Singapore’s Role and Contribution in Health Globally: A Qualitative Study Exploring Perspectives of Global Health Actors in Southeast Asia

Abstract

In line with the recent adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals, global health has grown increasingly relevant in Southeast Asia (SEA), with the proliferation of new actors and growing interest in global health issues. In SEA, Singapore has emerged as a developed nation with the capabilities and resources to be a powerful force of change for progress in global health. The aim of this paper is to explore the perceptions of global health actors in SEA on Singapore’s role and contributions to the global health landscape. Twenty-five semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants from the SEA region with global health expertise and experience. Key-informants were recruited from a range of international and local health institutions across public and private sectors. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify emergent themes. Findings suggest that Singapore is perceived as being successful in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), in its progress in healthcare and in its ability to exercise good governance. Obstacles that hampered Singapore’s ability to do more in global health were linked to its pragmatic priorities focusing on domestic health. The findings suggest a myriad of ways in which Singapore can expand its role in health globally by leveraging the strength of its academic institutions, good structures of governance, and influence in the region. Such efforts are perceived to yield practical benefits in bolstering Singapore’s security, economy and foreign relations, while enabling the state to contribute towards more charitable goals in reducing the global burden of disease. Drawing on our findings and supporting literature, a more comprehensive multidisciplinary research project examining Singapore’s existing global health footprint in various sectors and its potential to contribute more in global health could be beneficial.