It is said that taxpayers’ money should be used to encourage the prevention of illnesses based on a healthy lifestyle rather than to focus on treating patients. I personally find it hard to disagree with this view.

Admittedly, the government is supposed to provide the general public with free healthcare. The tax revenues that the government receives from its citizens should be allocated for social services, one of which is healthcare. If the government did not take care of ill people, how could they afford medical fees which are becoming more and more costly?

However, what I consider to be more advisable is that governmental money should be spent on the promotion of how to lead a healthy life.

Firstly, if all people become fully convinced of the importance of choosing healthy diets involving less meat and more vegetables instead of consuming junk food, they will start to adopt such a healthy lifestyle and, therefore, will be able to avoid a host of health problems. It goes without saying that prevention is better than cure, but the problem is so many people in modern society are significantly affected by the increasing advertising of junk food nearly everywhere, which should be stopped by the government.

Secondly, it should be regularly pointed out by the authorities that living a healthy life by working out on a daily basis will result in fewer patients visiting hospitals, thus reducing the amount of money spent on hospitalization and other medical fees. Obviously, this will help alleviate the government’s burden of taking care of patients.

All things considered, what I firmly believe is the spending of governmental money should be centered on illness prevention by raising public awareness of regular exercise and healthy eating habits.