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Contingency Plan: Comparison of Health Policies in Managing COVID-19. JPHTCR. Vol 4. No. 1 (2021)
JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH FOR TROPICAL AND COASTAL REGION
(JPHTCR)
Journal homepage: http:/ejournal2.undip.ac.id/index.php/jphtr/index
ISSN : 2597-438
Contingency Plan: Comparison of Health Policies in
Managing COVID-19 in Singapore and Indonesia
Khalish Arsy Al Khairy Siregar¹*, Deasy Nur Chairin Hanifa1
¹ Faculty of Pharmacy, University Muhammadiyah of East Borneo, Samarinda, Indonesia
*Corresponding Author, Email: arsysiregarr2000@gmail.com
Abstract
Introduction: Singapore is one of the countries with the lowest mortality rate and the best
handling of COVID-19. Singapore can be an example for Indonesia on COVID 19 pandemic
handling.
Methods: The method used is a literature review from google platform with these keywords:
“Singapore Health Policy in COVID-19, Indonesian Health Policy in COVID-19, Singapore's
success in suppressing COVID-19”. The analysis was done by comparing the policies taken from
the two countries in dealing with COVID-19.
Results: Singapore and Indonesia did indeed have very big differences in terms of government
and in broad areas, it cannot be denied that Indonesia can have the same opportunity as
Singapore in providing a good health disaster mitigation system for the community. Three factors
influence Singapore's success in dealing with COVID-19: 1) having a responsive and efficient
health disaster mitigation system, 2) government legitimacy which is determined by the capacity
of the state. Singapore has a semi-centralized government with high legitimacy the experience of
dealing with pandemics in the past, 3) Singapore's experience with SARS in the past makes
Singaporeans understand very well the impact of the pandemic on their economic activities and
social life.
Conclusion: Several things can be emulated from Singapore in handling COVID-19 was the
transparency, strong communication between community and the government, prioritizing the
benefit and safety of civil society and building obedience and awareness of COVID-19 prevention.
Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic, Contingency Plan, Health Policy, Singapore, Indonesia
Article History: Received: 10th March 2021, Revised: 21th April 2021, Accepted: 29th April 2021
28Contingency Plan: Comparison of Health Policies in Managing COVID-19. JPHTCR. Vol 4. No. 1 (2021)
Introduction persuasive ways through counseling,
Based on the current updated report, education on information about COVID-19,
there was 115,967,664 confirmed cases of and distribution of masks to firm actions such
COVID-19 with a worldwide death toll of as social sanctions and fines for violating
2,579,775 people.1 This pandemic is a threat health protocols.
to the whole world, a plan and emergency Social and environmental factors
action are needed in determining health influenced Indonesian society who had a low
policies to form a safety disaster mitigation level of discipline and awareness. Nowadays
system to deal with COVID-19. Policy in Indonesian society is more focused on its
health services can be viewed as an economic interests. Therefore, the
important aspect of social policy, because Government also needs to pay attention on
health is a determining factor for social the social and environmental conditions in
welfare.2 Singapore is one of the 3 countries formulating a policy. Indonesian government
that have become a reference point for need to learn from Singapore where the
handling COVID-19 besides South Korea economy and health go hand in hand in the
and Taiwan. Singapore has a smaller area time of the pandemic. The increasing
than Indonesia, but Singapore has a high number of cases and fatal impact of COVID-
level of mobility of people, things and 19 in various vital sectors in Indonesia, has
services, so the spread of COVID-19 is also resulted in the need for regulations that can
higher.3 Based on this fact, Indonesia can save Indonesia but also reduce the spread of
learn how Singapore reduced the spread of COVID-19. The legitimacy of bureaucrats as
COVID-19, and make Singapore be a role measured by responsiveness and
model in developing the Covid-19 Handling transparency helps in the rapid response of
Policy. the pandemic.8. Comparing Singapore and
Singapore is currently experiencing a Indonesian regulations can be a reference
severe economic recession, because its’ for Indonesia in formulating regulations that
income from industry and transit ports has are right on target and have a good impact
decreased due to the impact of COVID-19. on Indonesian society.
