The Globalization of Health

Response 1

Russia’s position in global politics and economics has changed since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, as has its social conditions. One of the changes is the increase in substance abuse, representing a decline in the quality of life. The drug users in the country increase by about 80,000 annually. In addition, the country records a declining life expectancy; with the numbers as 2007 being 59 years for men and 72 years for women (Danton, 2007). Research indicates shortcomings in the government, where drug and alcohol use begins early in life due to absent legal limitations (Averina, et al., 2005). The contributions of the government towards healthcare have also always been inadequate since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, propagating corruption and making access to medicine difficult for patients (Danton, 2007). 

Response 2

India and China have shown differences in health outcomes. The most visible differences are in the availability of public health and the health insurance provisions (Bardhan, 2008). India’s public health system has been shown as inadequate to cope with its population growth, often resulting in people travelling vast distances to receive quality care (Mukherjee, Haddad, & Narayana, 2011). China, on the other hand, demonstrates complete government commitment to public health including its vision 2020 targeting removal of health disparities (Armatya, 2011). At the same time, India still lacks an elaborate insurance policy for health compared to China’s insurance system which has grown tremendously since the 1970s (Armatya, 2011). The difference could be attributed to China’s economic development and commitment to social developments, the latter of which India is yet to embrace (Frieden, 2010). 

In Kerala, similar conditions as the whole of India are observed such as the lack of an elaborate health insurance and the inadequate public provision of health care (Mukherjee, Haddad, & Narayana, 2011). These conditions are similar with the rest of India. The implications are that for people with high needs in health will be likely to incur more expenditure, both in Kerala and the whole of India.