Health Issues in Singapore 2021. Latest Singapore Healthcare news & updates. What are some of the healthcare issues faced in Singapore? Singapore has a good healthcare system. However, we are facing challenges such as ageing population, increasing chronic disease burden, slower workforce growth and rising healthcare costs. The cost of Chronic Health Issues. Details on Chronic Health Issues costs.
Common Health Problems in Singapore And What To Do About Them
Asthma
Asthma is a chronic disease that causes the airways in one’s lungs to become temporarily narrower, thus making it harder to breathe. Common symptoms include coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and chest tightness.
In Singapore, asthma is not uncommon, with about 5% of adults and 20% of children suffering from this respiratory problem.2 If well-controlled, asthma is not necessarily a life-threatening condition. Left untreated however, asthma may cause permanent damage to the lungs and can even be fatal.
Diabetes
The severe issue of diabetes was brought into the spotlight during Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s National Day Rally speech in 2017. It is an incurable chronic condition that occurs when the body does not produce enough (or any) insulin, leading to an excess of sugar in the blood. Some warning signs of diabetes include increased thirst and hunger, frequent urination, unexplained weight loss and increased headaches.
Diabetes is so common in Singapore that 1 in 9 Singaporeans have diabetes1. If not managed properly, diabetes can even lead to more serious conditions such as kidney failure, coma, blindness and even amputations. In fact, an average of 1,200 diabetics undergo amputation every year in Singapore and sadly, many of these could have been prevented with proper lifestyle management.
Common worries with common health conditions
Being diagnosed with a medical condition is not the end of the world. In fact, it may be more common than you think! With proper management and some simple lifestyle changes, it is easy to improve your health for a better life.
