"While we celebrate the eradication of smallpox and the development of sophisticated therapies for heart disease, my country still loses thousands of children annually to dehydration from diarrheal diseases. The technology to save them is inexpensive and simple, but our clinics lack clean water and refrigeration. The modern world has conquered the microbe in theory, but in practice, poverty remains the ultimate disease vector."
—Representative of a West African nation to the World Health Assembly, 1995
Which of the following developments in the late twentieth century most directly contributed to the disparity described in the passage?
- AThe disruption of local health systems by commercial networks established during the Columbian Exchange of manufactured goods
- BThe complete homogenization of global culture, which eliminated regional differences in how healthcare is practiced and understood
- The unequal global distribution of medical technologies and basic infrastructure despite overall increases in global wealthAnswer
- DThe rise of the Green Revolution as a global movement dedicated to ecological restoration and organic agricultural practices
Answer
The unequal global distribution of medical technologies and basic infrastructure despite overall increases in global wealth
The correct option is correct because the representative's speech highlights the gap between theoretical medical capabilities (which can prevent diarrheal deaths) and actual practice (where lack of clean water and refrigeration prevents treatment). This underscores how late twentieth-century globalization led to increased disparities, as wealthier nations developed treatments for diseases of longevity while developing nations still struggled with diseases of poverty due to inadequate infrastructure and resources.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Technological Advances and Limitations: Disease