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 77/82
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 70/74
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 5
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 106/55
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 3,328
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 10.4
Ireland
Total population: 4,221,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 34,730
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 77/82
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 68/72
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 4
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 88/56
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 3,082
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 7.5
Italy
Total population: 58,779,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 28,970
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 78/84
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 71/75
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 4
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 83/44
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 2,623
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 9.0
Netherlands
Total population: 16,379,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 37,940
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 78/82
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 70/73
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 5
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 81/59
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 3,383
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 9.3
New Zealand
Total population: 4,140,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 25,750
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 78/82
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 69/72
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 6
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 91/59
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 2,447
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 9.4
Norway
Total population: 4,669,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 50,070
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 78/83
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 70/74
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 4
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 86/53
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 4,521
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 8.7
Portugal
Total population: 10,579
,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 19,960
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 75/82
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 67/72
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 4
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 133/53
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 2,080
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 10.0
Spain
Total population: 43,887,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 28,200
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 78/84
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 70/75
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 4
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 105/44
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 2,388
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 8.1
Sweden
Total population: 9,078,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 34,310
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 79/83
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 72/75
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 4
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 78/49
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 3,119
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 8.9
Switzerland
Total population: 7,455,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 40,840
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 79/84
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 71/75
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 5
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 80/47
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 4,312
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 11.3
Japan
Total population: 127,953,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 32,840
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 79/86
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 72/78
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 4
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 89/44
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 2,514
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 7.9
South Korea
Total population: 48,050,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 22,990
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 75/82
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 65/71
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 5
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 119/47
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 1,487
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 6.5
Malaysia
Total population: 26,114,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 12,160
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 69/74
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 62/65
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 12
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 197/109
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 500
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 4.3
Brunei
Total population: 382,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 49,900
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 76/79
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 65/66
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 9
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 100/74
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 394
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 1.8
Indonesia
Total population: 228,864,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 3,310
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 66/69
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 57/59
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 34
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 231/192
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 87
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 2.2
Philippines
Total population: 86,264,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 3,430
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 64/71
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 57/62
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 32
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 277/157
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 223
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 3.3
Thailand
Total population: 63,444,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 7,440
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 69/75
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 58/62
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 8
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 264/155
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 346
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 3.5
India
Total population: 1,151,751,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 2,460
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 62/64
Healthy life expectancy at birthm/f (years, 2003): 53/54
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 76
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 276/203
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 109
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 4.9
China
Total population: 1,328,474,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 4,660
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 72/75
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 63/65
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 24
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 143/87
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 342
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 4.5
Israel
Total population: 6,810,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 23,840
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 79/82
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 70/72
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 5
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 89/48
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 2,263
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 7.8
UAE
Total population: 4,248,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 31,190
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 77/80
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 64/64
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 8
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 84/62
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 673
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 2.6
Qatar
Total population: 821,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): not available
Life ex
pectancy at birth m/f (years): 77/77
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 67/64
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 11
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 72/64
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 1,426
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 4.3
Bahrain
Total population: 739,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 34,310
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 74/76
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 64/64
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 10
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 116/84
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 1,008
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 3.8
Saudi Arabia
Total population: 24,175,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 22,300
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 68/73
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 60/63
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 26
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 205/136
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 607
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 3.4
Kuwait
Total population: 2,779,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 48,310
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 77/79
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 67/67
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 11
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 68/52
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 535
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 2.2
Mexico
Total population: 105,342,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 11,990
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 72/77
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 63/68
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 35
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 155/89
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 756
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 6.2
South Africa
Total population: 48,282,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 8,900
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 50/53
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 43/45
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 69
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 598/531
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 869
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 8.6
Mauritius
Total population: 1,252,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 10,640
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 69/76
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 60/65
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 15
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 212/108
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 581
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 4.3
Lebanon
Total population: 4,055,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 9,600
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 68/72
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 59/62
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 31
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 193/133
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 608
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 8.9
Figures are for 2006 unless indicated. Source: World Health Statistics 2008
Jamaica
Statistics:
Total population: 2,699,000
Gross national income per capita (PPP international $): 7,050
Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 69/75
Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2003): 64/66
Probability of dying under five (per 1 000 live births): 32
Probability of dying between 15 and 60 years m/f (per 1 000 population): 224/130
Total expenditure on health per capita (Intl $, 2006): 240
Total expenditure on health as % of GDP (2006): 5.1
Figures are for 2006 unless indicated. Source: World Health Statistics 2008
Related posts:
Before appropriate comparison, analysis and conclusion can be made between countries, you need to go behind the numbers and ensure an apple-to-apple situation for the following considerations:
1. Singapore is a small compact city-nation and do not need to spread out its health resources and infrastucture over large peographical spreads. Comparisons with other large countries will be more appropriate perhaps with their main cities instead.
2. Singaporeans spend a lot on alternative medicine like sinsehs, acupuncture etc. These expenditures may not be in the national total expenditure on health.
3. Many of the other countries have national healthcare schemes and the cost of these (which may include allocations for future expenditures)are probably included in the total expenditure data. Singapore does not have one. But with an ageing population, our rate of annual expenditure will rise with time and this will be borne largely by taxpayers themselves. One indicator is the ratio of the national health govt budget to total national health expenditure. For Singapore, this ratio is relatively low.
Actually, what the number tells me is:
1 Singapore government spend less on its people (%)
2 Singaporeans expected to cover expenses out of their own pocket (no national health care schemes)
3 Singapore health resources more expensive than our neighbours
All not too surprising conclusions…