SINGAPORE - Trust has probably been the most critical factor in Singapore's pandemic response - and the nation must learn from Covid-19 and not let lessons from it go to waste, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday (April 24).
These include upholding Singapore's standards of medical excellence and further developing its expertise in public health.
He was speaking at the Singapore General Hospital's (SGH) Lecture and Formal Dinner 2022, which was held at Shangri-La Singapore.
Addressing about 300 guests on site, as well as about another 1,000 gathered online, PM Lee cited a study in The Lancet which found that higher levels of trust in the government and among the population were associated with greater compliance with Covid-19 restrictions and higher vaccination rates.
"In fact, by this measure, trust levels mattered much more even than the quality of healthcare and access to universal healthcare.
I do not believe this means a good healthcare system makes no difference – it is absolutely necessary. But it does show how crucial trust levels in the society are to public health and healthcare outcomes," he said, adding that Singapore is fortunate to be a high-trust society.
He said that the strong public trust built up over the decades between Singaporeans and the Government, and in one another, sets the Republic apart from many other countries.
This involves trust that the Government has the best interest of Singapore and Singaporeans at heart, that the Government is competent and will make the right decisions on behalf of Singaporeans, and that every citizen will play their part - not just for themselves and their loved ones, but for others as well.
"This trust is a most precious resource. It is the fundamental reason why Singaporeans were able to come together during the pandemic, instead of working against each other," said PM Lee.
He cited four examples of this: People here abiding by "burdensome" safe management measures, patiently enduring repeated rounds of easing and tightening, going for vaccinations and booster jabs, and exercising personal and social responsibility.
"In other countries, a precaution as simple and essential as wearing a mask became a heated point of contention between citizens... Fortunately, in Singapore the opposite happened," he noted.
3 key thrusts of trust: Competency, commitment, transparency
PM Lee said that a big part of this was due to the public's trust in the healthcare system here, which in turn was based on three things.
First, trust that healthcare workers here are professional, and know their job well.
Second, that they are dedicated and selfless, committed to the care, treatment and well-being of their patients.
Third, that the healthcare system is open and honest with the public, even when things fail to go as intended.
For instance, said PM Lee, during the vaccination campaign, the Health Ministry regularly reported statistics on serious adverse events.