The Consequences Of The Zika Virus

Imagine getting seemingly harmless flu like symptoms, only to find a few months later that your baby is born with brain damage known as microcephaly; their lives forever damaged. These are the consequences of Zika virus, which is currently ravaging Central America, especially Brazil. Through analyzing global inequality, poverty, and failed global governance; how exactly this virus became so widespread can be explained. Zika is a viral disease transmitted through mosquitos. The virus displays classic flu like symptoms and is seemingly harmless to those infected. It wasn’t until an epidemic in Brazil occurred that the true cost of this virus was shown. Zika virus has shown to be harmful to pregnant women, causing birth defects and underdeveloped …show more content…
(Winant) Many first world countries exploit third world countries, often times leaving these countries with struggling economies and high rates of poverty and inequality. The way norther countries deal with southern countries, “has created a worldwide pattern of impoverishment and unequal exchange” (Winant). The power of these countries is dependent on the dominant “northern” countries, as those countries decide how much they are willing to pay for the resources they exploit. This exploitation extends further than just an economic gap, but also a sociopolitical gap between the have’s and have not’s in these countries. Rights and services are limited to impoverished people, and with skyrocketing poverty in third world countries. The health of those in poverty is often overlooked, and therefore suffers, as their importance in the economy is viewed as …show more content…
In order to stop infectious diseases like Zika it requires global cooperation, yet the “lack of strong cooperation leads to gaps in the global governance system. These gaps in the system only further the lack of support for people in poverty, as countries only truly interact once their own people are threatened. With the power truly lying in the hands of the rich northern countries the idea of global governance is really, “designed to serve the rich and powerful” (globalmgovernce). The rich countries only intervene in global issues once the situation threatens their own interests. In regards to Zika virus, communication between countries falls short. According to international law, countries are to report epidemiological data but in actuality, less than 50% of this data is shared (WHO). This leads to inaccurate data, making it difficult for countries to predict and analyze the spread of Zika virus and the true numbers of those infected, especially for poor civilians with no access t medical care. This lack of Global Governance created conditions for Zika virus to propagate through poor areas of third world countries and becoming the emerging epidemic it is