Globalization and Healthcare

Adaiah Duncan

Globalization and Health care

Globalization and Health care

The integration of health care and globalization are becoming more defined as more countries are moving towards one agenda of eradicating diseases that still is plaguing the world.Diseases that have been eradicated in some countries are still present in some third world countries. These diseases although eradicated in some countries have the abilities to continue spreading as individuals travel from country to country and come into contact with otherindividuals at risk. In some countries, vaccinations have not become available because they have no access to this treatment. Health care affects everyone; all individuals regardless of race or class should have access to appropriate health care. The integration of health care and globalization is to work towards a resolution to complete eradication of diseases such as HIV, Malaria, Hepatitis A and E, Measles, Pneumonia, Cholera and Rubella.

The lack of access to proper nutrition is one of the contributing factors to poor health care. They are some third world countries that are working towards globalization and are lacking the necessities to improve health care to all citizens. The access to fresh water and a nutritious diet makes a major difference in an individual’s health. For instance, most recently in the island of Haiti, after being hit with a seven point zero magnitude earth quake in 2010.

Residents started falling ill to diseases such as cholera in addition to other ailments they suffered from the earth quake. Cholera is an infectious bacteria caught through drinking contaminated water with the bacterium vibrio cholerae. Prior to the earthquake Haiti was and still is a third world country. According to Center for Disease control, one of the preventive measures of cholera is through vaccination. The vaccine is currently only accessible to British residents.

Vaccines were not distributed to the residents of Haiti prior to the outbreak.Educating citizens about these diseases is a contributing factor in eradicating this disease.Education plays a vital role in the health of citizens. It is much easier to practice preventive measures rather than pay millions for treatment and cures. Citizens in third world countries are at times limited to information and this at times is an issue because of totalitarian governments.

Countries such as Cuba which is ran by a totalitarian communist government does not allow information from outside sources into to the country to educate Cubans. Hence diseases that areat a high rate of infection in Cuba are “Malaria, Hepatitis A and E spread through water and food, Cholera and Typhoid Fever. These diseases if not treated properly can wipe out an entire village. In many cases, the spread of the disease are through water, food and mechanical vectors such as mosquitoes. Cuba is not moving towards Globalization in this manner as Globalization the goals of globalization are all countries working together towards several goals.

Another contributing factor that influences globalization and health care is totalitariangovernments, corruption and weak governments. As globalization spread and attempts to infiltrate governments and countries it is not always successful. As previously stated, Cuba is acountry that is ran by a totalitarian government blocking any access to information from outside sources. According to the CDC, the only disease that Cuba does not have an alarming rate of is HIV because the “Cuban government early on implemented measures to control this disease”.African countries and South American countries are both at a standstill because there are ran by weak governments and have very limited access to educational programs, health related treatments and cures. As a result of this behavior, these diseases are at considerable all time high in these nations. The end result is that because of this lackadaisical behavior by these governments is the continuous spread of these diseases as individuals migrate to other countries.

The environment can be a contributing factor towards globalization and healthcare. Depending on how Mother Nature reacts to global warming and other issues the environment can create more issues in health care or help to control the issues. The hurricanes, tsunamis, floods and other catastrophes are all major contributing factors from the environment to the crisis’s that are plaguing the world right now. Floods are one of the factors that have several causative agents that can cause outbreaks such as cholera, diphtheria, hepatitis A and E because these diseases can be caught through the fecal oral manner, or other forms of contact. In 2005, “pneumonia aroused in New Orleans following the catastrophic Hurricane Katrina”. This posed a threat for many of the residents that were not evacuated and were at risk for this contagious pathogen. The main reason why this disease posed a threat to many of the residents of NewOrleans is because some of the residents were not reportedly vaccinated and this could have cause a major outbreak at the time. Nevertheless, although some cases were reported it was not in alarming numbers at the government was expecting because the evacuation process took sometime and effort from the government. The backlash from the environment as a result of these catastrophes is the clean up and the waterborne disease and airborne disease that can arise from the events.

Globalization is an effective tool some world leaders are utilizing. If all world leaders follow this plan and utilize it, globalization in healthcare can bring about much change in the broken systems already in place. This system if implemented by governments can save more lives and help to catalyze the relationship between health care and globalization. The needs of citizens should be placed as a top priority for governments and not the need for monetary gain by governments. Everyone should have access to proper health care, treatments and preventive measures.

Videos and Links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvPNz-JMiHI&feature=relmfu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qj-Tw0bqtHc&feature=related

Haiti flooded following earth quake. 2010. Image taken from CDC

Malaria affected areas in color. Darker colors means heavily affected. Image taken from CDC.

LIGHT AREAS Where Dengue and Malaria are transmitted
MEDIUM AREAS Where Dengue is transmitted
DARK AREAS Where Malaria is transmitted

References:

2010: http://www.globalization101.org/

Communicable Diseases Working Group on Emergencies. Flooding and Communicable Disease Fact Sheet. World Health Organization. Available from: http://www.who.int/hac/techguidance/ems/flood_cds/en/ [accessed 2005 Oct 4]

World Health Organization. Cholera. Available from: http://www.who.int/topics/cholera/en/ [accessed 2005 Oct 4]

WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply and Sanitation. Global Water Supply and Sanitation Assessment 2000 Report. World Health Organization and United Nations Children’s Fund; 2000. Available from: http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/monitoring/globalassess/en/index.html [accessed 2005 Oct 4]

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fight the Bite! Avoid Mosquito Bites to Avoid Infection. Department of Health & Human Services, U.S.A. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/prevention_info.htm [accessed 2005 Oct 4]

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Frequently Asked Questions about Malaria. Department of Health & Human Services, U.S.A. Available from: http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/faq.htm [accessed 2005 Oct 4]

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Information for Clinical and Laboratory Support for Diagnosis, Management and Treatment of Leptospirosis in the Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Department of Health & Human Services, U.S.A. Available from: http://www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/hurricanes/katrina/leptoclin.asp