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Since the pandemic, we have seen public interest in  good health and   The second pillar of   Early diagnosis is only possible where healthy people have regular health
 preventative care grow exponentially.   screenings to ensure asymptomatic illnesses aren’t missed. For those of us lucky
 preventative healthcare is   to have the ability to keep ourselves and our families in the best possible health,
                an annual health check is now highly recommended after the age of 30. An
 The Indian healthcare industry   annual cholesterol check can identify the early signs of heart disease and allow

                you to control or reverse the progression. There are a variety of incredibly
 grew past 370 billion   early diagnosis.   effective cancer screens, especially relevant where there are genetic factors


                involved. Early diagnosis of breast cancer by something as simple as a woman
                checking herself at home is associated with a 99% survival rate - this falls to 86%
 dollars in 2022.   for stage 3 diagnoses. A visit to your physician and a few quick tests could quite

                literally save your life.
 It is predicted to grow over   The pandemic brought the limitations of our healthcare infrastructure and


                funding for those less fortunate sharply into focus. Whilst our government and

 600 billion dollars   the industry as a whole does its best to invest in its growth and future, keeping
                yourself in good health plays a significant part in reducing the burden on an
                already stretched system.
 by 2024.       Inarguably the pandemic has had a lasting impact on healthcare systems around


                the world, ranging from a backlog of elective and non-urgent procedures to
                reduced immunity in the population due to lengthy social distancing measures.
                Hopefully, the change it has wrought in how we view the importance of our

                health, and the steps we take to protect it, can somewhat balance the scales.
 Simply put, the pandemic brought health to the front of our minds. People are
 more concerned about their health, and more likely to seek the knowledge
 required to make educated choices about their treatments. Infection control,

 i.e., the practice of sanitization (originally only used in clinical settings), is now
 the norm across many industries (for example, at your salon or local cafe); and
 vaccination protocols and risk to others are now considered when allowing           Feriel Jackson
 people to return to workplaces and schools after an illness.
                                                                                            Class of 2005

 A better focus on preventative healthcare doesn’t just protect you and your
 family, it also protects society. Nowhere is this clearer than with vaccination.

 Our country’s eradication of Polio is such a global success story, the grassroots
 campaign to achieve it is being used as a model in African countries fighting
 polio today. A battle won largely by a 10 rupee vaccination administered for free
 by the government to children multiple times before they turn 2 years old.
 Something as simple as an annual flu vaccine (especially for yourself and other
 carers if you are the parent of a young child), can offer significant protection
 from seasonal maladies.
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