World Health Organization
WHO Introductory Letter
WHO Topic Guides
Director: Rebecca Herrington
Topic A: Drinking Water
The human body is around sixty percent water. Water is a necessary part of survival, but not just any water can sustain life. The quality of drinking water is a major issue in both developing and developed countries around the world. The contamination of drinking water can lead to serious health issues and can be caused by a multitude of different problems, including; infectious agents, toxic chemicals, and radiological hazards. In addition to unsafe drinking water, there is a global concern surrounding the accessibility of water. The supply of drinking water has fallen by almost two thirds since 1950. Besides just being able to have safe drinking water, clean water is necessary to grow crops. Contaminated water can lead to poor crop growth and/or the passing along of harmful materials through the consumption of the crops. Desertification is rapidly becoming a priority topic amongst world leaders. The loss and abuse of the world's water resources is leading to many different issues. The possibility of wars fought over water resources is an imminent threat in today's world. Drought not only leads to dehydration and death, but even living off small amounts of water can quickly deplete other resources used for survival, such as crops and livestock. This is a health issue that affects every country in the world as the resources start to lack and tension increases amongst those who have and do not.
When tackling the issue of drinking water it is important to reflect on its significant and widely ranging effects. What is the global standard for drinking water? What is the most important way to prevent the use of unsafe drinking water? Are there ways to simply educate the masses on how to ensure water resources are safe? What are the current technological advances that could help struggling countries to provide safe drinking water to their people? What are the obstacles being faced in trying to provide drinking water? Are there measures that can be made to prevent future conflicts concerning water resources so that the people and their needs are put first? What can the UN do to aid with this increasingly pertinent issue?
Topic B: Pharmaceutical Drug: Cost, Availability, and Regulation
Pharmaceutical drugs allow for the elongation of human life, the betterment of the condition of human life, and the increased wellness of a general population. However, easy access to these drugs is not global benefit. Due to price and general availability, pharmaceutical drugs to treat illness from the mild ranging to the severe are not an answer for most of the world's populace. In addition to accessibility issues, drug regulations vary for different countries allowing the drugs to be manipulated, cut down, and irresponsibly handed out, wasting resources and creating potentially lethal situations.
The availability of pharmaceutical drugs greatly depends on what the particular country struggles with in terms of diseases and how developed they are. Some pharmaceutical companies have shied away from research for particular drugs that could treat diseases found in less economically advanced societies, such as malaria, and in such cases the drugs have not been developed and are therefore not available. For many developing countries the availability truly depends upon the generosity of the pharmaceutical companies and the size of the nation's wallet. Once the drugs are available, they are not always safe. Although there are a few organizations in place to try and regulate pharmaceutical drugs, there is still an overwhelming amount of counterfeit, misuse, and illegal sale. Even if drugs are available and being controlled however, it is still necessary to provide them at a reasonable cost in comparison with the average income of the people expressing the most need.
What measures have already been taken to address all the issues pertaining to pharmaceutical drugs, by individual countries and by the UN? Have these measures been effective? Does the approach need to be rethought or are there simply regulations missing from the active plans? How can research for needed medications be encouraged for all parts of the world? What are the obstacles to the varying issues and how can they be circumvented? How can the regulations be enforced? How can the cost be lowered without harming the pharmaceutical companies and manufacturers? Can costs vary depending on area? Which countries struggle the most with these problems? Are their specific situations that if dealt with can better the whole?