|
 Synopsis of the Boston Model United Nations Conference:
The Model U.N. conference held in Boston was aimed towards reaching a
resolution to many of the world’s upcoming or ongoing problems with a
handful of international students.
To understand the logistics behind such a conference, one must first
understand the club. The Model U.N. is a simulation of the United
Nations. Students are assigned a country for a conference and research
the conflicts within that sphere. At any conference, a student
representing a country would attempt to persuade others to join his or
her nation’s stand on an issue.
During the Boston conference held in Boston University, I was assigned
Singapore. I also had the choice of the committee I would debate and
persuade in, which was the World Health Organization, an organ of the
United Nations.
For two days, forty students, including myself, sat in a classroom
presenting ideas on how to solve two conflicts; counterfeit medications
and the avian influenza. Due to a snow storm, our three day conference
was cut short, leaving the WHO with one topic to discuss. The ultimate
goal, though, was to come up with a consensus and to pass a resolution.
A resolution is the end result of the conference, and it is not always
made. Luckily, the WHO quickly created a working paper, or rough draft
of a resolution, and passed a resolution the next day.
The resolution passed by the organization calls mainly calls for
education reforms and a list of credible suppliers to combat counterfeit
medications, especially in Africa.
THE
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
A/RES/1
BOLIVIA, CAMBODIA, REPUBLIC OF CONGO, DR CONGO, DJIBOUTI, ETHIOPIA,
GHANA, KENYA, REPUBLIC OF KOREA, LIBYA, PARAGUAY, SPAIN, SUDAN,
THAILAND, ZIMBABWE
COUNTERFEIT MEDICINES IN AFRICA
Aware
of the need to address the problem of counterfeit medications on an
international level,
Emphasizes the need to enhance collaboration to effectively solve
this problem,
Recognizing the basic need of all people to have access to the
highest quality medication feasibly available,
Noting
with concern the lack of medication available at reasonable expense,
Concerned with the current state of affairs in Africa regarding
counterfeit medicines,
Affirming the work done by NGOs and the WHO concerning this issue,
Noting
with regret the growing industry of counterfeit medicines,
1.
Supports efforts to improve the supply of effective medications
through:
a. establishing a list of credible suppliers,
b. monetary aid to subsidize legal medication distribution;
2.
Endorses efforts to stem availability of counterfeit medications:
a. encourages countries to monitor internal black markets
b. encourages countries to strengthen customs efforts to block
international trade of substandard and counterfeit drugs;
3.
Regarding the punishment procedures for criminal action involving
counterfeit medication, we feel that although each nation may be
provided with the information of illicit drug trafficking, the
punishment for said crimes is at the discretion of each nation’s
governments;
4.
Recommends that education programs are established to protect people
from unwittingly taking dangerous medication through
a. educating healthcare providers about what medications are most
effective,
b. educating people on a local level
1. through clinics
2. in cooperation with local NGOs;
5.
Further recommends that statistics be collected to increase credible
reporting of incidences involving counterfeit medications with the
purpose of monitoring progress and collecting data on which programs are
most effective;
6.
Requests cooperation and support from NGOs and other UN bodies,
a. encourages NGO support in helping WHO personnel at a local level;
7.
Further requests funding from those countries that are able and deem
these programs important;
8.
Supports working to expand the National Drug Monitoring program’s
responsibilities to include monitoring counterfeit drugs and their
adverse effects;
9.
Accepts that the implementation of an essential drug list would be
beneficial in helping developing nations; by only importing drugs
pertinent to the medical problems in those nations it will reduce the
amount of substandard drugs available within those countries;
10.
Reinforcing the past action of creating lists of manufacturers who
meet World Health Organization standards.
BACK TO
BOSTON MODEL CONFERENCE |
