Thursday 1 October 2009

Essay 03 (Health budgets)


You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Write about the following topic:

Most developed countries spend a large proportion of their health budgets on expensive medical technology and procedures. This money should be spent instead on health education to keep people well. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
You should write at least 250 words.

Answer
The idea of diverting the money assigned for expensive medical technology and procedures towards health education will not ensure the health of the people.

Firstly, health education has only a limited role in dealing with a large number health related problems. For example, in order to treat patients who meet with serious accidents huge expenses are required to diagnose and perform medical procedures. Many diseases like cancers and strokes cannot be avoided just by educating people about preventive measures. Furthermore, there are many diseases that are hereditary, like heart ailments and psychiatric problem which require expensive treatment.

Secondly, in spite of continuous awareness programmes through the media or education, many people do not have the discipline to keep away from unhealthy practices. An ideal example would be the increasing popularity of fast foods, which can cause many life style diseases like blood pressure, cardiac problems and diabetes, especially among the young. Educating people about taking precautions against diseases is definitely an important aspect of ensuring the health of the people, but greater importance should be given to treatment of people who are affected by diseases.

On the other hand, health awareness programmes have made great contributions in reducing spread of many epidemics like small pox, bird flu and other viral infections. People have realised the importance of living in a hygienic environments in order to keep away from many common ailments. The prevention of AIDS has been made possible through the world wide awareness programme undertaken by WHO and similar organisations. Greater allocation of funds is required in this area of healthcare but it should not be at the expense of reducing the expenses involved in expensive medical technology and procedures.

In conclusion, the present system of giving greater budgetary allocation to expensive medical care is reasonable.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Very nice essay. Well written and presented thoughts.

Thanks very much for sharing this brilliant collection of essays. I'm planning to appear in IELTS examination in near future and I have no doubt, I would be benefited from your website.

Kind regards,
A. Jain

Anonymous said...

But i think, for questions which ask us to express the extent of agree or disagree should be answered accordingly,is'nt it?

REBIN said...

Preserving people health is very important to conserve community. All countries on the world are using a number of difference ways to keep people healthier and there are using many various medical technologies to protect patients.



Firstly, I agree with that spending money on health education is having a great effect on people to keep them health well. For example, the government should explain for people and give them evidence about hurts are coming from smoking such as cancer, this explanation can do by media or other communication.



Moreover, it is very essential teach students in school and colleges to avoid from eating unhealthy food like oily food, and teach pupils to do sport for instance football, swimming, and others, also give them the reason about sports importance to protect people health.



On the other hand, I disagree with that because the education is not the best way to conserve people’s health, maybe some of people are not listen to advice. In addition, I think it is impossible to educate all community, and everybody becomes sickly even healthy people. For that it is significant to spend enough money from state incomes for buying a new medical technology and improve this technology to serve those people who becomes ill.



In conclusion, the government should use many different ways to make people healthier by making strong health system from teaching a child in nursery, school, pupil in universities and others in other places. Also build new hospitals and using new technology and cure, as well as doing a lot of research by doctors to find out a new medicine for diseases in order to keep people and society well.