World Health Assembly:

Letter from the Executive Board

Dear delegates,

Greetings!

On behalf of the Executive Board of the World Health

Assembly, we are thrilled to welcome you to RGIT
MUN, 2020. We believe Model United Nations is the
single best activity for preparing today’s students to be
leaders in the world. Delegates will also have to be at the
forefront of trying to resolve one of the most complex
issues with political adroitness, diplomacy, research,
paperwork, debate and obviously, a boatload of fun. As
was rightly proclaimed in a certain MUN motto, 'Will it
be difficult? Yes. Will it be worth it? Absolutely.’ With
that being said, we hope to see you with compelling
paperwork and a will to never give up. It is important for
the committee to note that a need of combined
international effort is required in order to succeed in
developing post conflict regions. The committee is
expected to discuss the psychology of people in post
conflict regions and create innovative and practical
measures for the redevelopment of the nation. Discussion
about country specific cases are also welcome, in order to
get a first-hand insight of what the problems are. On the
basis of such discussions, the committee is then expected
to create a model of development in post conflict regions,
new methods and steps that can be taken to solve the
issue. It is also the duty of the committee to deliberate on
the extent of help offered by developed and developing
nations to these countries and how their aid can be sought
in the entire process.

While good debate sometimes leads to fruitful results, we

 urge the committee to impress upon themselves that that
won’t be the objective here. It is expected from the
committee to keep a solution based approach and work
towards mutual agreements and consensus building.

The Committee sessions are structured into three

distinctive stages: General debate, thematic discussions
and Action on drafts

Good luck delegates!

Regards,
The Executive Board.

INTRODUCTION TO WHA

Mandate: The WHA is a forum through which the World Health Organisation is governed by 194
member states. It is the world's highest health policy setting body and is composed of health ministers
from member states.

Each year, the WHA elects members from among its ranks to renew the Executive Board (EB). This body
is governed in Chapter VI, Articles 24 through 29, of the Constitution of the WHO. The EB must have an
equitable geographic distribution, and "shall be elected for three years and may be re-elected... The Board
shall meet at least twice a year and shall determine the place of each meeting."[5] This is invariably
chosen (by consensus) to be Geneva. A current list of members on the Executive Board can be derived
through consultation of the WHA

TIPS ON RESEARCH

Procedure:​:The Rules of Procedure (RoP) are meant for greater

organization and smooth flow of committee proceedings. The
committee will follow the WHA Rules of Procedure, a link for
which has been provided here:
https://www.who.int/governance/rules_of_procedure_of_the_wha_
en.pdf
Though the RoP are important, discussing the agenda is of utmost
priority. Delegates are advised to express their opinions within the
purview of RoP.

Foreign policy: ​Delegates must abide by the foreign policy of their

nations while presenting their ideas and arguments in formal
debate.

Role of the dais: ​The dais’ role is to facilitate debate and assess
delegates’ performance. However, delegates decide the flow of the
committee. Delegates are strongly encouraged to lead discussion
on the agendas, though the dais may choose to as and when
necessary.

Nature of source/reference: ​This Background Guide is meant

solely for research purposes and must not be cited as evidence to
substantiate statements made during the conference. Evidence or
proof for substantiating statements made during formal debate is
acceptable from the following Sources: United Nations,
Multilateral Organizations, Government Reports and News
Sources.

Note:

1. Reports from NGOs working with UNESCO, UNICEF and

other UN bodies will be accepted.
2. Under no circumstances will sources like Wikipedia Quora, or
newspapers like the Guardian, Times of India etc. be
accepted.

However, notwithstanding the aforementioned criteria for

acceptance of sources and evidence, delegates are still free to
research through these sources.
Agenda 1 :- ​Discussing faster and wide reach mechanisms for disposal of vaccines.

The world is in the midst of a COVID-19 pandemic. As WHO and partners work together on the response
-- tracking the pandemic, advising on critical interventions, distributing vital medical supplies to those in
need--- they are racing to find a vaccine.

Vaccines save millions of lives each year. Vaccines work by training and preparing the body’s natural
defences --- the immune system--- to recognize and fight off the viruses and bacteria they target. If the
body is exposed to those disease-causing germs later, the body is immediately ready to destroy them,
preventing illness.

Immunization currently prevents 2-3 million deaths every year from diseases like diphtheria, tetanus,
pertussis, influenza and measles. There are now vaccines to prevent more than 20 life-threatening
diseases, and work is ongoing at unprecedented speed to also make COVID-19 a vaccine-preventable
disease.

There are currently more than 100 COVID-19 vaccine candidates under development, with a number of
these in the human trial phase. WHO is working in collaboration with scientists, business, and global
health organizations through the ACT Accelerator to speed up the pandemic response. When a safe and
effective vaccine is found, COVAX (led by WHO, GAVI and CEPI) will facilitate the equitable access
and distribution of these vaccines to protect people in all countries. People most at risk will be prioritized.

