Committee: World Health Organisation (WHO)

Name of Delegate: Harnaaz Kaur Sandhu

School: Jaffery Academy

Topic: Discussing Global Health Inequities with Special Emphasis on pharmaceutical

production.

Delegate of Denmark

Denmark’s Stance:

Denmark’s policy firmly believes in providing equal rights to health care and medicine for

everyone as it is a fundamental right as human beings. Realizing its importance, Denmark has

worked its way up to establish a highly decentralized and universal health system that ranks 34th

in the world according to WHO. Having a nominal GDP of USD $347.221 billion, Denmark

used around 10%, as of 2019, to facilitate its healthcare. Considering health care a public

responsibility, residents (citizens, registered immigrants and asylum seekers) of Denmark have

rights to free hospital treatment which also includes specialized treatment. Denmark is also a

country with one of the highest Human Development Index (HDI) of 0.90. This further ensures

the availability of general practitioners, specialists, dentists and home nurses all over the country.

Not only that, convenient access to health care centers has been provided in both rural and urban

areas meaning the effect geographical factors to access of healthcare is decreased and provides

equality.

Furthermore, Denmark also thrives in its pharmaceutical field and has been able to generate

150.4 DKK in 2021. The pharmaceutical industry is key to Denmark’s economy and the fields
has been increasing its revenue for the past decade and much more significantly in the last 4

years.

Denmark’s contribution to the topic of discussion

 Denmark has been and continues to work towards United Nations’ health related

Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s), prioritizing SDG 1(no poverty), 3( good health

and good well-being), 5(gender equality) and 10 (reduced inequalities). All of these are a

part of the Danish Organization Strategy to the World Health Organisation (WHO) for

2020-2023 whereby a budget has been created to fund these projects and cater to those in

need.

 Denmark is home to one of the world’s best and most innovative pharmaceutical and

biotech industries. Since 1990, the industry has grown by 1200% but the nation has

managed to reduce its C02 emissions by 55% and today has a very small carbon print.

Furthermore, Denmark exports upto 90% of its pharmaceutical products.

 Pharma companies have been obliged to present a monthly price report to the Danish

Health Authority and pharmacies are obliged to pick the cheapest option for the same

salt, unless a specific drug is prescribed. Policies as such help regulate outpatient

expenditures making medicines more affordable.

Concerns:

 Despite having one of the best health systems, Denmark still faces some inequality

towards minorities.

 Lack of education regarding the topic of discussion in LEDCs and MEDCs.

Solutions:

 Introduce laws that strictly prohibit and punish either with fines and/or prison sentences

to any sort of discrimination be it gender equality or racism. And educating health centers

and making them acknowledge the importance of equality. Taking away the permits of

any health professionals that are involved in any sort of discrimination.

 Working with UN or other NGOs to send the right official to those countries and make

them more literate regarding the topic and in turn increasing their future opportunities.