Singapore is very dependent on other
countries. Currently, the policy in effect in Methods
Singapore prioritizes the interests of public The narrative review was used by comparing
health and safety and the economy of the the policies taken from the two countries in
Singaporean community.4 dealing with COVID-19. Data were collected
Since the beginning, Indonesia from articles of national and international
experienced delays in early handling of journal publications and news using Google
COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in the platform with the keywords of: "Singapore
first and second cases on 2 residents of Health Policy in COVID-19, Indonesian
Depok announced by President Joko Health Policy in COVID-19, Singapore's
Widodo on March 2, 2019.5 This made success in suppressing COVID-19 ''. This
Indonesia indirectly missing the study was conducted on February 2021.
preparedness for COVID-19 handling. The
latest data showed that the number of Result and Discussion
COVID-19 cases in Indonesia was 1,373,836 Based on the results of the narrative reviews,
cases, with a total mortality of 37,154 we found several similarity factors between
people.6 Indonesia was currently in the 4th the two countries which were geographical
place with the highest number of positive location and in the same Southeast Asia
COVID-19 cases in Asia and was the second region. On the other hand, Singapore and
in the world7, which brought a bad reputation Indonesia have fundamental differences
and nightmare for the Indonesians. including the governmental system, in which
Currently, the Indonesian government was Singapore has parliamentary while
doing its best in handling this pandemic, from Indonesia has the presidential system. This
29Contingency Plan: Comparison of Health Policies in Managing COVID-19. JPHTCR. Vol 4. No. 1 (2021)
difference leads to the discrepancy in steps Singapore Indonesia
of the government to decide which regulation 60,020 1,368,069
Cases
to use, and there are also some other factors cases cases
which are listed in Table 1. 37,026
Mortality 29 cases
cases
State Profiles of Singapore and Source : Center For Strategic & International
Indonesia Studies [10]
Table 1. Brief Country Profiles of
Singapore and Indonesia Based on previous research,
Singapore Indonesia Singapore was one of the countries
1,905 assessed to have an effective system for
Area 728 km²
million km² identifying each case of the coronavirus. The
270,2 Singapore Ministry of Health regularly
Population 5.6 million million updated the development of every new and
recovered corona case through the official
Gross website. Singapore was also very active in
364,2 billion 1,042 trillion
Domestic
USD (2018) USD (2018) educating the public through campaigns.
Product
They provide massive information to the
Minerals,
tourism, public regarding simple but effective ways to
economy, prevent the spread of the virus.11
agriculture,
Industry, SINGAPORE
animal
tourism, Singapore has prepared very well in facing
State husbandry,
financial
Economic creative this pandemic. This preparedness was
services,
Resources economy supported by Singapore's experience from
and the port
and small previous outbreaks, high quality of health
sector [9]
and standards, having a good network across
medium Hospitals and health centers throughout
business Singapore and also immediate task force
traders
formation to deal with COVID-19.11,12
Before Covid 19 pandemic hit, Singapore
The different profiles listed in Table 1 had
had been affected by SARS and MERS
influenced on determining a policy. Several
other factors to complement the comparison outbreaks. In 2003 Singapore was
of country's capacity in determining a policy, overwhelmed by SARS. From these two
including the environmental factors of outbreaks, Singapore had sufficient
Singaporean and Indonesian society, were experience on how to handle the outbreaks.
explored as a whole. Currently, Singaporean Government,
through the Ministry of Health, acted quickly
Policies in Covid-19 Handling by building Emergency Hospital and
The country's capacity is determined by the Laboratory. Singaporean government was
Legitimacy of the Government. This focusing on increasing ICU capacity to
country's capacity includes the ability to anticipate the outbreak on the number of
make decisions and the ability to access COVID-19 cases.11,13
several policy alternatives.8
Singaporean government communicated
actively to the public using various
Table 2. Data of Singapore and Indonesia approaches on social media. Website of:
on COVID-19 https://co.vid19.sg/singapore/clusters was
30Contingency Plan: Comparison of Health Policies in Managing COVID-19. JPHTCR. Vol 4. No. 1 (2021)
the official website to inform the number of light of the experience in MERS and SARS
positive cases, as well as complete data outbreaks handling, as well as other
presentation ranging from diagrams, graphs, pandemic diseases, current health policies
to visual graphics and also maps of the should reflect more on the fast and well-
COVID-19 spread location.14,15 coordinated surveillance. Indonesia has
Singapore is a country with a high level been ready and understood what to do
of discipline. Singaporean Government were during an emergency during a pandemic.
seriously sanctioned the citizens who violate Indonesia currently has COVID-19 Clustered
the regulations. Criminal offence sanctions Units from the central level to the district
were given to the citizens who left their level. This unit includes Government official,
homes in the isolation period. This sanction BNPB, TNI, POLRI, and the Community who
was also applied to the foreigners by play a role in the response to COVID-19.
depriving the right to stay in Singapore. The The Ministry of Health of the Republic
sanction was resulted a high level of of Indonesia is currently unable to be
community compliance. transparent in describing the number of
COVID-19 cases due to the vastness of
INDONESIA Indonesia's territory. The tracking of COVID-
Indonesia experienced a delay in 19 patients has to be assisted by the relevant
preparation from the start. Since the first Local Government which involved the
confirmed case in China, some countries smallest level on the neighborhood (RT) and
including Singapore had made early some other factors increased the difficulties.
