Poor Healthcare System

● It is now clear: Providing access to care for all -- Universal Health Care, the current paradigm in
global health -- is not enough. Between 5 and 8 million people die every year even though they
do have access to health care -- but the care they receive is ineffective and often does more
harm than good.

● At least half the world’s population is unable to access essential health services and many others
are forced into extreme poverty by having to pay for healthcare they cannot afford, the World
Health Organization said on December 2017.

● Some 800 million people worldwide spend at least 10 percent of their household income on
healthcare for themselves or a sick child, and as many as 100 million of those are left with less
than $1.90 a day to live on as a result, the WHO said.
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● 15·6 million excess deaths from 61 conditions occurred in LMICs in 2016. After excluding deaths
that could be prevented through public health measures, 8·6 million excess deaths were
amenable to health care of which 5·0 million were estimated to be due to receipt of poor-quality
care and 3·6 million were due to non-utilisation of health care. Poor quality of health care was a
major driver of excess mortality across conditions, from cardiovascular disease and injuries to
neonatal and communicable disorders.
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● Nearly 45,000 annual deaths are associated with lack of health insurance, according to a new
study published online today by the ​American Journal of Public Health​. That figure is about two
and a half times higher than an estimate from the ​Institute of Medicine​ (IOM) in 2002.

Rural Women
● Third Committee Passes 15 Draft Resolutions on Child Rights, Rural Women, with Divisions over
Sexual, Reproductive Health Care Chipping Away at Consensus

● A draft on improving the situation of women and girls in rural areas, also approved by consensus,
would have the Assembly urge States to improve women’s health, including maternal health by,
among other measures, enhancing the prevention and treatment of infections, such as HIV;
eliminating all forms of violence against rural women and girls in public and private spaces;
adopting strategies to decrease women’s and girls’ vulnerability to environmental factors; and
developing legislation that provides rural women with access to land.

● The measure passed following the failure — by a recorded vote of 100 against to 31 in favour,
with 29 abstentions — of an amendment submitted by the United States delegation, which sought
to replace operative paragraph 13 with an alternate wording that “would serve to support, as
appropriate, optimal adolescent health and locally driven, family-centred sex education”. The
decision to instead retain operative paragraph 13, as orally revised, passed by a recorded vote of
131 in favour to 10 against, with 16 abstentions.

● Several representatives expressed regret over the need to submit an amendment, with Turkey’s
delegate, on behalf of a cross-regional group of States, expressing both surprise and concern
over the amendment’s circulation only a few days before action on the draft resolution. Equal
 access to sex education is vital, she said, and the text uses carefully developed compromise
language on age-appropriate sex education, which already addresses sensitivities. Sweden’s
representative, speaking for the Nordic and Baltic countries, expressed worry that deleting the
key phrase “in the best interest of the child” undermines the goal of protecting the child. A
rights-based approach to sex education saves lives, she said, and the amendment “moves us
backwards”. Similarly, the representative of the Netherlands opposed the amendment on
substantive and process grounds, adding: “We cannot allow the issue to be politicized.”

● Introducing the draft, Mongolia’s representative said rural women are change agents for
sustainable development, despite often having limited access to education, health care, justice,
land, energy, safe water and sanitation. While joining consensus, the United States
representative disassociated from references to “sexual and reproductive health care” or “health
care services”

Right to Food
● Among the seven drafts put to a vote today was that on the right to food, which passed by a
recorded vote of 185 in favour to 2 against (United States, Israel), with no abstentions.

● Cuba’s representative, introducing the draft, said guaranteeing the right to food is the task of all
stakeholders; any avoidance to do so in the United Nations “is irresponsible and due to petty
interests”. Looking away from this issue is “looking the wrong way”, she said.

Healthy Drinking Water and Usage

● By its terms, the Assembly would call on States, among other things, to ensure the progressive
realization of the human rights to safe drinking water and sanitation for all in a non-discriminatory
manner; take into consideration the New Urban Agenda, which envisages cities and human
settlements that fulfil their social function; ensure access to equitable sanitation and hygiene for
all women and girls, as well as for menstrual hygiene management, including for hygiene facilities
and services in public and private spaces; and address the widespread stigma and shame
surrounding menstruation and menstrual hygiene by promoting educational and health practices.

