Delegation from: Argentina Represented by: Valley Forge High School World Health Organization Position Paper for the World Health Organization The issues before the World Health Organization are: Stopping Human Organ Trafficking and Promoting Access to Clean Water in Rural Developing Communities. Argentina is prepared to debate for advancement in healthcare issues as it recognizes that all people have the unalienable right to proper healthcare. I. International Trafficking of Human Organ and Transplant Tourism Human Organ Trafficking is becoming a large issue; it’s even worse in countries like Argentina, Brazil, and the Philippines. People will come to these countries (and many more) outside of the United States to get an organ transplant quick, and relatively cheap. There are approximately 90,000 people waiting for organs, and it can take up to three years for one to become available. The first country to be okay with organ legalization was Iran, and other countries are slowly adding in. The demand for human organs rising with a lack of them leads to people living in poverty selling necessary pieces to the highest bidder. “Unlike drug and sex trafficking, there is little reliable information on the trade but it is believed to be on the increase, with brokers allegedly charging between $100,000 and $ 200,000 to organize a transplant for wealthy patients, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). "The international trade in human organs is on the increase fueled by growing demand as well as unscrupulous traffickers," WHO said in a statement. There are three ways that the trafficking is is done, firstly a person is tricked or forced into giving up an organ, normally promised large sums of money. Second, the victim may agree to sell the organ for a set price, and are later cheated by the organizer of the crime. Finally, a patient goes in believing they are being treated for a sickness they may or may not have. These are people who are poor (or homeless), do not speak English, or the illiterate. Hundreds of people are at risk of having organs stolen, and hundreds more are at risk for infection, or disease that the person holding the original organ may have had. The two most common organs traded are the kidney, and the liver. Although Argentina is a very rich country in agriculture, many of its people are poor or uneducated. Argentina proposes that a much stricter regulation of these criminals is put down. No less than six years of prison, and can go up to life. How would we contain this awful crime? Offering free education to a victim’s child in exchange of information. Examining any patient who comes in for any check up will be looked over for scars on the abdomen for surgical wounds that come with organ donation/transplant. If their name is not on file for a legal donation, they will be detained. Argentina is concerned for its inhabitants. If people wish to sell their organs, clinics should be set up so it can be done in a safe manner. II. Promoting Access to Clean Water in Rural Developing Communities Worldwide, people rely on the local water supply for a great deal of purposes. Cooking, cleaning, recreation, food production, and even industrial manufacturing rely on water to work efficiently and successfully as processes. Despite this, by the year 2025, over 50% of the world’s population will be living in a water stressed area. Over 1.8 billion people actively rely on a waste contaminated water source, and diarrhea caused by unclean water accounts for 502,000 deaths per year. Aside from this, even more diseases culture themselves in unclean water and go on to spread through human contact. Cholera, dysentery, typhoid, and polio are all capable of surviving in contaminated water. The lack of contamination does not always signify healthy water, however. Some diseases such as Dengue fever are capable of living in otherwise clean water, presenting another source of danger. The need for sanitation is a must in todays growing global population. In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution declaring sanitary water and conditions an International Human right. Argentina supports this decision, but now it is time to move forward and pass regulations to ensure the dispensing of clean water. In March 2008, the World Health Organization voted to elect a representative to monitor and inspect violations and progress regarding the use and access to clean water technology. In 2011 the mandate was extended for another three years. Also in 2011, a call was made by the WHO to make sure that member states follow clean water practices in their national health practices. The state of Argentina is representing a push for further sanitary water conditions. Therefore, we would like to remind the council of the recent and current events stemming from unsanitary water conditions. Consider the recent Ebola outbreak, where a lack of clean water led in circles to repeat infections of people, and resulted in a much higher death toll than was necessary for the event. Even so, with the outbreak fought down, more diseases are actively spread around in places with bad water. Argentina would like to request complete overhaul of the policy to regulate clean water, and call countries without water crises to contribute to water purification and delivery efforts to supplement the current supply. If every country set a civil engineer to design and implement purification stations, the global economy would increase, due to more people being able to work since they aren’t sick. Therefore, the state of Argentina calls for civil engineers to set about the design and implementation of water purification devices for installation in bad water areas. Submitted by: Brazil School: Solon High School World Health Organization Topic I: International Trafficking of Human Organ and Transplant Tourism With the development of biomedical technology, organ transplantation has evolved to become a viable solution for such serious illnesses as end-stage organ failure. However, access to this valuable resource is constricted by such factors as the exorbitant cost of health care, the limit of technical capacity in developing countries as well as the availability of organs. From these restrictions has emerged another grave issue: illicit organ trafficking. The rise in this illegal trade corresponds to the increase in cardio-metabolic diseases, for which organs such as kidneys, livers, and hearts are demanded. The demand for organs simply outweighs the available supply. Those suffering from debilitating conditions, from desperation, resort to the established criminal networks for the organ trade, which actively violate basic human rights. Three common situations arise from this crime. Many victims are forced to give up an organ against their will. In order to make a profit, others sell their organs but either do not get paid, or are not paid a sufficient amount. Finally, those simply seeking treatment are operated on by these criminals and lose their organs in the process. These “transactions” inflict physical, mental, and emotional pain on the victims, as well as predispose them to various infections with lack of quality follow-up care. This deplorable trade has become in prevalent in such countries as India, Pakistan, and Turkey, as well as becoming exceedingly popular in Nigeria, Vietnam, and Peru. The World Health Organization has “issued a resolution calling on all member states to ban transplant tourism while also calling for the establishment of international guidelines on organ procurement”. However, countries riddled in corruption in their legal proceedings fail to abide by these stipulations. Steps must be taken to stop this detrimental process before it becomes more widespread, to insure the safety of organ donors and recipients before, during, and after transplantation. Every year, the illegal organ trade is on the rise, becoming a more prevalent burden. A report by the Global Financial Integrity stated the trade generates profits between $600 million and $1.2 billion a year, spanning across many countries of which Brazil is included. Brazil implemented a system of presumed consent in place, which does not need consent from the donor or the next of kin. This made a number of individuals susceptible to the illegal organ trade, not providing any legal protection whatsoever. By heavy berating from various critics, Brazil’s government took action and amended this law, requiring consent by relatives. Brazil took further action against this horrific crime. A 1997 law makes it illegal to sell organs and tissues, neither are they viable for solicitation. Punishment includes three to eight years in jail, as well as a heavy fine, making sure reparations are heavy for such a grievous crime committed. In order to maximize the organ supply, Brazil also passed legislation mandating every adult upon death to be an organ donor, unless a case of special exemption. Many countries around the world have passed multiple forms of control to tackle this growing issue, such as the United States’ National Organ Transplant Act (which proved highly effective), but a singular worldwide effort has been established. The United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking was assimilated. Brazil, being an active member of the United Nations, has naturally stood behind this effort. Various organizations such as Doctors Without Borders and UNICEF must be dispatched to these various poor countries to help the victims who have been subjected to this torture to recuperate. Medical facilities and resources must be greatly improved to insure the safety of the citizens, the most sought after priority. Secondly, a standard set of protocol must be formed concerning organ donation in countries around the world. Iran has currently legalized the selling of organs while other countries like the Philippines have banned such action, causing much of the conflict around the world today.