Healthy Bruneians Just a Dream - 860 Words

To be wealthy, one must first be healthy. In most cultures, having good health is considered a boon. However, people often take it for granted, especially with the modern lifestyle in today’s world. In Brunei, citizens are given the privilege of free medication, where they can enjoy all the medical and health benefits. In spite of that, people are easily blinded by these benefits, and may or may not be conscious of their own health. This essay will focus on two of the major concerns, specifically in Brunei, and will further elaborate some of the health issues surrounding them. One of the major concerns, which may lead to an assortment of health problems, is smoking. It is the leading cause of disease and premature death across the globe, including in Brunei. Known to be extremely dangerous to the human body, smoking is one of the major risk factors in heart disease, stroke, pancreatic cancer, and a variety of other diseases. Citing a report from the Tobacco Control Unit, according to the 2008 statistic, 90 per cent of the lung cancer cases are smokers. The development of such cancer is largely due to the presence of various poisonous chemicals in tobacco smoke, such as tar and arsenic. In addition, smoking also raises blood pressure resulting in hypertension, where in Brunei, hypertension deaths reached approximately 10 per cent of total deaths according to the World Health Organization (WHO) data published in 2011. Although the number of males is more superior in the