I, D Liche, will define globalization as 'marketing everything in sight freely'. I know other scholars have defined globalization in a much neat form which stresses liberalism, democracy and capitalism. From Kaunda's humanism that proved to be 'chaotic' and unsuccessful, Chiluba in the early 90's tried to dance and tango in the global world. I think he did quite well as an individual because of the expensive designer suits and shoes he accumulated; but as a country, he and his economists might not have fully weighed and understood the consequences of globalization. Democracy came with capitalism and liberalism. Most national companies and institutions were 'sold,' most often, to foreigners who had the money and claimed to give donations to Zambia. Even health institutions were or are at the verge of being 'sold'. The health boards were such a near attempt. The World Bank and IMF came with their Structural Adjustment Program (SAP). What we don't realize is that westerners have been very careful on what to make private and what to keep as government owned. Most of the health, communication and social services are still government controlled in both United Kingdom and the Americas.
I am not here to condemn nor condone globalization but highlight its effects on the HIV/AIDS pandemic and health in general.
Globalization has many benefits some of which have contributed much to containing the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Quick and easy communication has enabled many Zambians to learn about preventive measures if they are to remain HIV negative or avoid re-infection. Communication has also helped some to have healthy diets and access Anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs. Sharing of positive ideals such as gender empowerment has enabled our women to stand up 'erect' to fight against the many abuses often justified by tradition and domineering men. The most important abuses are to deal with sex when women are abused by men and our culture sometimes seems to 'okay' the acts. Financial transactions are cheaper and made easy (e.g. western union) providing ways for relatives to help and care for their sick/affected relatives. New technology has been and is been developed that can contain infectious diseases including AIDS easily and effectively.
Unfortunately these benefits cannot be matched to the drawbacks of globalization especially in the health sector. The benefits are actually drowned because only an exclusive group of people seem to benefit from them leaving millions of poor Zambians only gaining the bad effects. Below I highlight, point by point, why globalization worsens the HIV/AIDS situation other than better it.
- IMMIGRATION AND EMIGRATION. Many Africans are shuffled around the globe looking for greener pastures in developed countries. Whilst it can be claimed they send a few dollars home, the massive movement makes infectious diseases like AIDS be 'without borders' and extremely uncontrollable. Urbanisation, which makes cities or towns look more central and full of money has led to more unemployment, shanty compounds that are dangerous to health and put more of our people at risk of disease.
- POVERTY AND INEQUALITIES. Globalization breeds poverty and elongates the gap between the rich and the poor. The poverty makes some people especially women, stripped of all choices, sell themselves for a few bucks by involving themselves in risky sexual behaviour that might leave them infected or see them infect their money-sex partners. Men in distressing poverty might resort to huge alcohol intakes that leave them with poor judgement in sexual matters and become violent. Inequalities and poverty leave the poor over-dependent on the rich and just gulp whatever is thrown to them. This over-dependency developed by inequalities expose the disadvantaged to infection and disease not forgetting other forms of abuse.
- ADOPTING UNHEALTHY CULTURES AND LIFESTYLES. Most of our youth copy their dressing, talking, ways of walking and even values from what they see largely on dstv and in flashy Hollywood magazines. Problem is those are dominated with 'free' sex mentalities allowing sex at all stages of one's life including unfaithfulness – so long as there is maximum enjoyment. A culture of violence is shown as attractive as in rap videos. Music that is rough and stress on being sexy has exposed us the youth to unhealthy lifestyles not fit for our survivor when HIV/AIDS is all around us. Our cultural and political values have changed and continue to change. Rather than our own, what is learned from other cultures is treasured. Some of us, youths, believe that our parents are pre-ancient when they believe in cultural values. We forget that the Zambian cultural values that stress on communal sharing and the extended family are much more beneficial. When one member of the family is facing problems, all members would be involved and would try to do something about the problem. Culturally, globalization has made western 'garbage' styles much more attractive than Zambian traditions. Values of love, fraternity, and sharing have been cast out to make way for the mostly individualistic pleasure-profit orientated ones. The point here in terms of HIV/AIDS is that if we withheld the Zambian values, sick relatives and orphans due to AIDS deaths would easily be incorporated into the family and taken care of. Because of massive individualism, relatives are sceptical to take care of the children of one they never knew and who was locked into individualism.
