Causes of Global Health Problems - Coursework Example

Causes of Global Health Problems The greatest man made phenomenon of the twenty – first century is globalization. It has ushered in undreamt of prosperity to the world’s nations. However, it has also engendered a number of health problems. Nations share their resources and productivity, in order to improve their economic well – being, under the process of globalization. Additionally, these countries also, share health problems, in ways that are very complex to analyze. HIV and AIDS are pandemics, which have posed an almost insurmountable challenge across the world. Moreover, regional conflicts have resulted in the emigration of the people from one country to another as refugees. The countries providing refuge to these displaced persons are facing numerous health problems, brought about by the exodus of these people (Gennaro, 2007, p289(1)). In this work, it will be established that the deterioration in global health is caused by not only globalization, but also by issues like global warming, environmental pollution, illiteracy and industrialization. Industrialization in one region of the world would have serious effects on the other regions; and the production and trade policies of one country could impose an adverse effect on the safety of food and other consumer goods, the world over. This situation makes it imperative to design strategies that effectively address the negative impact of industrial toxic wastes, illicit drug production and the cultivation of tobacco. These strategies must diminish the adverse effects on global health matters; and there must be a global sharing knowledge and resources regarding health problems. As such, research regarding health must be taken up at the global level (Gennaro, 2007, p289(1)). Globalization contributes to the spread of communicable diseases, and several aspects of globalization play a major role in the extensive spread of infectious diseases. These contributory factors are global travel, increased trading in goods, food products, urbanization, climate change, environmental deterioration, resistance to drugs in microbes, and the failure of the public health systems. Increased global travel is a major factor for the spread of contagions around the world. In addition, transportation contributes to the dispersion of deadly viruses. The contention of health professionals is that most of the global travel is done through air planes; and that the atmosphere within these air planes is cramped and that the air in these airplanes is subjected to recirculation (Increased Global Travel ). It is the established, humanitarian practice, in the richest countries of the world to concern themselves with the health conditions of the poor countries. However, in practice, the humanity depicted is inadequate. There have been several high profile assistance programmes to help poor countries to fight certain pandemics. These programmes include the Global Fund Against AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria or the GFATM; the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief or the PEPFAR; the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; and the WHO’s programmes such as Stop TB and Roll Back Malaria (Smith & MacKellar, Sept 22, 2007, p 9 ). These international programmes have failed to provide the required assistance to meet the Millennium Development Goals or MDGs. In the late 1990’s, some international agencies had attempted to deal with this situation and ensure a positive outcome for the poor nations. They had recommended to the policy makers in the affluent countries, to render assistance to the poor nations on humanitarian grounds. They had also suggested that these assistance programmes could be viewed as selfish investments by the rich countries, because, in the final analysis, they would serve to protect the health of their own people (Smith & MacKellar, Sept 22, 2007, p 9 ). Global environmental pollution causes several health problems, which may range from the contamination of drinking water with traces of arsenic, to air pollution due to the presence of poisonous gases produced by the burning of fossil fuels. This could result in health problems among human beings. The list of global health problems is endless and several poverty stricken nations suffer from these health problems (Schwartz & Martin II, Nov 2006. P. A630(1) ). Despite the disadvantages inherent in health matters, the poorer nations constitute the best platforms for conducting research regarding health. That is the bitter irony of the situation; and despite environmental health crises, these nations provide an opportunity for conducting research and developing new medicines for some of the new diseases. They also provide opportunities to researchers to study the situation and to find out solutions for overcoming their harmful effects. Such research and the invention of new medicines would certainly promote global health in the future. Moreover, environmental health problems are not limited to one single nation in this globalized environment, and no nation stands in isolation. If a nation with health problems is left to its own devices, it may affect the lives of people living in other nations (Schwartz & Martin II, Nov 2006. P. A630(1) ). During the past few decades, it has been determined that environmental degradation had adversely affected the health of human beings across the world. Although, these health effects related to one region or were localized to one particular nation, the global nature of environmental degradation had made these health problems spread all over the world. Several of the healthcare professionals are concerned about the impact of these health problems on human beings. As such, there is an urgent need to initiate immediate precautionary measures to safeguard public health and to reduce global environmental problems. The consequences of these environmental problems go beyond the impacting of public health. It is the task of the environmental law to address global environmental problems, and it plays an important role in mitigating problems relating to public health, which are caused by environmental issues (Atapattu, 2004, P. 283(22) ). Environmental law ensures the right of humans to health. It deals with matters pertaining to the atmospheric layers of the earth such as the depletion of the ozone layer and the consequent global warming. It takes into account the provision of various international treaties on the environment and ensures that issues relating to public health are adequately addressed by these treaties. Moreover, it examines the role of international law concerning these issues (Atapattu, 2004, P. 283(22) ). If the depletion of the ozone layer and global warming are considered to be global problems, then all the nations in the world are to be held responsible, although to a varying degree. Hence, international law can only address these problems and attempt to find a solution to resolve them. Moreover, each member of the