Universal healthcare has been a topic of intense debate in recent years, especially in the context of addressing global health disparities. This issue has appeared in several IELTS Writing Task 2 questions over the past few years, and its relevance is likely to increase given the ongoing global health challenges. Let’s examine a recent IELTS question on this topic and provide sample essays for different band scores.

Analyzing the Question

Some people believe that governments should provide universal healthcare to address global health disparities. Others argue that this approach is not feasible or effective. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

This question requires candidates to:

1. Discuss the view that governments should provide universal healthcare
2. Discuss the opposing view that this approach is not feasible or effective
3. Provide their own opinion on the matter

It’s crucial to address all parts of the question and provide a balanced discussion before stating your own stance.

Sample Essay 1 (Band 8-9)

Universal healthcare has been proposed as a potential solution to the pressing issue of global health disparities. While some advocate for government-provided healthcare systems, others argue against their feasibility and effectiveness. This essay will examine both perspectives before presenting my own view on this complex matter.

Proponents of universal healthcare argue that it is a fundamental human right and a crucial step towards reducing health inequalities worldwide. By providing access to medical services regardless of socioeconomic status, universal healthcare can significantly improve public health outcomes. For instance, countries like Canada and the United Kingdom have successfully implemented such systems, resulting in better overall health indicators and reduced financial burdens on citizens. Moreover, universal healthcare can lead to more preventive care, potentially reducing long-term healthcare costs and improving productivity.

On the other hand, critics contend that implementing universal healthcare on a global scale is neither feasible nor effective. They argue that the enormous costs associated with such systems can strain government budgets, potentially leading to higher taxes or reduced spending in other crucial areas like education or infrastructure. Additionally, some worry that universal healthcare may lead to longer wait times for medical procedures and potentially lower quality of care due to increased demand and limited resources. The experiences of some countries with universal healthcare systems have shown that these concerns are not unfounded.

In my opinion, while universal healthcare presents significant challenges, its potential benefits in addressing global health disparities outweigh the drawbacks. However, a one-size-fits-all approach is unlikely to succeed given the vast differences in economic capabilities and healthcare infrastructure across nations. Instead, I believe a more nuanced approach is necessary, where countries work towards universal healthcare incrementally, tailoring their systems to their specific circumstances and resources. This could involve a combination of public and private healthcare provision, with governments focusing on essential services and vulnerable populations while encouraging private sector involvement to increase efficiency and innovation.

In conclusion, universal healthcare offers a promising avenue for tackling global health disparities, but its implementation requires careful consideration of each country’s unique context. By adopting flexible and adaptive approaches, nations can work towards more equitable healthcare systems that balance accessibility, quality, and economic sustainability.

(Word count: 368)

Universal healthcare addressing global health disparities

Essay Analysis (Band 8-9)

This essay demonstrates excellent qualities that would likely earn it a Band 8 or 9 score:

1. Task Response: The essay fully addresses all parts of the task, discussing both views and providing a clear personal opinion. It presents a well-developed response with relevant, extended, and supported ideas.

2. Coherence and Cohesion: The essay is logically organized with clear progression throughout. It uses a range of cohesive devices effectively, and each paragraph has a clear central topic.

3. Lexical Resource: The essay uses a wide range of vocabulary with very natural and sophisticated control of lexical features. Examples include “socioeconomic status,” “preventive care,” “strain government budgets,” and “nuanced approach.”

4. Grammatical Range and Accuracy: The essay displays a wide range of grammatical structures used flexibly and accurately. It contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures with minimal errors.

5. Development and Support: Each main idea is well-developed with relevant examples and explanations, such as mentioning Canada and the UK’s healthcare systems and discussing the potential drawbacks of universal healthcare.

6. Conclusion: The conclusion effectively summarizes the main points and restates the writer’s opinion, providing a balanced view of the issue.

Sample Essay 2 (Band 6-7)

In today’s world, many people think governments should give everyone free healthcare to solve health problems around the world. But others say this is not possible or won’t work well. I will talk about both sides and give my opinion.

