Global Health and Development: the Impact of Globalisation on the Health of Poor People

Globalisation has often had negative effects on health, for example, an increase in trade in cigarettes and unhealthy food have led to a deterioration of people's health particularly in middle income countries. Damage to the physical environment in developing countries caused largely by unsustainable rates of consumption in rich countries is a further process of globalisation that poses long term threats to the health of people in developing countries. The health impact of many these processes of globalisation falls excessively upon poor women, for example, the burden of health care often falls on women as they are the main providers of informal and formal care (mothers, birth attendants, health workers). Studies also show that women are often more susceptible to certain illnesses; deaths from Malaria are largely accounted for by pregnant women. UK international development policies have given greater prominence to health and principally women's health as an important condition to achieve development. Lister outlines action taken by the UK government and other organisations and action taken at the international and regional levels. His list of recommendations includes improving the status and resources of health carers.