international community is a potential victim to some extent. Therefore, international law must take an active part to reduce the adverse effects caused by these problems (Atapattu, 2004, P. 283(22) ). Protecting the environment should be the main concern of the world population; and medical practitioners must also take an active part in this endeavour. This is because the end result of environmental problems will be health problems. Any change in the global environment will seriously affect the health of people on a vast scale, all over the world. An increase in the temperature of the atmosphere will bring about several adverse effects. There will be more excessively hot days during the summer season, which will affect the health of the public and increase the number of people afflicted with disease. On occasion, such excessive heat had even resulted in the death (McCally & Cassel, Sept 15, 1990. P. 467(7) ). Climatic changes drastically affect the distribution of pathogens and their vectors. In warmer climates, anopheline mosquitoes are produced in large numbers. These mosquitoes are responsible for the spread of Malaria. An increase in the temperature would compel these mosquitoes to change the habitats to higher latitudes. In addition, depletion of ozone in the atmosphere weakens the ozone layer, which prevents the transmission of ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Thus, damage to the ozone layer would allow an abundance of ultraviolet rays, from the sun, to reach the earth; which would result in skin cancers and melanomas among humans (McCally & Cassel, Sept 15, 1990. P. 467(7) ). The HIV/AIDS epidemic is uncontrollable, and it is advancing at an alarming rate throughout the world. The organization, UNAIDS released its 2006 Report on the current position of the Global AIDS epidemic. In this report, it was disclosed that in the year 2006, there were nearly 39.5 million people suffering with this disease, all over the world. In the same year, 4.3 million new cases of this disease were reported. This trend clearly established that the global battle against it was ineffective and incapable of controlling the spread of the epidemic (World Health Organization, December, 2006. P. 9). In 2002, the US National Intelligence Council estimated that the five most populated countries, like Nigeria, Ethiopia, Russia, India and China would become the next victims of the HIV/AIDS epidemic by the year 2010. In those countries the number of infected people was between fourteen and twenty – three million, which was expected to increase to fifty to seventy – five million (Gill & Lu, 2006). Moreover, greenhouse gases are emitted continuously and deforestation is on the increase. These factors are constantly contributing to the deterioration of the environment. Consequently, environment related health problems are emerging, which are seemingly beyond control (Gill & Lu, 2006). The food industry has become global, and this has created an environment in which most governments find it very difficult to regulate the food products within their countries. In addition, these countries find it difficult to promote consumers’ confidence in the safety of such food products. Pathogens which pertain to one geographical area are now being introduced in some other region through these food products. Similarly, international travellers carry microorganisms from one country to another with them. In addition, produce may be contaminated with faecal matter, might have been treated with pesticide or may be coated with fertiliser residues. Subsequently, these products are injected with preservatives or coated with wax, before being transported to other places. In this manner, these contaminated food products reach other countries, around the world, in a very short period of time (Jacobsen, 2007. P. 202). The process of globalization is making the world a much smaller place. The AIDS virus had established that viruses can rapidly spread across the world. It has been conservatively, estimated that nearly seventy million people carry the HIV/AIDS. This epidemic is the most serious challenge to many nations and constitutes the most harmful epidemic in history. HIV/AIDS is continuing to spread with more than fifteen thousand new infected cases per day. This rate of increase is alarming. Increasing globalization results in the enhancement of outbreaks of infectious diseases. Some people contend that globalization should be discontinued, whereas others argue that effective preventive measures to fight infectious diseases are to be found (Kegly & Wittkopf, 2005. P.276). In conclusion, it can be stated that globalization is the main cause for global health problems. Contagious diseases like AIDS, HIV and Avian Flu are spreading all over the world. Factors, such as global travel, urbanization, failure of public health systems and global trade are the chief causes for deteriorating global health. Nevertheless, global warming, environmental pollution, illiteracy, changing work cultures and unhealthy food habits, also contribute to the enhancement of health problems all over the world. In order, to combat global health problems the active cooperation of the world community is essential. No single nation can achieve this objective on its own. As such, the people should be provided with information regarding global health and the means to safeguard their health. List of References Atapattu, S. (2004, P. 283(22) ). The public health impact of global environmental problems and the role of international law. American Journal of Law & Medicine . Gennaro, S. (2007, p289(1)). Advancing knowledge that improves world health. Journal of Nursing Scholarship , Advancing knowledge that improves world health Journal of Nursing Scholarship 39.4 (Winter 2007): p289(1). Gill, B., & Lu, X. (2006, December 6). GCSP Policy Brief No. 22: Changing Health Paradigms, Globalization, and Global Security . Retrieved May 14, 2008, from http://www.gcsp.ch/e/publications/Globalisation/Publications/Policy_Briefs/Brief-22.pdf Increased Global Travel . (n.d.). Retrieved May 14, 2008, from http://www.globalization101.org/index.php?file=issue&pass1=subs&id=91 Jacobsen, K. H. (2007. P. 202). Introduction to Global Health. Jones & Bartlett Publishers World health. ISBN:0763751596. Kegly, C. W., & Wittkopf, E. R. (2005. P.276). World Politics: Trend and Transformation. Thomson Wadsworth International. ISBN: 0534602207. McCally, M., & Cassel, C. K. (Sept 15, 1990. P. 467(7) ). Medical responsibility and global environmental change. Annals of Internal Medicine 113.n6 . Schwartz, D. A., & Martin II, W. J. (Nov 2006. P. A630(1) ). Focusing on global environmental health.(DIRECTOR'S PERSPECTIVE). Environmental Health Perspectives 114.11 . Smith, R. D., & MacKellar, L. (Sept 22, 2007, p 9 ). Global public goods and the global health agenda: problems, priorities and potential.(Debate). Globalization and Health . World Health Organization. (December, 2006. P. 9). AIDS epidemic update. Geneva: UNAIDS. ISBN: 9291735426. Read More