The LUMUN Spirit was first introduced as a concept at LUMUN XV. It sought to

reintroduce recognition of the most essential components of MUN culture; imparting

a sense of responsibility accepting that the onus is on us to be the forerunners of

change. The fundamental premise of a Model UN is to develop our understanding of

the issues and conflicts in the world as a collective, and to connect individuals with

vastly differing life experiences with each other. The pursuit of quantitative success

and accolades has fermented a tradition of MUN being a space mired in hostility and

distrust. The LUMUN Spirit is our continuing effort to inculcate empathy, compassion,

understanding and diplomacy within this competitive activity.

As we proceed on our journey of revamping Model UN, the LUMUN Spirit is an idea

that we aspire to incorporate in the entire LUMUN experience: from the Host Team,

to an expectation that we will have from the delegates as well. It is not an abstract

concept – it is a vision that should embody the behavior of every delegate in every

committee. Inside the committee or out; the enthusiasm to meet other people,

present arguments in a true ambassadorial manner and the idea to enjoy LUMUN

should never be forgotten. In this very essence we will be able to represent what it

means to simulate a true world model; an actual representation of the United

Nations. We continue to strive and ensure that the outlook of LUMUN XVII is to not

be an average Model UN conference anymore.

And so, leadership and prowess within a committee is not characterized by exerting

one’s overbearing presence on others or by alienating and excluding others from

discussion. They manifest in a delegate’s ability to engage with others, help them

play their part in the committee, and to facilitate the committee as a whole to engage

in a fruitful and informative debate. This includes actions as simple as maintaining a

moderate temperament, inviting others’ input and operating with honesty and

respect. The LUMUN Society invites you to understand what it means to be an

ambassador of a country and represent its foreign policy means to employ

collaboration alongside reasoned argumentation to press forward with that actor’s

policy agenda.

In order to fully understand how to imbibe the LUMUN Spirit within your

actions in the committee, we would recommend this instructional video,

uploaded to the society’s’ YouTube channel. It will assist you significantly in

carrying the spirit of true Model UN diplomacy during and beyond LUMUN.

Dear delegates, My name is Imaad Hasan Jafri and I will be serving as the Secretary-General of this 17th edition of the LUMS Model UN conference (LUMUN). It gives me immense pleasure to welcome you all to what shall be the largest and most prestigious online Model UN conference in South Asia. I am loath to refer to these times we are now experiencing as unprecedented, given the abundant usage of that term. However, any competitive activity that seeks to define itself around global affairs must adapt to prevailing circumstances and carve out a space for itself to contribute to any and all relevant discourse. To adapt means to weather the challenges disrupting our collective being and to continue our journeys of growth, learning and connection, as best as we can. Pursuing the same goals and objectives we held dear before the advent of this uncertainty can be a testament to our fortitude. The theme for this year, ‘Foster Resilience for a World Uncharted’, encapsulates this attitude. Not only does LUMUN seek to surpass expectations given the online format, but we hope to include discussions and debate that can inform our approach to a world that is suffering from and will eventually emerge from this challenging period. At LUMUN, our task is to develop the skills and gain the intellectual understanding required to better explain our world. A delegate who seeks to learn from LUMUN emerges with a greater penchant for sifting through the barrage of misinformation and hollow rhetoric that plagues political discourse today.

Any committee at any MUN has the responsibility to facilitate its delegates in exploring their understanding of the world and of how to work with others in the face of adversity. The challenges we face today require nuanced conceptions of the world around us. The task that lies ahead of you entails comprehending the struggles and conflicts of today's world and to offer solutions that are economically and politically feasible. In the pursuit of this, I believe delegates must engage fully in presenting argumentation that conforms to logic and reality. Delegates must ensure that their interaction with others in the committee is done with amicability and integrity. Allow yourselves to delve into minor details and elaborate policy all the while maintaining your country’s principal and practical viewpoints. As for myself, I am a Political Science major at LUMS, now in my final year. Speaking in public has become second nature to me. I have seen success at several local MUNs and have obtained an Outstanding Diplomacy award at Model UN Turkey 2019. I have also participated extensively in several parliamentary debate tournaments at the university level, including representing LUMS at the United Asians Debating Championship 2019 and 2020. My love for public speaking is matched only by my love for Brooklyn Nine-Nine, P.G. Wodehouse and Lorde. I look forward immensely to welcoming you virtually to LUMUN XVII this winter! Indeed, to cite my newest entertainment media obsession, this is the Way. Imaad Hasan Jafri Secretary-General LUMUN 2020-21

Dear delegates,

My name is Mehvish Munir, and It is a great pleasure to be serving as your Under-Secretary General in this edition of LUMUN. I am a Sophomore at LUMS, studying in the Mushtaq Ahmed Gumani School of Humanities and Social Sciences and intending to major in Economics and Politics. LUMUN has been a special place for me since I was in high school; it is the only conference where you meet experienced debaters from all around the country. Model UNs are more than just a conference for me as they leave an imprint on your personality and are a great opportunity to make life-long friends.

