In recent years, an increasing number of people are being diagnosed with critical diseases. It is often contended that governments should invest more in prevention of illness instead of its treatment.This essay examines the merits and demerits of preventative measures for reducing illness and concludes that the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.
One major advantage of prevention of health concerns is that it could alleviate individuals’ suffering due to illnesses. Even if the state offers medical treatment, many people would still have to endure the pain and mental stress of medical procedures. An example of this can be seen in America, where growing obesity rates due to unhealthy food habits are requiring people to undergo elaborate medical procedures.This could be easily avoided by regulating health codes on food outlets. Another notable benefit is the cost-effectiveness of such measures in the long run. By averting the need for costly medical services, governments will eventually save on funding. Consequently, citizens will be healthy enough to make more meaningful contributions to society’s welfare.
Despite these advantages, there are several challenges of disease prevention as well. To begin with, the initial cost of imposing these measures while simultaneously managing on-going health crises will cause a significant financial burden. The state will be required to not only introduce new infrastructures but also manage existing publicly-funded medical services. Additionally, it could potentially result in health-care professionals being overworked. For instance, a doctor will have to continue seeing their current patients while also managing health education classes.
On balance, although there are a few drawbacks of preventing health concerns, the benefits of reduced suffering and financial savings far outweigh the disadvantages. Therefore, the government should enforce new policies for such measures.