preparations to anticipate COVID-19 In addition, the issue of patient privacy of
outbreaks. Indonesia still chose to open its data dissemination also slows down the
doors to bring in foreign tourists which cause tracking of Covid-19.14 Indonesia also has an
the lateness in anticipating COVID-19 application, namely Peduli Lindungi, initiated
outbreak from the start.16 by the Ministry of Communication and
When MERS and SARS entered Information Technology to trace and monitor
Indonesia, previously, the anticipation was areas around the community. Using the
carried out by the Ministry of Health of the application, by labeling each safe area,
Republic of Indonesia directly. Monitoring positive cases and the radius of coverage of
was carried out at airports and international COVID-19 patients can be informed. This
ports. Supervision to Indonesian workers application has a good impact but did not get
who had just returned to Indonesia was also high attention from the public. The
conducted. Body temperature of Indonesian government plays an important role in
and foreign tourists who visited tourist promoting and educating the community
attractions or travelled were always checked through this application.16
and given a Health Alert Card. The Indonesia has implemented PSBB,
management of MERS and SARS in Regional Quarantine, spraying disinfectants
Indonesia at that time had good supervision, and mask usage to break the spread of
which was supported by the Decree of the COVID-19. However, the actions taken by
Minister of Health Number 424 / MENKES / Indonesian officials have not provided a
SK / 2003. This decree stated that SARS is deterrent effect yet. In many cases, the
a disease that can cause an outbreak and violation to the regulation will end up on a
the guidelines on handling it was added on paper with stamp duty and keep repeated.
April 3, 2003. This policy was used as a On the other hand, social sanctions will have
strong foundation in providing effective steps a very good impact on society that violating
to prevent the spread of the outbreak.17 In health protocols can be embarrassing and
31Contingency Plan: Comparison of Health Policies in Managing COVID-19. JPHTCR. Vol 4. No. 1 (2021)
harmed to themselves. The spread of HOAX have not yielded maximum results, even
news about COVID-19 need to be handled to several existing regulations can harm the
reduce the spread of this HOAX news. Government itself. For example, the Pre-
Work Card Program was not running very
Factors affecting Policy well in reaching the main target. The main
Economic Factors target of this program was the victims of
In the economic sector, these two layoffs and small and medium business
countries are experiencing the same crisis. actors who experienced the greatest impact.
Singapore experienced a more severe crisis This was confirmed by the BPS findings that
because the source of economy driving showed 66.5% of pre-employment card
came from the port transit connecting recipients are workers, 22.2 % were the
services. This was exacerbated by a lot of unemployed, and 11.3% were the non-labor
economic activities being stopped which force.19
resulted in severe economic depression. On The target inaccuracy of this program
the other hand, despite the economic crisis proved that there was a miss-communication
conditions, Singapore remains consistent in between the community and government
serving and maintaining the health of civil officials and the level of concern and
society and immigrants. Singapore in its community compliance was very low. Some
services provides a stimulus to 5 sectors, of the community groups feel that they really
including 3 sectors (Households, need the benefits of this program, even
Entrepreneurs and Fresh graduate, and though they are quite capable. On the other
Small and medium business traders). The hand, some others who really need, did not
Singapore government also gives subsidies get the benefit of this program. Therefore, the
for needed funds, business assistance, and Indonesian government must target its
business credit assistance. Public Services programs to productive sectors such as
and Taxes and Credits increased the budget small and medium business actors. As
for health, tourism, public transportation, and occurs several years ago, when Indonesia
also increase incentives for health workers. was hit by an economic crisis, the small and
In the tax and credit sector, tax payments medium business actors were the saviors of
and tax subsidies for immigrant workers are Indonesian economy. Besides, the increased
carried out. incentives for health workers, who are the
Singapore experienced a decline front-liners in handling Covid19 pandemic
economy. Besides the expenditures incurred are also needed.
during a pandemic, the Singapore
Social and Environmental Factors
government did a risky but responsible step.
Singaporeans had used to live in a
This can be seen from the decision of the
disciplined society, by obeying the law. The
President of Singapore, Halim Yacob, who
discipline of Singapore society was not
was willing to cut his salary voluntarily to give
formed instantly. Previously, the
bonuses to health workers and other public
Singaporean were also difficult to obey the
service employees as they are the front-
regulation, just like Indonesian. However, the
liners in handling COVID-19.18
Singapore government has a firm strategy
In Indonesia, the Government has
and regulations to make the people complied
made efforts through economic policies
to the rules.
including Pre-Work Cards, Community
The factors that influence a successful
Business Fund Assistance, and various
policy, include: 1) Public legal awareness
other ways to save the community's
regarding certain events is not in line with the
economy. However, the existing regulations
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