TOPIC:

Some people think that public health is the responsibility of the government while others think that people should be responsible for their own health. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.

MY ESSAY:

It is widely argued that the government is obliged to take care of all citizens’ health. However, in some quarters, people believe that each citizen should hold responsible for their own well-being. In my opinion, responsibility for health should be placed on both the government and individuals.

There are several reasons why the idea of holding individuals responsible for their health seems reasonable. First, people’s lifestyle choices are strongly linked to the risk of diseases. In fact, virtually all of the top most common illnesses are lifestyle-related, which means that people are highly able to reduce the chances of getting these diseases. For example, people are more likely to get obesity, lung and respiratory diseases when they consume unhealthy food (fast food, sugar-sweetened drinks and alcohol), live a sedentary life or have concerning habits such as not getting enough sleep. Moreover, the growing presence of these diseases is putting a strain on the healthcare system, making it quite rational to some that the patients have to pay for their treatment.

On the other hand, the government plays a critical role in achieving a healthy society. Indeed, people can participate in unhealthy habits unintentionally, by which they lack awareness or mental capacity, or without choices because of environmental and societal factors. As a result, the government is obliged to take action. In fact, they can promote health through many measures such as food and drug regulation, health education, pollution control and disease surveillance. Besides preventing illnesses, the government is also crucial in treatment; it should provide easy and affordable access to health care, as well as subsidize health research.

in conclusion, as long as the government fulfills its duty in providing sufficient resources, safe and clean environment along with rising the awareness of health issues, its citizens then gain the ability to make sound health-related choices, being entirely responsible for their well-being.

Thanks a lot!