EFFECTS OF GLOBALISATION ON HEALTH AND EDUCATION: KEY OBSERVATIONS

Zeena Flavia D souza Lecturer Department of Commerce St. Aloysius College (Autonomous) Mangalore. Email ID: zeenamendonca@gmail.com Shwetha MK Lecturer Department of Economics St. Aloysius College (Autonomous) Mangalore. Email ID: mkshwetha11@gmail.com

 The term Globalization means integration of economies and societies through cross country flows of information, ideas technologies, goods services, capital, finance and people.  Cross border integration can have several dimensions, cultural, social, political and economic. 

Impact of Globalization on health: A global scenario

 The concept of International commerce has given to rise of a stupendous increase in the movement of goods and well as humans.  This has eventually been a cause of concern when there is a movement of people from place to place; it has increased the opportunities of spreading diseases around the globe.

The most significant ways in which infectious diseases have been affected Globalization are:
 Increased Trade in Goods  Food-borne illnesses  Urbanization  Climatic changes  Other environmental concerns  Increased Global Travel

Indian Scenario:
 India has a mixed system of public health services which includes modern as well as traditional systems.  The categories of health providers are like the specialized medical professionals, practitioners of traditional medicines like Ayurveda, Homeopathy etc., and also the Registered Medical Practitioners.

 The scenario of health in India is full of contrasts. Though our Governments have developed a healthy policy framework, majority of Indians are burdened with diseases which are easily curable, yet the threats of incurable diseases get more attention.  A huge section of the society is succumbing to deaths which could be avoided to a great extent with safe drinking water, proper sanitation and ready supply of life saving drugs

 In spite of the grave situations where the public health is ignored, policymakers are more interested in bringing sophisticated technologies; funds are pouring in to areas like promotion of health tourism, subsidizing import of hi-tech equipments and development of private health care, which is affordable to only few.

The emergence of Private Health Sector due to Globalization:

 At the time of independence and before globalization only about 8 per cent of all qualified modern medical care was provided by the private sector.  But over the years the share of the private sector in the provision of health care has at about 80 per cent of all outpatient care and about 60 per cent of all in-patient care.

 Over 75 per cent of the human resources and advanced medical technology, 68 per cent of an estimated 15,097 hospitals and 37 per cent of 623,819 total beds in the country are in the private sector. Of these most are located in urban areas. Of concern is the abysmally poor quality of services being provided at the rural periphery by the large number of unqualified persons. Its relationship to health outcomes at the population level has never been established.

National Rural Health Mission

 The policy response of the government to strengthen the health sector and attain its health objectives was the launch, in 2005, of the National Rural Health Mission. In its design and implementation, the NRHM has been greatly influenced by the principles of primary health care as outlined in the Alma Ata Declaration of 1978.

Major Achievements of the NRHM

 A clear definition of norms and standards for each level of care.  ASHA programme.  Human resource additions.  District health planning.  Facility up gradation.

Education system going global:

 Today education has to meet the demands of a rapidly globalizing world with issues like raising awareness of environment, peace, cultural and social diversity, increased competitiveness and also the most important, the concept of a global village.

 The major challenge of today s higher education

therefore, is to reform, create and develop systems that prepare us to survive in a global society, thus producing global citizens.  The effects of Globalization on education bring rapid developments in technology and communications have foreseen changes within learning systems across the world as Ideas, Values and Knowledge.  This has compelled the teachers and students to change their role and attitudes towards education

 The rise of a Global society, driven by technology

and communication developments are shaping children, the future citizens of the world into Global citizens , smart people with broad range of skills and knowledge which can be practically applied in an competitive Global economy.
 Today, education is becoming a lifelong learning

and training process, developing transferable skills and knowledge which needs to be applied in the Global market.

 The process of Globalization has a multi-

dimensional impact on the system of education. It promotes new tools and techniques in this area like E-learning, Flexible learning, Distance Education Programs and Overseas training. Globalization has opened different avenues in the field of education.  In the near future it will mean a more competitive and deregulated education system modeled after the free market but with more pressure on it to assure that the next generation of work force is prepared for some amorphous job market of the coming century.

 It is necessary for us to note that Globalization has resulted in bifurcating society of those who can afford information technology and those who cannot. While education systems in western societies are embracing technology, developing countries are once again left behind as a result of lack of infrastructure and funding.  However, second and third world countries have adopted educational ideals from western thought despite their differences in economy.

Indian perspective: where do we stand?

 Indian Government and Indian Corporate sector has

recognized the importance of management education in the changing global scenario.

 Today under the reforming economic conditions,

integration of the Indian economy with world economy presupposes efficiency and competitiveness in the domestic front as well as in the international arena.

As the process of globalization is technology and knowledge driven, the very success of economic reform policies critically depend upon the competence of human capital.

The key indicators of Education in India in the process of Globalization are:

 Only 66% of the Indian people are literate  Though 90% of the children in the 6 11 age group are formally enrolled in primary schools, nearly 40% drop out of the primary stage.  It is a known fact that 1.36 crore children in the age group of 6 14 years remained out of school as on March 2005, four years after the launch of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan

Continued .
 Half of India s schools have a leaking roof or no water

supply, 35% have no blackboards or furniture and close to 90% have no functioning toilets.

 The official teacher-student norm is 1:40, yet in some states

classes average is one teacher per 80 children. The prescribed norm of a school being available within the radius of one kilometer is still not being fulfilled.

 Malnutrition, hunger and poor health still remain a core

problem, which comprehensively affect attendance and performance in classes. The main reasons for drop outs among girls are home chores and child labor.

Conclusion:
 Today, our health and educational system is strong enough but central and state government should change their roles within these systems, re-inventing themselves as facilitating and supervisory organizations.  Teacher training, infrastructure and syllabuses need to be urgently upgraded to meet the global challenge and be a part of Globalization to form a better economy.

Continued
 Health sector should be given equal prominence as it is given to defense and corporate activities. Both the sectors should be well groomed in order to meet the future global challenges and let the rest of the world know India as one of the highly developed nations and may every Indian feel proud enough to be an Indian.

Thank you