● Over a third of hospitals and clinics in developing countries have nowhere for staff or patients to
wash with soap, and almost 40 percent have no source of water, according to a WHO-backed
international review published on March 2015.

Working Group

● In relation to plans for preparing a scoping study on sanitation in the pan-European region, a
representative of the Netherlands National Institute for Public Health and the Environment briefed
the Working Group, introducing the scientific approach and the methodology employed as a part
of the study, as well as initial insights and the next steps. The joint secretariat complemented that
information by explaining that, in addition to regional scoping, sixteen countries of the
 pan-European region had been selected for in-depth review, namely: Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Finland, France, Georgia, Italy, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Malta, Netherlands, Republic of Moldova,
Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Tajikistan and Ukraine. The Chair then invited the Working
Group to comment on the concept note of the scoping study and to contribute to its preparation.

● Working group was used to create the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 and also to make a
report on healthy water drinking and overall healthcare

Slovenia Groups
● The members of the European Union recognised Slovenia as an independent state on 15
January 1992, and the United Nations accepted it as a member on 22 May 1992. Slovenia joined
the European Union on 1 May 2004.

● The EU countries are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden
and the UK.

● The member states of NATO are Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic,
Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia,
Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States.

Geneva Convention
● The Geneva Convention was a series of international diplomatic meetings that produced a
number of agreements, in particular the Humanitarian Law of Armed Conflicts, a group of
international laws for the humane treatment of wounded or captured military personnel, medical
personnel and non-military civilians during war or armed conflicts. The agreements originated in
1864 and were significantly updated in 1949 after World War II.

● The law of armed conflict is a branch of international law, the law that States have agreed to
accept as binding upon them in their dealings with other States. As well as governing
relationships between States, international law applies to the conduct of hostilities within a State.

Millennium Development Goals

● The United Nations Millennium Development Goals are eight goals that all 191 UN member
states have agreed to try to achieve by the year 2015. The United Nations Millennium
 Declaration, signed in September 2000 commits world leaders to combat poverty, hunger,
disease, illiteracy, environmental degradation, and discrimination against women. The MDGs are
derived from this Declaration, and all have specific targets and indicators.

● The MDGs are inter-dependent; all the MDG influence health, and health influences all the
MDGs. For example, better health enables children to learn and adults to earn. Gender equality
is essential to the achievement of better health. Reducing poverty, hunger and environmental
degradation positively influences, but also depends on, better health.

SOCHUM
● SOCHUM is one of the main GA committees; therefore, like the other main committees of
the GA, it was established in 1947. And it follows the rules of the General Assembly, which
is indicated in the Charter of the United Nations. The membership of the SOCHUM
includes all 193 member states. In addition, non-member states and other entities
recognized by the UN as permanent observers may attend and participate in meetings, but
they cannot vote. As opposed to member states.

● Unlike Security Council resolutions, resolutions passed within the context of a General
Assembly are not binding, SOCHUM serves as no exception. Resolutions, by in large, is a
set of recommendations for the member states to ratify and adjust accordingly.

WHO
● Jointly with WHO regional and country offices, the Health Systems and Innovation (HIS)
Cluster supports Members States and partners to ensure that countries have resilient and
comprehensive health systems in place. This includes having national health strategies,
motivated healthcare workers, appropriate funding, safe medicines, research, and
information systems.

● The mission of the Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health Cluster (NMH) is to
provide leadership and the evidence base for international action on surveillance,
prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases, mental health disorders,
malnutrition, violence and injuries, and disabilities.

● The HIV, tuberculosis, malaria,neglected tropical diseases and viral hepatitis (CDS)
Cluster helps countries to prevent, reduce and mitigate the health impact of these
diseases, which are a major factor affecting development.

Slovenia Health
● Slovenia has a nationalised public ​healthcare system which provides a high-quality level of
care to citizens and residents. All employees and businesses contribute to the system
through tax, and healthcare is available to all citizens and long-term residents. The
programme is coordinated by the National Health Insurance Institute. Residents and
citizens are given a medical card, which they show when undergoing treatment. Even
under public care, some doctors and specialists may charge an additional out-of-pocket
 fee for some services. However, medical care for children is generally not subject to
additional charges.

