Health Threats to Security

Global health and disease, security, and globalization are inextricably interconnected in both positive and negative ways, and this is particularly true in Asia. The ease and speed with which people and goods can cross borders create deep relationships throughout the region, but ill health can also use these same connections to spread rapidly. This chapter demonstrates the interplay between health, security, and globalization in Asia by first examining the concepts of health security and the securitization of health. It then presents three brief case studies of SARS, non-communicable diseases, and COVID-19 to examine the successes and failures of individual governments and regional organizations to address health challenges. In particular, the case studies illustrate the ongoing collaborations and challenges faced by governments throughout Asia as they attempt to put health security into practice. The concluding section discusses the future of health security in Asia and how states within the region might address these ongoing challenges in the future.