I have seen success at several local MUNs, including the Outstanding Diplomacy award two times at LUMUN, and have obtained the Best Delegate award at Model UN Turkey 2020. Apart from my fondness for Model UNs, I also love Alfredo pasta, Prateek Kuhad, and Bollywood; you will always find me singing songs by Kishore Kumar or discussing the IIFA awards. I genuinely believe that Model UNs have the capacity to shape you as an individual and change your perspective on pressing issues all around the world.

I would have loved to see you all speak in-person; however, times are tough, and we must learn to adapt. My advice to you all would be to embody the LUMUN spirit at all times of the conference and allow yourselves to negotiate while keeping your country’s policies in mind. I believe in the need to help others out and ensure that the experience of first time MUNNers is as great as that of experienced MUNners.

I am looking forward to welcoming you all

Hello there!

First of all, welcome to LUMUN 17! I’m Hamza, and I’m going to be one of the Committee Directors for The World Health Organization.

This year has been a tough one for all of us. We’re faced with one of the defining challenges of our generation. But as C.S. Lewis once said, “Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny”. As cheesy as it may sound, I’m sure each and every one of you had their own lessons to learn over the past few months, and have grown for it.

It is in light of this experience that we bring to you this edition of the World Health Organization. We have seen the failures of the systems put in place to protect us, and it is us and only us who can fix it, with our experience, with our creativity, and with our passion for peace and prosperity.

I hope all of you have an amazing time here at LUMUN. Looking forward to an amazing conference!

Good luck everyone!

Dear Delegates,

Welcome to the World Health Organization’s simulation at the 17th Annual LUMUN Conference! I am Shahan Farid Rao, and I will be serving as your committee chair! I feel immense joy and excitement in making that exclamation since I sincerely believe that this year’s iteration of the World Health Organization is more important and pertinent than ever.

We’re all living in unprecedented times. The almost universal reach, unexpected intensity, and profound impact on all walks of life of the COVID-19 crises have redefined life itself and its meaning for many people around the world. The pandemic has disrupted global religious events, sporting events, everyday human interaction, and the modern economical cycle. All of this highlights the urgent need for refocused attention towards a more comprehensive global health policy and effort. World Health Organization, as the prime body to do just that, will aim at devising a collective international procedure for sound preparation against a future pandemic situation.

I expect an informed, political, technical, socially and culturally aware themed debate to take place. The stakes are high, and delegates have the opportunity to prove their awareness of and nuanced approach towards complex issues within the jurisdiction of the World Health Organization. There is a lot in store due to this year’s unique position of this committee, and I can’t wait to see all of you!

TOPIC: PREVENTION OF THE SPREAD OF CONTAGIOUS

DISEASES

Introduction Introduction to the committee

The World Health Organization is a part of the United Nations Organization. Coming

into power through the passing of its Constitution in 1948, WHO now serves as an

Intergovernmental Organization that includes 194 member states, more than 7000

members, and offices in 150 countries. WHO has its headquarters in Geneva,

Switzerland, and it operates on the basis of its Constitution.

The WHO Constitutioni is a set of principles that guide all actions of the World Health

Organization. They are more than just words on a paper; they are an ideology that

disseminates everything the organization does. The Constitution talks about the

definition of health, every individual’s right to health, the role of health in world peace,

inequality in development of the health sector around the world and the responsibility

of government in regards to healthcare.

WHO’s primary role is to “direct and coordinate”ii health around the world. Therefore,

it deals with worldwide health problems, which include communicable, contagious, and

non-communicable diseases. WHO supports governments through bilateral and

multilateral cooperation. Its suggestive and assistance-based job gives it a fairly

recognized say in the international community.

Key Definitions

1. Contagious diseases: Contagious diseases are diseases spread through

contact between humans. Such diseases can be transferred through physical

actions like touching or sexual activity. These diseases can also transfer

through air and water. Contagious diseases are different from communicable

diseases as they can spread from direct contact with another person. This is

not the case with communicable illnesses.

