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Tuesday 17 October 2023

Singapore's health services

My cold has developed into ongoing asthma, with jet-lag not helping.  Not needing to wrestle with translations, I took myself to a nearby clinic and saw a nice young doctor.  She prescribed medications to relieve my symptoms - three of them - as well as a course of oral steroids.  I won't take the steroids until I can check with my endocrinologist.

But what I want to comment on is the Singapore system.  The doc diagnoses, prescribes and the same clinic dispenses the meds. You get your meds, which are generics, in a little plastic ziplock bag with specially printed labels.  No trip to the pharmacy, and no wastage or left-over doses in boxes.  Since "the government" does the buying, they can get the best price - Big Pharma would not be pleased.

Then in the biggest snafu of all time, I left the cold medications behind in a restaurant.  I was able to go to a pharmacy and buy some replacements - and they too come in  little plastic bags!

 

The nanny state has some advantages!

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