The current global nCoV public health emergency underscores the need to accelerate the development of
nCoV candidate vaccines. The Working Group on Target Product Profile for vaccines against COVID-19
aims to provide guidance from an end-to-end perspective. The objectives of this group are:

To develop a global target product profile (TPP) for vaccines against COVID-19.

The TPP will include preferred and minimally acceptable profiles for two vaccines:

Human vaccine – for long term protection of persons at high ongoing risk of COVID-19 such as
healthcare workers.
Human vaccine – for reactive use in outbreak settings with rapid onset of immunity.

To prepare and be available for the regular working group calls.

To provide technical advice and support the WHO Secretariat through comments and or feedback from
stakeholdersThe current global nCoV public health emergency underscores the need to accelerate the
development of nCoV candidate vaccines. The Working Group on Target Product Profile for vaccines
against COVID-19 aims to provide guidance from an end-to-end perspective. The objectives of this group
are:

● To develop a global target product profile (TPP) for vaccines against COVID-19.
● The TPP will include preferred and minimally acceptable profiles for two vaccines:
● Human vaccine – for long term protection of persons at high ongoing risk of COVID-19 such as
healthcare workers.
● Human vaccine – for reactive use in outbreak settings with rapid onset of immunity.
● To prepare and be available for the regular working group calls.
● To provide technical advice and support the WHO Secretariat through comments and or feedback
from stakeholders.

Agenda 2 :- ​Discussing Health behaviours & problems among young people in developing countries.

More than 1.1 million adolescents aged 10-19 years died in 2016, over 3000 every day, mostly from
preventable or treatable causes.

Road traffic injuries were the leading cause of death among adolescents in 2016. Other major causes of
adolescent deaths include suicide, interpersonal violence, HIV/AIDS and diarrhoeal diseases.

Half of all mental health disorders in adulthood start by age 14, but most cases are undetected and
untreated.

Main health issues

Injuries

Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death and disability among adolescents. In 2016, over 135
000 adolescents died as a result of road traffic accidents. Many of those who died were “vulnerable road
users”, including pedestrians, cyclists or users of motorized two-wheelers. In many countries, road safety
laws need to be made more comprehensive, and enforcement of such laws needs to be strengthened.
Furthermore, young drivers need advice on driving safely, while laws that prohibit driving under the
influence of alcohol and drugs need to be strictly enforced among all age groups. Blood alcohol levels
should be set lower for young drivers than for adults. Graduated licenses for novice drivers with
zero-tolerance for drink-driving are recommended.

Drowning is also among the top 10 causes of death among adolescents – nearly 50 000 adolescents, over
two thirds of them boys, are estimated to have drowned in 2016. Teaching children and adolescents to
swim is an essential intervention to prevent these deaths.

Mental health

Depression is one of the leading causes of illness and disability among adolescents, and suicide is the
second leading cause of death in adolescents. Violence, poverty, humiliation and feeling devalued can
increase the risk of developing mental health problems.

Building life skills in children and adolescents and providing them with psychosocial support in schools
and other community settings can help promote good mental health. Programmes to help strengthen the
ties between adolescents and their families are also important. If problems arise, they should be detected
and managed by competent and caring health workers.

Adolescent mental health fact sheet

Violence

Interpersonal violence is the third leading cause of death in adolescents, globally, though its prominence
varies substantially by world region. It causes nearly a third of all adolescent male deaths in low- and
middle-income countries of the WHO Region of the Americas. Globally, nearly one in three adolescent
girls aged 15 – 19 years (84 million) has been a victim of emotional, physical and/or sexual violence
perpetrated by their husband or partner.

Promoting nurturing relationships between parents and children early in life, providing training in life
skills, and reducing access to alcohol and firearms can help to prevent injuries and deaths due to violence.
Effective and empathetic care for adolescent survivors of violence including ongoing support can help
with the physical and psychological consequences.

HIV/AIDS
An estimated 2.1 million adolescents were living with HIV in 2016; the great majority in the WHO
African Region. Although the overall number of HIV-related deaths has been decreasing since the peak in
2006, estimates suggest that this is not yet the case among adolescents. This reflects the fact that most of
today’s adolescents were born before prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV by antiretroviral
therapy became widespread. However, a substantial proportion of HIV-positive adolescents are unaware
of their status, and many of those who are aware of their status do not receive effective, long-term
antiretroviral treatment.

One of the specific targets of the health Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 3) is that by 2030 there
should be an end to the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases,
hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases. Given the high prevalence of HIV in
many countries, to achieve this target, adolescents will need to be central to control efforts.

Young people need to know how to protect themselves from HIV infection and must have the means to
do so. This includes being able to obtain condoms to prevent sexual transmission of the virus and clean
needles and syringes for those who inject drugs. Better access to HIV testing and counselling, and
stronger subsequent links to HIV treatment services for those who test HIV positive, are also needed.

