Globalization101 Unit 7

Health and Globalization – Written Assignment Unit 7
The movement of people, food and manufactured goods has taken a toll on public health. While this increased movement might open up certain opportunities, it also makes way for diseases and parasites to spread
(Globalization101, n.d.). An example hereof, is the increased urbanization as a result of globalization. The urbanization has allowed people to come closer, to improve the industries and to exchange their culture and ideas. Some may portray the urban areas as the areas of opportunity, which may explain why such a large portion of the population in the rural areas have chosen to migrate to the urban areas. Since the year 2008, most of the world’s population lived in urban areas, and it
This large negative impact on public health is a complex issue without an easy answer. Some might suggest that the flow of people, food and goods should be lowered to decrease the rise of diseases spreading.
However, while that answer might very well reduce the rate of which diseases are being transmitted, the decreased flow of people, food and goods would result in other negative impacts. It could potentially cause a domino effect, where the solution of one problem raises a new problem. Globalization is inevitable, and instead of hindering it, I think precautions should be taken knowing the possible outcomes. With this in mind, there are several measures that can be taken in order to reduce the spread of global diseases. One of these measures could be encouraging people to practice safe sex and make condoms cheaper, which could lower the spread of HIV.
Another measure which could be taken, is providing the population with free or cheap vaccinations, especially to infants and small children. Such vaccines could protect people from receiving tuberculosis or malaria.
In recent years, the world has seen a vast increase in the international food trade. Consumer
While they could provide healthier and more nutritious crops, they could also negatively affect mutation, which is a natural evolutionary process (Globalization101,
n.d.).
I also feel neutral with respect to the benefits of GMOs potentially outweighing the production costs.
Purely theoretically, I do believe the positive outcomes could outweigh the production costs. If the GMOs are as successful as proclaimed, it could provide new ways to improve the public health globally as well as it could potentially decrease the spread of diseases. However, altering genetic codes for consumption at this level is a relatively new technology and we have yet to see any long-term consequences of consumption of these foods.
Scientists might proclaim consumption of these foods should not raise any future health concerns, but I would not find any theoretical claim to be credible unless there were physical, experimental results which backed up their statements. Because of this, I find it difficult to pick one side over the other.
Bibliography:
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources. (2016). Importing food. Retrieved May 21, 2016, from