Pollution and poverty are important causes of illnesses. Some people, therefore, feel that the governments should take measures to tackle these evils. I completely agree with this view.
Many governments have already earmarked a considerable percentage of their annual budget for health care. If a fraction of that is spent on providing housing and improving air quality, the governments can prevent people from falling ill in the first place.
Millions of people still live in unhygienic surroundings. They cannot afford a home because of poverty. Unhealthy surroundings are the breeding ground of bacteria, mosquitoes and flies. Since these are the carriers of illnesses, people living in slums and poor surroundings fall ill quite often. If the government provides affordable housing to all, the living standards of millions of people in the developing countries will improve substantially. As a result, their health will also improve.
Pollution is another silent killer. Due to environmental pollution the quality of air, water and soil has decreased causing various illnesses in people. For example, respiratory illnesses are quite common among people living in cities because of the poor quality of atmosphere in urban areas. Water pollution causes illnesses like typhoid, jaundice and dysentery. While these diseases can affect anyone, people living in dirty surroundings are more likely to be affected by them.
To conclude, if the governments are really keen on improving the health of their citizens, they must address the real cause of the diseases. In other words, by simply making housing affordable for all and controlling air pollution, the government can protect its people from illnesses. Prevention, after all, is better than cure.