Essay 7: Prevention vs Treatment of Diseases
“Prevention is better than cure”. Researching and treating diseases is too costly so it would be better to invest in preventive measures. To what extent do you agree?
The provision of health facilities is the fundamental responsibility of the state. Loads of resources and expertise are required to cure the burgeoning ailments, which can put great pressure on any government’s treasury; therefore, it is considered by many that money should be spent on such steps that prevent diseases’ spread. I, however, only partially agree with this view because medical research and development funding is mandatory to topple maximum diseases.
Undoubtedly, it is better to take precautionary measures than to get ill and go for medication. That is to say, after getting infected, one may have to go through medical treatment which can be expensive and may also be painful for both the patient and for the attendants accompanying him. Therefore, the concerned health agencies should allocate resources for awareness among the masses about steps which they can take to protect themselves from getting ill. The polio campaign led by film stars and sports personalities in Africa, for instance, proved to be helpful in convincing parents to get their kids vaccinated resulting in polio-free Africa.
However, precautionary measures alone cannot ensure public health safety in its entirety. People who take precautions still catch diseases, some of which have the potential to bring epidemics. Additionally, new diseases emerge every now and then. For instance, the current pandemic caused by Coronavirus has caught the health system of the world off guard. Therefore, it is equally important to research different current and potential diseases, and develop cures for them, so that those who catch them accidentally can be treated.
To conclude, I partially support the notion that allocation of funds to preventive science is the key to public health, as allocation of monetary resources to health infrastructure also proves instrumental in discovering and curing different diseases.
