Globalization's Impact On Public Health

Globalization’s impact on public health has been both positive and negative at a seemingly equal rate. The “disappearing” of boarders has lead to the sharing of ideas, goods, resources, technology, etc., that have been able to increase the quality of life and ability to combat sickness and disease for the populations of developed countries. Meanwhile non-developed countries have had an increasingly harder time gaining access to these innovations despite the availability of remedies for ailments their members face. This is disparity is especially troubling considering the global spread of disease and other public health issues. The ease of international travel and trade allows for diseases such as AIDS, SARS, and recently Ebola to penetrate …show more content…
Entities such as the World Health Organization (WHO) unite countries and give them an opportunity to come together to discuss public health concerns and solutions. I believe that if more countries were to gain membership and become a part of the process of setting standards for response, containment, and prevention then the influx of diseases being spread could possibly be decreased. In addition to joining these regulations and promises would have to be closely followed and enforced by member countries to be successful. For some countries implementation of health standards are not always feasible often due to lack of financial resources. Since global disease is a global problem I believe to effectively prevent and defend life against it developed wealthier nations must provide support to countries whose means do not match their own. It is up to them to help eat the cost of vaccination, supplies, research, and whatever else may be needed. As Nigerian Physician Utibe Effiong stated “…[P]eople — and their infections — are not bound by borders. To those who claim we can’t afford foreign aid, I respond that we can’t afford to think of health threats as ‘foreign’ and …show more content…
Genetically modified foods are those that have been made from organisms whose DNA has been altered through genetic engineering. GMO’s (genetically modified organisms) are becoming commonly used on cash crops that are produced in abundance. For instance, the U.S. uses GMO’s to assist in the production of 90% of it’s corn, cotton, and soybeans. GM foods present several benefits. Their use requires the use of less chemicals agents and pesticides, GM foods have longer shelf sustainability than non GM foods, and the seeds can be modified in numerous ways from insect resistance to mineral