● Life expectancy at birth was 80.9 years in 2015, almost 5 years longer than in 2000.
However, the extra years of life are not always spent in good health and healthy life years
are below the EU average. Life expectancy gains are mainly the result of a consistent
reduction in premature deaths from cardiovascular diseases and cancer although these
continue to be the leading causes of death.

● In 2015, Slovenia spent EUR 2 039 per head on health care, compared to the EU average
of EUR 2 797. This equals 8.5% of GDP, which is also below the EU average of 9.9%.
However, its health system is one of the most expensive among the newer Member
States. Only 71.1% of health spending is publicly funded compared to 78.7% at EU level.
While 13% of health expenditure is paid out of pocket the role of voluntary health
insurance is significant, at 14%.

● Avoidable hospital admissions for ambulatory-care sensitive conditions suggest that the
health system provides effective care to these patients outside of hospitals

Mental Health

● When he was Prime Minister, David Cameron pledged almost a billion pounds in an
attempt to address the mental health crisis which has gripped the UK. Speaking on the
topic, David Cameron made mention to the four most common mental health issues in
under 21’s; anxiety, depression, self-harm and eating disorders. According to experts,
these mental health issues have collectively risen by 600% in Britain over the past decade;
hospitalisations for self-harm and eating disorders have doubled in the past three years
and unexpected deaths arising from mental health conditions have soared by 20% over
the same period.

● Making specific mention of teenagers with eating disorders and mothers suffering from
postpartum depression and psychosis, what was very clear was that information regarding
men and mental health was rather sparse to say the least! It has been widely reported
that suicide is now the biggest killer of men under 50 in the UK, accounting for 1 in 4
deaths in men under the age of 35. According to an article in The Telegraph, three times
as many men are regular drug users than women. It seems that whilst women are
seeking help for mental and emotional health issues, men are self-medicating. Whilst
women might attempt suicide (attempted suicide rates are higher in women) men are
‘succeeding’ at it.

● This study estimates that in 792 million in 2017 lived with a mental health disorder. This is
slightly more than one in ten people globally (10.7%)

● Although there are known, effective treatments for mental disorders, between 76% and
85% of people in low- and middle-income countries receive no treatment for their
disorder(2). Barriers to effective care include a lack of resources, lack of trained
health-care providers and social stigma associated with mental disorders. Another barrier
 to effective care is inaccurate assessment. In countries of all income levels, people who
are depressed are often not correctly diagnosed, and others who do not have the disorder
are too often misdiagnosed and prescribed antidepressants.

● Research spanning 12 years conducted by Chapman et al. (2013) found that those who
suppress emotions, rather than confront them head on, may be at risk for earlier death,
including death from cancer. Though it is yet unclear how this link between emotional
suppression and earlier death may occur, the researchers state:
● ‘Suppression is believed to operate on health first at a behavioral level, by inducing
unhealthy coping behaviors such as over-eating as substitutes for healthy emotional
expression… Second, at a physiological level, higher levels of autonomic reactivity to
stress–measured both electrodermally and through blood pressure changes–have been
reported among suppressors… Direct correlations between suppressive defensive styles
and both catecholamines and glucocorticoids have also been reported… In turn,
neuroendocrine dysregulation, whether induced by stress processes or habitual
health-damaging behaviors, has been implicated in the progression of a number of chronic
diseases, and ultimately earlier death…’
Lack of Doctors

Pshysicians per million people

1 Liberia 14

2 Malawi 19

3 Niger 19

4 Ethiopia 22

5 Sierra Leone 22

6 Tanzania 30

7 Somalia 35

8 Chad 37

9 Gambia, The 38

10 Mozambique 40

11 Guinea-Bissau 45

12 Burkina Faso 47

13 Central African Republic 50

14 Togo 53

15 Rwanda 56

16 Papua New Guinea 58

17 Benin 59
18 Senegal 59

19 Timor-Leste 73

20 Cameroon 80

21 Mali 83

22 Zimbabwe 83

23 Congo, Rep. 95

24 Ghana 96

25 Guinea 100