As the swine flu continues to rip through Mexico and slowly make its way into America, it’s becoming more apparent that the U.S. needs to invest more interest in the health of foreign countries, especially neighboring countries.

This viral outbreak goes beyond humanitarian or political reasoning – it threatens the very survival of all Americans.

The swine flu is nothing to sneeze at. Mexico has been in a state of emergency since the first breakout last month, forcing the president to shut down all public schools until further notice.

According to an Associated Press article, more than one thousand people have contracted the disease and it has caused more than a hundred deaths.

Fear of a worldwide pandemic is growing daily as countries are gathering resources to combat the deadly virus. With the flu showing up in multiple areas of a vastly mobile world, it would be ignorant to lay the blame solely upon Mexico.

But Mexico is certainly facing the brunt of it, and there’s no denying its severity toward the U.S.

Even though the flu has arrived seemingly out of nowhere, it is another prime example of the American mentality of fixing problems when they arise rather than preventing them. Someone should have been there shortly after the first outbreak, helping to contain the problem.

I would never expect America to turn around Mexico – or any other county, for that matter. It is not our responsibility to do so. That said, it should not deter us from being aware of the health of foreign countries.

Disease and sickness know neither social class nor country boundaries. An outbreak of any kind is a reflection of our own ignorance about what’s happening beyond our borders.

I constantly hear people talking about how America needs to keep its nose out of other countries, especially when we’re facing so many problems of our own.

To a certain extent they’re right, as there are millions of Americans in need of help. But we cannot simply tighten security at our own borders and fold in on ourselves.

America is far too dependent on the global economy. Besides, hiding behind tall fences does not keep foreign problems out of our country.

President Barack Obama has assured Americans that the Center for Disease Control and Prevention is ready for a nationwide outbreak. Maybe we are, maybe we’re not.

What I am assured of is that our state of thought on global health and how we interact with other countries needs to change. Hopefully, Obama’s recent flight around the world will be the first step in preventing the next outbreak.

E-mail the author: Will Axford