- NEW TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, although can be heralded to contain and deal with infectious ailments better now than ever in human history, they pose dangers of producing new forms of the HIV virus that might be more resistant and more deadly.
- HOPELESSNESS. Globalization dwarfs even the little effort by the poor making them hopeless. It makes individuals feel that their effort does not count because greater forces are at work and it is only these forces that can solve their problems.
- ENVIRONMENT DEGRADATION. Most Zambians have natural resources as their major means of survival. Subsistence farming, charcoal burning, firewood, fruits, grass and bushes for their animals. Now due to global reforms, pollution and massive use of fossil fuels have disturbed some of these local arrangements. Fewer rains are becoming evident; unclean drinking water is becoming a common phenomenon in both the urban and rural areas due to massive pollution. The soil each season becomes less fertile with the massive chemicals to enhance harvest. My question is, 'how do you expect an HIV infected/affected person to have enough immunity without enough resources for survival?' I sometimes argue FOR Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO's) with friends in Lusaka and Kasisi who are sternly against GMO's. For the most part, I say GMO's are OK. But how can they be when the sore purpose of introducing them in poor countries like Zambia is profit of large companies who want to test their products? Can they really improve the suitable sustainable environmental conditions for the sick and poor? I doubt. Actually I don't think so. A few days ago, I went to Kasisi Agricultural Training Centre and could not believe the amount of information that proved that organic farming is possible and better harvests are attainable whilst maintaining the land's fertility. Massive trade with profits as its engines means also use of most natural resources on massive basis producing pollution and diminishing the sources of livelihood for the locals. Uncontrolled deforestation and the use of fuels are ever on the increase contributing in the rise of greenhouse gasses (global warming). Temperatures will rise, rainfalls will be less and paradoxically more floods, hurricanes and you name it.
- WEAK NATIONS AND SOCIETIES. Globalisation has produced supranational organisations that are proving to be much stronger than nations. These supranational dictate to nations what to do. Privatization and structural adjustment programs were some of the dictations and only resulted in loss of control of many national owned institutions and massive debt on Zambia as well as other poor countries. This limits the government's capabilities and planning to contain the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Zambia. It means Zambia is cursed to donor funding with their unfair conditions. Expensive education and health services pioneered by such programs make prevention and treatment of HIV related illness in accessible by many poor Zambians.
- AS THOUGH ALL OF US WERE EXACTLY THE SAME. Global trade rules and other regulations which consider all nations on equal footing are unfair. There is no way Zambia would be treated the same as with Botswana or USA in trade. Zambia is obviously poor and might need some consideration. These rules make it difficult for Zambia to acquire licenses to make its own ARVs and drugs that are known to cure opportunistic infections connected with HIV/AIDS. The drugs made in these big pharmaceuticals might be and are well beyond the means of an ordinary HIV infected Zambian who has to rely on donor and government sponsored programs. Aid is good but most of the times, I find it dehumanizing.
- HOW MUCH IS AIDS PLEASE? Finally life that is inspired by globalization looks at everything in terms of money and profits, ignoring most of the times the humanity which globalization claims to serve. This means that profit-oriented companies can do anything to make profits even when they have to take advantage of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. In my opinion, they would even sale AIDS if they had to in order to make a few million dollars. Notice my use of 'they' because these profit-oriented companies have no human face.
Whilst globalization might seem the only way out because of its inevitable force and attractive polices and offers, I think that we the poor should question what we want to accept and receive. We cannot afford to adhere to unhealthy values and lifestyles. AIDS is real enough without my saying it and our individual promises as well as institutional ones will help us make a difference. Globalization might be too big a thing to destroy but our attitude and choice of what we need is necessary. Lastly, we have to have a political will against the enslaving aspects of globalization and shun them. We have to be vocal in demanding our government to accept things that are congruent to our cultures. Government has to encourage efforts by cultural centres and institutions in highlighting the importance of Zambian communal living which might be such an answer to caring for HIV/AIDS sufferers.
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