Prevention is better than cure - IELTS Writing Task 2

Agree Disagree essays, like ‘Prevention Is Better Than Cure’, are the most common type of questions in IELTS Writing Task 2. In contrast to classic IELTS Agree Disagree essays, ‘To what extent do you agree or disagree’ questions do not specifically ask you to declare your level of agreement or disagreement with the statement. You can either say for or against the notion or you can partly agree or disagree with it. Once you've made up your mind, come up with two or three arguments in favour of it.

The ‘Prevention Is Better Than Cure’ is an Agree/Disagree Writing Task 2 question will help you acquaint yourself with the format of structuring an IELTS Agree Disagree essays. If you want to practise regularly, check out the Writing Task 2 practice tests.

Let’s have a look at the Agree Disagree essay - Prevention Is Better Than Cure - with three expert-curated sample answers for different IELTS band scores.

Question

Outline

Essay Type

Agree Disagree Essay

Introduction

Paraphrase the topic of the essay.

Clearly state the opinion and the contents of the following paragraphs.

Body

Paragraph 1 – Cases of deaths due to smoking are increasing which could have been prevented by proper health education. Many teenagers get addicted to drugs, which leads to many terminal diseases and finally, death.

Paragraph 2 – The governments have to do a comparative study on the money spent on buying expensive pieces of machinery for treatment to the money spent on preventive healthcare. The amount of money spent by an individual for treatment after the onset of the disease is very high.

Conclusion

Conclude the essay by summarizing the final view.

Band 7 Sample Essay

Preventive healthcare is slowly gaining importance. The average life expectancy rate has come down, which has initiated a probe into this domain. Also, people from all over the world are urging their governments to allocate a considerable amount towards health education and preventive mechanisms. I welcome this outlook whole-heartedly. In the forthcoming paragraphs, I shall elaborate on the importance of creating awareness of health.

Recent surveys have confirmed that many deaths due to smoking could have been prevented by proper health education. Many teenagers get addicted to drugs, which leads to many terminal diseases and finally, death. This could be prevented by organising campaigns on health and making them aware of the ill-effects of drugs. Another leading causative factor in death is diabetes. The numbers furnished by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) are scary. Untreated diabetes leads to kidney failure. So the government has to protect people by educating them on lifestyle and conduct periodic health checks for free.

The governments have to do a comparative study on the money spent on buying expensive pieces of machinery for treatment to the money spent on preventive healthcare. The latter is more economical. The amount of money spent by an individual for treatment after the onset of the disease is very high. So the budget for preventive healthcare helps to improve the economy at the individual level. Healthy citizens will be more productive and contribute to the nation’s development. A classic example is the introduction of pediatric vaccines which have increased the mortality rates of children. Considering the success rates, it is worth investing in preventive operations.

Although, some people argue that it is an overload on the budget, it has to be implemented considering the long-term benefits.

In summary, governments should invest in preventive health care with a vision of creating a healthy world. Though we may not see immediate results, it would benefit future generations.

Band 8 Sample Essay

There is no denying the fact that an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. This is why it is being argued these days that governments should invest a majority of their health budgets in creating awareness about preventative measures rather than providing a cure for diseases. Since health education and awareness about preventative measures offer more benefits than providing treatment, this essay agrees that nations must concentrate on preventative instead of curative measures.

There are several arguments to substantiate this viewpoint. First and foremost, investments made in the prevention of diseases will save people’s money. Treating any sickness is becoming increasingly expensive these days. For instance, the prices of several life-saving drugs are rocketing sky-high. Similarly, treatment of any illness requires diagnosis but, in many countries, doctors show reluctance to use their knowledge and expertise to diagnose even minor ailments and instead prescribe patients many unnecessary and costly tests. This has made the incredibly expensive health care beyond the reach of many ordinary people. Therefore, if the government channels most of its health funds in the prevention of diseases, people can be saved from enormous health bills. Likewise, spending money on creating awareness about health will also reduce the financial/ monetary burden on the government’s shoulders. As government has to spend its limited resources on various crucial aspects such as providing education, developing infrastructure and conducting social welfare schemes, providing treatment to a large number of people at affordable prices in state-funded hospitals will result in a severe shortage of funds. To generate more funds, the government will have to either levy heavier taxes or reduce its spending on other areas. In both scenarios, the one who will be at a disadvantage is the common man. For instance, a rise in the taxes will give birth to inflation which will make it extremely difficult for people to afford even the basic necessities of life. Similarly, if spending on other crucial areas is curtailed, many people, who rely on governmental help, will suffer a lot.

In addition, despite the existence of a cure, the treatment for a malady can make life inconvenient in several ways as it can cause needless pain and suffering. In exemplification, treating cancer using chemotherapy results in many side-effects such as loss of hair, nausea, vomiting, skin infection, fatigue and so on. On top of that, some diseases are incurable and most often result in a person’s demise. A perfect example of this would be HIV which has no viable cure as of yet. Sometimes, therapeutic and surgical intervention fails to produce the desired results. Such failures make people lifelong dependent on costly and unnecessary drugs and also exert an enormous emotional toll on the patient and his/her family. Absenteeism from school and work due to various ailments is another good example to justify the argument that prevention is much better than cure.

Although it cannot be guaranteed that the funds directed towards prevention will yield fruitful results, it is undeniable that we need to try to implement such measures.

To conclude, a healthy citizenry is the real wealth of a nation. By preventing diseases, people can enjoy happy and peaceful life. In a world of scarce resources, spending money on developing costly diagnostic and therapeutic techniques is a waste as long as prevention of diseases is an achievable goal. Thus, it is far more judicious to spend money on prevention rather than cure.

Band 9 Sample Essay

More IELTS Writing Task 2 Essay Topics

• A Person’s Worth Nowadays Seems To Be Judged According To Social Status And Material Possessions
• People Should Follow The Customs And Traditions When People Start To Live In A New Country
• Some People Believe That Excessive Use Of Modern Technologies
• Technology Can Bring Many Benefits But It Can Also Cause Social And Environmental Problems
• Advertising Discourages People From Being Different Individuals

See also:

• Tips to write introduction in IELTS Writing Task 2
• Tips to write great writing essay
• IELTS Sample essays
• IELTS Writing task 2 Preparation Tips
• How to get band 8 in IELTS Writing Task 2
• IELTS Writing recent actual test
• IELTS Band 9 essays
• IELTS Writing Answer sheet