Some people say that when deciding how taxes should be spent, the government should prioritize health care. Others think that there are more important priorities for tax-payers’ money.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Band 9 essay sample
According to some people, the government should spend much of the tax money on the health sector. Others insist that there are other sectors that require more funding. In my opinion, healthcare is not more important than other sectors and as such it does not require additional funding.
Healthcare is becoming more and more expensive. Private companies have commercialized it and now only the rich can afford many treatment options. If the government increases its spending on public healthcare, poor sections of the society will also have access to it. People are the biggest asset of any nation. If they are healthy, they can easily contribute to the development of national economy. Unhealthy people, on the other hand, are a burden on the public exchequer. Hence, spending on public health is justified.
However, other sectors like education and infrastructure are equally important. Healthy people cannot contribute much if they are not educated. In countries like India, private schools and colleges are not affordable to poor and middle class people. Hence, a lot of children depend on government schools and colleges. If the government does not invest in education, these children will never be able to build a bright future and break the shackles of poverty. Likewise, infrastructure is important too. Without adequate public infrastructure, a nation cannot prosper at all. There are other areas such as social welfare, law and order and national security that require sufficient funding.
In short, other sectors like education and infrastructure are as important as healthcare. Hence, the government should not focus on any one sector while allocating funds. While healthy people are certainly an asset, they alone cannot contribute to the development of a nation. People need to be educated too. They should also have access to necessary facilities. Hence, health sector cannot be the biggest beneficiary of tax money.
