WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO)

Transcription

1 WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO) BACKGROUND GUIDE CHAIRS SURITA BASU MICHELLE PAK LEXINGTON 1

2 COMMITTEE OVERVIEW: The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that is concerned with international public health. Its primary role is to direct and coordinate international health within the United Nations system. It supports countries by providing leadership on matters critical to health and facilitates partnerships where joint action is needed. The WHO shapes the research agenda of world health, disseminates valuable knowledge, provides a framework for health standards, discusses the ethical ramifications of health related actions, and catalyses change. To improve the health of individual nations, the Organization works together with governments and a variety of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to support advocacy and resource mobilization efforts. TOPIC ONE OVERVIEW: WEAPONIZATION OF HEALTH IN CONFLICT ZONES With the escalating conflict in Syria, the safety of medical workers has been brought into question. Continuous direct and indirect acts of violence against healthcare providers makes Syria one of the most dangerous places in the word to give aid, and threatens the ability to maintain even a minimal healthcare system. The Geneva Conventions, customary international humanitarian law and other treaties clearly identify attacks on health workers and patients as a violation of international law; however, such laws are poorly enforced. Acts of targeted violence in Syria include torture, kidnapping, unjust imprisonment, and executions. While most acts are attributed to the Syrian government, some abuses have been committed by non-government forces. More than half of Syrian doctors have fled their homes for fear of persecution by the government. After medical care to opponents of the government was deemed a criminal offence by the Assad regime, an estimated 250 doctors were arrested, interrogated, and tortured in 2011 alone. Reports indicate that between 2012 and 2014, the number of medical personnel killed each year has hovered around 180. However, while that the number has been decreasing in more recent years, it may reflect the significantly diminished overall number of medical personnel remaining in Syria. 2

3 The destruction of vaccinations has caused the spread of preventable diseases, especially in Syrian children. Additionally, Syrian has seen many of attacks on hospital buildings themselves, from the use of barrel bombs to chemical warfare. Such attacks have contributed to rendering 446 health care facilities completely non-functional over the past six years. The use of deadly weapons such as bombs against hospitals causes terrible civilian injury and destroys the resources needed to treat it. Over 67% of targeted attacks on hospitals have been attributed to Syrian government forces or Russian forces. By the end of 2016, the last rebel held hospital in Aleppo was destroyed by airstrikes, leaving an estimated 250,000 residents without access to surgery or specialist care. Throughout the country, only 48% of health care facilities remain fully functional, leaving much of the civilian population particularly vulnerable in an increasingly hostile nation. TIMELINE OF EVENTS: March 2011: First documented pro-government attack on a doctor April 2011: Syrian forces begin arresting patients and doctors in Douma after protests September 2011: First intentional ambulance attack July 2012: Medical aid to protesters injured by pro-government forces during antigovernment protests is criminalized in Syria October 2015: Russia joins Syrian Government forces QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER: 1. Who has jurisdiction in prosecuting these systematic attacks? 2. How can the WHO identify and prevent these attacks? 3. How should the international community respond to disease outbreaks in the middle of armed conflict? 4. How can the Syrian healthcare system be built up again? 5. What kind of additional training should medical personnel receive in light of such violence? 6. Can doctors be expected to uphold their duty to treat patients even while they are persecuted for it? 3

4 TOPIC TWO: REFUGEE AND MIGRANT HEALTH As the World Health Organization works towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals of universal health coverage, refugee and migrant health has become a top priority. At the end of 2017, approximately 68 million people were displaced from their homes around the world, with 25 million being refugees. In particular, challenges have arisen in providing healthcare for Syrian refugees currently living in bordering nations. Many host countries cannot provide enough adequate healthcare with 86% of refugees settled in developing nations. Additionally, unlike native populations, refugees may require resources for both physical and mental trauma. The impact has fallen hardest on women and girls, who cannot access reproductive, maternal, or neonatal care. Also, as a lower-middleincome country many Syrians have chronic health conditions including hypertension, diabetes, and cancer. In addition, mounting economic costs prevent many Syrian refugees from getting the treatment they need. For example, while during the initial Syrian refugee influx, the Jordanian government allowed registered refugees free access to public primary health care centers and to hospitals, by November 2014, Jordanian hospitals were overwhelmed by the number of refugees and Syrians were required to pay the non-insured Jordanian rate approximately percent of what foreigners paid. A further burden has been the U.S. decision to cut $300 million in aid to United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). In addition, while countries like Lebanon and Turkey have built healthcare systems to support the Syrian refugees, the programs are highly dependent on outside funding for refugee care as well as the economic situation of the host country, and remains vulnerable to economic downturns and donor fatigue. With 80% of refugees living under the poverty line, an influx of consistent funding is needed to ensure proper healthcare. The goals of this committee are to identify how to provide necessary treatment for refugees and migrants and to provide resources to host nations. QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER: 1. Who is responsible for funding healthcare for refugees? What economic and social burdens will this have on host nations? 2. What steps can be taken in order to ensure healthcare is delivered to all refugees, especially in host countries that are themselves economically and politically unstable? 3. How can the WHO ensure that healthcare systems are properly maintained? How can the WHO ensure that healthcare system are effectively treating patients? Is yours a permanent solution? 4

5 SOURCES elsca1=tlpr syrianmilitarynotrebelssevereddamascuswatersupplyunfinds.html theweaponizationofhealthcarefromthelancetaubcommissiononsyria/ attackonvaccinessetsbackimmunizationeffortsineasternsyrianarabrepublic