“Prevention is better than cure”. Out of a country’s health budget, a large proportion should be diverted from treatment to spending on health education and preventative measures. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

 “Prevention is better than cure”. Out of a country’s health budget, a large proportion should be diverted from treatment to spending on health education and preventative measures. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Rising incidence of disease has prompted some to suggest the state allocating  more money to measures to thwart its onset and proliferation than combating it. I vouch for a balanced approach, for it will ensure taking care of healthcare support exhaustively  

Many assert that prevention is better than cure, and the healthy populace  can contribute more effectively to the economy through higher productivity - by enhancing workforce participation, and fewer sick leaves. For example, those with robust health are less likely to fall sick, thereby reducing absenteeism, and engage in using their skills to churn out economic value, benefiting society collectively. 

Moreover, this can help lessen the burden on public healthcare systems, allowing governments to allocate resources more efficiently. For instance, widespread vaccination programs protect individuals besides halting the spread of infectious diseases, safeguarding the entire community, and laying more money at the disposal of policy makers to ameliorate or establish new forays for furtherance of progress. 

Nevertheless, it is unrealistic to prioritize precautionary tools; many factors underpinning health are beyond individual control: genetic conditions, such as hereditary diseases, cannot be prevented despite a healthy lifestyle. For example, one may develop heart disease due to family history despite following strict fitness routines. Similarly, age-related health issues are inevitable: the human body naturally weakens over time, the elderly experience declining health regardless of their past habits. Additionally, unforeseen events: accidents can significantly impact health without any faulty habits. Therefore, policy hinging steps to circumvent ailments might not help sustain a healthy demography.    

In hindsight, while investing more into adopting safeguards against illnesses may help nip the evil in its bud, and avoid exacerbating disease, ignoring combative methods could precipitate chaos, and impact vulnerable sections adversely, so a balance must be maintained in spendings on healthcare.