2. Emerging diseases: Scientists refer to emerging diseases as infectious that

were either not present earlier and are now appearing or infectious diseases

whose incidence in humans has increased in the past two decades.

3. Quarantine: Quarantine refers to restrictions on movement and transfer of

goods for the purpose of containing a viral disease or for the safety of any

individual or a group of people.

4. Lockdowns: Lockdowns are general population restrictions, which may include

orders to stay and work from home, put in place to slow the spread of a

communicable disease.

5. Epidemic: An infectious disease spread in a community at a particular time is

called an epidemic.

6. Pandemic: If an epidemic is not controlled and it goes global, it is called a

pandemic.

7. Symptoms: Symptoms are any indications of pain or uneasiness that the patient

can feel, which indicates disease.

8. Asymptomatic diseases: Asymptomatic diseases are diseases that have no

tangible symptoms that can be felt for a certain period.

9. Incubation period: The incubation period for any disease is the time between

contracting the disease and the symptoms showing.

Healthcare 1. Vaccines

Funding to support the development of the vaccine

Before COVID-19 was officially declared a pandemic by the WHO in March,

investment in vaccine research had already begun. On the 3rd of February, the U.K.

Department for International Development pledged to give 20 million pounds to

accelerate vaccine development. Philanthropic organizations followed with Bill and

Melinda Gates Foundation, Wellcome Trust, and Jack Ma Foundation contributing

$100 million, $13 million, and $2 million respectively to develop the vaccine. Private

sectors in Vietnam and China also saw investments in vaccine development. By the

end of February, $254 million had been pledged for funding vaccine development.

During March, Germany, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark also pledged funds after a

Norwegian appeal. Australia and Canada followed, contributing $2.2 billion in funds.

In April, funding announcements amounted to $1.1 billion due to contributions from

governments, the private sector, philanthropy, and bilateral organizations. In May, as

the impacts of the pandemic became evident, $22 billion were pledged. In June, an

additional $12.7 billion was pledged, which included a billion-dollar loan from China to

Latin American countries and the Caribbean for vaccine access; the European Union

contributed $2.7 billion to obtain vaccine access for its member countries. Funding

efforts died down in July and August, with only $95.3 million due to grants and $15

million from The Gates Foundation.iii

However, since its exit from the WHO, the United States has not extended financing

to any other country. iv Instead, the U.S. has launched its own Operation Warp Speed

(OWS) – a public-private effort to develop, manufacture, and distribute the COVID-19

vaccine. As of September, OWS had spent about $10 billion on the vaccine effort. v

Research to support the development of the vaccine

By the end of October, over 150 COVID-19 vaccines were in development across the

world. Multiple efforts were being made, with the U.S. government’s Operation Warp

Speed on one side and the WHO’s coordinated global efforts on the other.

Bringing a vaccine to the market can take around 10-15 years since vaccines have to

pass a three-stage clinical trial process before going to regulatory bodies for approval.

However, due to urgent needs, some vaccine developers may shorten the process by

running trial phases simultaneously, as is the case with the COVID-19 vaccine.

The U.S. has been pushing the FDA to quickly approve a COVID-19 vaccine – some

worry that this might be a politically motivated move by President Trump. But the FDA

has released strict safety standards and is against authorizing an unapproved medical

product.vi

Standardization of the Vaccine

The WHO is investigating a broad range of candidate COVID-19 vaccines using

various technologies. The WHO secretariat has published a list of guidance

documents with written standards, which will be relevant during the development,

production, and evaluation stages of the COVID-19 vaccine. Although not exhaustive,

the list aims to evaluate the quality, safety, and effectiveness of vaccines.vii

Provision and Distribution of the Vaccine

A long and rigorous process involving complicated production methods, ensuring

quality control, and finding reliable distribution channels is required for vaccines to be

made available. The technology being used to manufacture the vaccine plays a crucial

role in determining its cost and global availability, amongst other things. This is made

more complicated due to the requirement for making separate formulations for

different countries and age groups. To ensure access and equitable distribution of the

vaccine, partnerships between manufacturers, authorities, and governments is

required. Vaccines with a limited supply will need to be distributed by prioritizing target

groups to ensure maximum impact.viii

Law can be used to either enable or prevent the equitable global distribution of

vaccines. Such barriers are driven by governments’ desire to use the law to ensure

priority access to future vaccines via Advance Purchase Agreements (APAs).

