Introduction
It is widely observed that average life expectancy has risen by almost two decades since the middle of the
last
century. Linking Words
This
essay argues that the main reasons are modern medicine and cleaner living conditions, and that, despite the strain on pensions and hospitals, the change is overwhelmingly positive for society.Linking Words
Body paragraph 1
The first cause is the progress of healthcare. Diseases that killed children a century ago,
such
as measles and polio, are now prevented by a single injection, so many more people reach adulthood at all. In Morocco, Linking Words
for instance
, the national vaccination programme launched in 1987 cut infant deaths by two-thirds within two decades, and the average Moroccan lives to seventy-seven rather than sixty. Closely linked to Linking Words
this
is the improvement in everyday conditions. Clean tap water, sewers and refrigerated food have removed the infections that once spread through every town, and safer jobs mean fewer workers die in mines or factories.Linking Words
Body paragraph 2
Turning to the consequences, the most important point is that longer lives are a gain, not a burden. A grandmother who survives to eighty raises grandchildren, passes on skills and keeps a family together, and,
consequently
, parents can work Linking Words
while
children are cared for by someone who loves them. In Kuwait, Linking Words
for example
, retired teachers now run free evening classes for pupils who failed their exams, and pass rates in one Hawalli school rose by a fifth. Admittedly, more pensioners mean higher costs for the state, yet Linking Words
this
is solved by a later retirement age and by keeping older people active rather than by wishing them fewer years. In my view, Linking Words
therefore
, an ageing population is a sign of success that requires planning.Linking Words
Conclusion
In conclusion, medicine and hygiene have added years to human life. On balance, those years enrich society far more than they cost it.