Other infectious diseases

Thanks to improved childhood vaccination, adolescent deaths and disability from measles have fallen
markedly – for example, adolescent mortality from measles fell by 90% in the African Region between
2000 and 2012.

Diarrhoea and lower respiratory tract infections are estimated to be among the top 10 causes of death for
10–19 year olds. These two diseases, along with meningitis, are all among the top five causes of
adolescent death in African low- and middle-income countries.

Early pregnancy and childbirth

The leading cause of death for 15-19 year-old girls globally is complications from pregnancy and
childbirth.

Some 11% of all births worldwide are to girls aged 15–19 years, and the vast majority of these births are
in low- and middle-income countries. The UN Population Division puts the global adolescent birth rate in
2018 at 44 births per 1000 girls this age – country rates range from 1 to over 200 births per 1000 girls (1).
This indicates a marked decrease since 1990. This decrease is reflected in a similar decline in maternal
mortality rates among 15–19 year olds.

One of the specific targets of the health Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 3) is that by 2030, the world
should ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health-care services, including for family
planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies
and programmes. To support this, a proposed indicator for the Global strategy for women’s, children’s
and adolescents’ health is the adolescent birth rate.

Better access to contraceptive information and services can reduce the number of girls becoming pregnant
and giving birth at too young an age. Laws that are enforced that specify a minimum age of marriage at 18
can help.

Girls who do become pregnant need access to quality antenatal care. Where permitted by law, adolescents
who opt to terminate their pregnancies should have access to safe abortion.

Alcohol and drugs

Harmful drinking among adolescents is a major concern in many countries. It reduces self-control and
increases risky behaviours, such as unsafe sex or dangerous driving. It is an underlying cause of injuries
(including those due to road traffic accidents), violence and premature deaths. It can also lead to health
problems in later life and affects life expectancy. Setting a minimum age for buying and consuming
alcohol and regulating how alcoholic drinks are targeted at the younger market are among the strategies
for reducing harmful drinking.

Drug use among 15–19 year olds is also an important global concern. Drug control may focus on reducing
drug demand, drug supply, or both, and successful programmes usually include structural, community,
and individual-level interventions.

Nutrition and micronutrient deficiencies

Iron deficiency anaemia was the second leading cause of years lost by adolescents to death and disability
in 2016. Iron and folic acid supplements are a solution that also helps to promote health before
adolescents become parents. Regular deworming in areas where intestinal helminths such as hookworm
are common is recommended to prevent micronutrient (including iron) deficiencies.
Developing healthy eating habits in adolescence are foundations for good health in adulthood. Reducing
the marketing of foods high in saturated fats, trans-fatty acids, free sugars, or salt and providing access to
healthy foods are important for all, but especially for children and adolescents.

Undernutrition and obesity

Many boys and girls in developing countries enter adolescence undernourished, making them more
vulnerable to disease and early death. At the

In May 2017, WHO published a major report: Global Accelerated Action for the Health of Adolescents
(AA-HA!): Guidance to support country implementation. The AA-HA! Guidance has drawn on inputs
received during extensive consultations with Member States, United Nations agencies, adolescents and
young people, civil society and other partners. It aims to assist governments in deciding what they plan to
do and how they plan to do it as they respond to the health needs of adolescents in their countries. This
reference document targets national-level policy-makers and programme managers to assist them in
planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluation of adolescent health programmes. Teams from 68
countries have been trained in applying the AA-HA! guidance for national priority-setting, programming,
monitoring and evaluation, and 18 countries are in the process of using the AA-HA! approach to update
national strategies and policies.

Overall, WHO carries out a range of functions to improve the health of young people, including:

production of evidence-based guidelines to support health services and other sectors;

making recommendations to governments on adolescent health and the provision of high quality,
age-appropriate health services for adolescents;

documenting progress in adolescent health and development; and

raising awareness of health issues for young people among the general public and other interested
stakeholders.

Globally, there are 44 births per 1000 to girls aged 15 to 19 per year.

Links for WHO Reports:

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=1e3dAOS6vQn06_JM9HkxfqMZ5-AeYVHuy

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescents-health-risks-and-solutions
QUESTIONS A POSITION PAPER MUST ANSWER

● What is your country status regarding COVID 19? And

how is your local government working to mitigate this
outbreak?
● What are the steps taken by you government for
development and ​ ​faster and wide reach mechanisms for
disposal of vaccines.
● What mental health problems are arising in your country ?
● What are the steps taken by your government to overcome
problems such as ​high risk sexual behaviours, mental health
problems, nutrition disorders,substance use, suicides, among
young people
● Being first seen in China it has sustained this outbreak, do
you think you can ask or follow the footsteps of China to
mitigate it?
● How can you find/ diagnose the patient with COVID 19,
and how are managing/ treating patients with this?
● How can access to self-health be guaranteed in this pandemic?