Although such bilateral agreements with vaccine manufacturers may benefit a country,

they prevent equitable distribution worldwide. Instead, governments may seek to sign

multilateral legal contracts that would allow for collaboration and contribute to overall

global health security.

While the World Health Assembly (WHA) was meeting in May 2020, several politicians

and leaders worldwide asked for a “bold international agreement” that would

guarantee equal access to vaccines globally as public goods. At the WHA, the

President of China, Xi Jinping, announced that any vaccine made by China would be

a “global public good.” However, since then, the global landscape has changed, with

many wealthy countries having secured over 2 billion doses of potential future

vaccines for the coronavirus with the help of APAs. Governments that find APAs

unethical or ineffective, or those that don’t have the funds to enter into such

agreements, are thus in a position to either not have access to available vaccines or

face delays while accessing them. This happened during the influenza pandemic in

2009 when APAs by high-income countries (HICs) made the procurement of vaccines

in other countries more difficult.ix

In 2020, WHO launched the Covid-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) facility, which

aims to work with manufacturers to provide equitable access to vaccines worldwide

once they are approved.x The initiative also outlined that it will distribute the vaccines

to the most high-risk groups, without omitting countries that may not be able to afford

mass vaccination programs. Over 150 countries have signed on to COVAX,

representing about 64% of the global population.xi

The United States, however, has decided not to join the global effort since it does not

want to work with the WHO, which it has criticized as “China-centric.”xii

Currently, there is no international legal agreement approved by all WHO member

states for the coronavirus pandemic and for how COVAX Facility vaccines would be

distributed.xiii However, the WHO intends to announce a new framework that will

ensure equal distribution once the vaccine is available.xiv

2. Mental Health

Impact and current situation of mental health services and domestic violence in

countries

As the demand for mental health services keeps rising, the COVID-19 pandemic has

made the situation worse by disrupting services in 93% of the countries worldwide,

according to a WHO survey. Even before the coronavirus pandemic, governments

allocated less than 2% of their national health budgets to mental health, thereby not

meeting their people’s needs.

Isolation, fear, and loss of income make existing mental health conditions worse as

people are experiencing an increase in levels of insomnia, anxiety, and often turning

to alcohol and drug use. The virus can also cause neurological complications like

agitation, delirium, and stroke. It should be noted that those with pre-existing mental

disorders are also more vulnerable to the coronavirus and hence, are at higher risk.xv

Additionally, with the coronavirus pandemic, there has been an increase in the rates

of domestic violence, thereby requiring not only continued provision of psychiatric

services but also expansion. This is important to reduce the risk of domestic violence

and support victims when it takes place. The National Institute for Health and Care

Excellence (NICE) recommends multi-agency protection involving police, child

protection services, and counseling services, etc. to support victims of domestic

violence. With the help of public support and funding for charities, these inter-agency

efforts would be able to identify victims and ensure their safety.xvi

Disparity between mental health services in high-income and low-income

countries

Since the pandemic, over 80% of wealthy countries adopted telemedicine and

teletherapy in place of in-person mental health services, whilst fewer than 50% of low-

income countries did the same. The World Health Organization has requested

countries to monitor changes and disruptions in mental health services to address

them adequately. It has issued guidance, recommending that governments allot

sufficient resources to mental health for their recovery plan. While 89% of countries

have reported that the provision of psychological support is part of their recovery plans,

only 17% have the proper funds to cover this.

Due to COVID-19, there has been an increase in the demand for national and

international mental health programs that have already been weakened because of

years of underfunding. International funders need to pledge more finances as less

than 1% of international aid is allocated for mental health. Estimates made before

COVID-19 show that approximately $1 trillion is lost due to depression and anxiety

alone, in terms of economic productivity. It’s worthwhile to note, however, that every

$1 spent on supporting those who suffer from depression and anxiety returns $5.xvii

3. The Threat from Zoonotic Viruses

Figure 3.1xviii

Like the SARS-CoV of 2002, the coronavirus also appears to have originated from

an animalistic source, owing to human engagement with wildlife environments where

animals serve as the intermediate viral hosts. In the past, many deadly epidemics

and outbreaks have been caused by highly contagious viruses stemming from animal

sources. The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1976 had a

fatality rate of 44%; since then, 26 outbreaks of Ebola virus have occurred in ten

countries of Africa, including Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Gabon, Cote

d’Ivoire, South Africa, Uganda. Congo, Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia. Of the five

viral types that cause Ebola, four are present in nonhuman primates (monkeys,

gorillas, and chimpanzees), and viral types may be carried by African fruit bats.

