Is Ireland the best place to live in the world according to its health system?

Résumé du document

Ireland was described as the best place to live in 2005. This conclusion was based on a study by the Economist. Let us discuss this statement by taking into account the Irish health system. In this document, we question the efficiency of the healthcare system of the country and find out if it can really be argued that it is the case as far as health is concerned. We also analyze if it possesses the best health system in the world, as it is known to be.
First of all, the characteristics of a good health system have to been explained in order to monitor the Irish health system. Equity, equality and efficiency should be the main aspects of a good health system. To illustrate it, I would like to quote Aneurin Bevan, the chief architect of the English National Health System, who argued that "no society can legitimately call itself civilized if a sick person is denied medical aid because of a lack of means". Indeed, a good health system is one which provides primary medical care universally. This kind of system cannot be based on money to shape one's access to care.
Keeping the above statement in mind, can it be said that the Irish system is a good system and is it the best in the world? First of all, in the world of drugs and addictions, Ireland has a significant rate of consumption and an unhealthy behavior with a high rate of binge drinking for instance. Hence, the quality of the health of the general public poses a question.
Moreover, another challenge for the health public policy is the one of the prevention of suicides. Suicides, occur as a consequence of the changing sets of rules from a traditional one to a modern one, and constitute a major issue in Ireland. Because of a breaking of the traditional rules, it leads to an antisocial behavior materialized by high suicide rates.

Extraits

[...] Can it be said that the Irish system is a good system and is it the best in the world? First of all, concerning drugs and addictions Ireland has an important rate of consumption and an unhealthy behaviour with a high rate of binge drinking for instance. Moreover, another health public policy is the one of the prevention of suicides. Suicides, as a consequence of the changing of the sets of rules from a traditional one to a modern one, are a major issue in Ireland. [...]

[...] To conclude, it is obvious that Ireland is not the best country not to be sick in the world. If one manages to have a proper and healthy behaviour and avoids being sick, one will probably feel good in Ireland. But if once in one's life one has to attend a public hospital after having waited for months or years, one will have to pay attention because either a Dr Neary could remove one's uterus or one could catch a MRSA. [...]

[...] Money is indeed a key to access to care in the Irish health system. Not only has an Irish public patient to wait first for an appointment, but he also has to wait again for a surgery few months or years. For instance, Janette Byrne, a 39 year old Irish woman, had to sue the Irish state for care because she waited for a chemotherapy treatment although she had a medical card holder. Because she settled a case, the Irish state offered her a bed. [...]

[...] Is Ireland the best place to live in the world according to its health system? According to the Economist, Ireland was the best place to live in 2005. Let us discuss this statement taking into account the Irish health system. Can it really be argued that it is the case as far as health is concerned? Is the Irish health system the best in the world? First of all, the characteristics of a good health system have to been explained in order to monitor the Irish health system. [...]

[...] In fact, in 2003, Ireland was the first country according to MRSA infections also called superbug. It is all the more striking since it has a two and a half times higher rate than Portugal that came second. Up to 2500 patients a year contract deadly MRSA infections which are five times more than what officials report. For example, Tom's father died because of a MRSA infection but they told him concerning his father that was very old, you know'. [...]