People who support universal healthcare say it’s a basic right for all humans. They think it can help make health better for everyone, no matter if they are rich or poor. For example, some countries like Canada already have this system, and their people are generally healthier. Also, when people can see doctors for free, they might catch health problems earlier, which could save money in the long run.

However, there are also problems with universal healthcare. It can be very expensive for governments to pay for everyone’s medical care. This might mean higher taxes or less money for other important things like schools or roads. Some people worry that if healthcare is free for everyone, there might be long waiting times to see doctors or the quality of care might not be as good.

In my opinion, I think universal healthcare is a good idea, but it might be hard to do everywhere in the world right away. Different countries have different amounts of money and different healthcare systems already. So, I think countries should try to give more people access to healthcare step by step, in ways that work for their own situation.

To sum up, while universal healthcare could help solve health problems around the world, it’s not easy to do. Countries need to think carefully about how to make healthcare better for everyone without causing other problems.

(Word count: 276)

Essay Analysis (Band 6-7)

This essay demonstrates qualities that would likely earn it a Band 6 or 7 score:

1. Task Response: The essay addresses all parts of the task, presenting both views and offering a personal opinion. However, the ideas could be more fully developed and supported.

2. Coherence and Cohesion: The essay is generally well-organized with clear progression. It uses some cohesive devices, but not always with complete flexibility.

3. Lexical Resource: The essay uses an adequate range of vocabulary, with some attempts at less common words. However, it lacks the sophistication and precision of higher band scores.

4. Grammatical Range and Accuracy: The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, with generally good control. There are some errors, but they don’t impede communication.

5. Development and Support: While the essay provides some examples and explanations, they could be more detailed and specific to fully support the main ideas.

6. Conclusion: The conclusion summarizes the main points and restates the writer’s opinion, but it could be more nuanced and reflective of the complexity of the issue.

Key Vocabulary to Remember

1. Universal healthcare (noun) – /ˌjuːnɪˈvɜːsl ˈhelθkeə(r)/ – A healthcare system that provides health coverage to all residents of a particular country or region.

2. Health disparities (noun) – /helθ dɪˈspærətiz/ – Differences in health outcomes between different groups of people.

3. Socioeconomic status (noun) – /ˌsəʊʃiəʊˌiːkəˈnɒmɪk ˈsteɪtəs/ – An individual’s or group’s position within a hierarchical social structure, based on income, education, and occupation.

4. Feasible (adjective) – /ˈfiːzəbl/ – Possible and practical to do easily or conveniently.

5. Strain (verb) – /streɪn/ – To put pressure on or stress something, especially to the point of damage.

6. Nuanced (adjective) – /ˈnjuːɑːnst/ – Characterized by subtle shades of meaning or expression.

7. Incrementally (adverb) – /ˌɪnkrəˈmentəli/ – In a way that increases gradually by regular degrees or additions.

8. Infrastructure (noun) – /ˈɪnfrəstrʌktʃə(r)/ – The basic physical and organizational structures and facilities needed for the operation of a society or enterprise.

9. Equitable (adjective) – /ˈekwɪtəbl/ – Fair and impartial.

10. Sustainability (noun) – /səˌsteɪnəˈbɪləti/ – The ability to maintain or support a process continuously over time.

Key vocabulary for discussing healthcare systems

Conclusion

The topic of universal healthcare and its potential to address global health disparities is likely to remain relevant in IELTS Writing Task 2 questions. As you prepare for your exam, consider practicing with similar questions, such as:

1. To what extent should governments be responsible for the health of their citizens?
2. Is privatization of healthcare systems more effective than public healthcare in addressing health inequalities?
3. How can developing countries improve their healthcare systems despite limited resources?

Remember to analyze the question carefully, plan your response, and use a range of vocabulary and grammatical structures in your essay. Practice writing essays on these topics and share them in the comments section below for feedback and discussion with other learners. This active practice will help you improve your writing skills and prepare effectively for the IELTS Writing Task 2.