Consumption of these species leads to humans contracting the disease. Similarly, the

Marburg virus outbreak in Germany and Serbia in 1967 was associated with a

laboratory working using African green monkeys, whereas fruit bats are also

considered natural hosts for the virus. With 52 novel SARSr-CoVs, 122 other β-CoVs,

more than 350 α-CoVs discovered in animal samples collected over the past 10 years,

and the increased wildlife consumption in the past few years, it is evident that human

beings are at high risk of getting infected with zoonotic viral diseases, which may cause

alarming pandemics in the future.xix

4. Lockdowns

Preface

On the 9th of October, Dr. David Nabarro, the WHO’s Special Envoy on Covid- 19, stated during an interview with the British magazine, The Spectator, “We really do

appeal to all world leaders: stop using lockdown as your primary control method”xx. The WHO has recommended that lockdowns be used only in combination with testing, contact tracing, and isolation techniques; furthermore, countries should orient their policy formulations towards using collective Covid-19 control methods, instead of relying solely on lockdowns. On the 11th of March, the WHO Director-General remarked at a media briefing on Covid-19, “We cannot say this loudly enough, or clearly enough, or often enough: all countries can still change the course of this pandemic. If countries detect, test, treat, isolate, trace, and mobilize their people in response, those with a handful of cases can prevent those cases from becoming

clusters and those clusters becoming community transmission”.xxi

History of Lockdowns

Lockdowns have always been considered an efficient strategy in managing health

crises. Since pandemics are essentially unforeseen events, lockdowns are seen as

an effective measure since they buy governments some time to formulate healthcare

policies and adapt the state institutions to the healthcare emergency. In the past,

lockdowns have been used rigorously by countries in the face of pandemics and

epidemics. After being confronted with the SARS pandemic of 2002, which infected

and killed nearly 5300 and 349 people respectively in China, the Chinese government

adopted stringent measures and took to sealing government and domestic buildings

to mitigate the infection ratesxxii. Similarly, during the Spanish Flu of 1918-20, cities

across America also resorted to lockdowns after witnessing high death rates. In

Philadelphia, schools, churches, places of the communal gathering were shut down,

whereas St. Louis also imposed a partial lockdown after a case was detected in the

region.xxiii Thus, lockdowns have served as an immediately implementable measure in

response to viral outbreaks in the past.

Alternatives to lockdowns

Some countries that have managed the health crisis remarkably well, such as New

Zealand, Vietnam, Taiwan, Iceland, and Singapore, approached the virus from a

multidimensional perspective. They did not consider national lockdowns as the only

strategy through which the curve could be flattened, or the disease could be

eliminated. Travel restrictions, increased health checks on borders, aggressive testing,

and contact tracing operations were used alongside lockdowns. These helped reduce

the transmission rates, allowed the exhausted health systems to recover, and

alleviated the need to implement more prolonged and restrictive lockdowns that

adversely affect economic practices. Conclusively, in the past, WHO has

recommended that lockdowns should be used as the last resort – when the health

crisis in countries has irredeemably spiraled out of control; even when the urgent and

unavoidable need to implement lockdowns does arise, they should be short and used

together with other disease-mitigating techniques.

Restrictions on International Travel

International Travel is a massive point of discussion within the larger debate about

lockdowns. When mentioning international travel, it is essential to recognize that

international travel encompasses everything from vacation trips to corporate

conventions for Multinational companies and general trade between countries. All of

this gets halted when a lockdown is imposed. The first question which comes up when

discussing international travel bans is “Why?”. Why is it important to implement a travel

ban during a pandemic? Why can’t we just have better SOPs that halt the spread of

the virus? A study suggests that by mid-February, travel restrictions allowed for 80%

fewer virus importations worldwidexxiv. This effect is pronounced when intra-national

travel is also halted.

Trade going down has a severe effect on economies around the world. For example,

the United States saw a monumental -55% net export of goodsxxv. This explains the

dilemma many governments face when imposing a lockdown. On a micro- scale,

international travel restrictions have also halted many plans for people and

corporations worldwide who now have to settle for online video conferences as their

primary platform of communication.

Effects of Lockdowns

Economic Effects: A “Second Wave” has erupted across different countries, and the

prospect of increased transmissibility also harrows us during the winter season due to

increased droplet contact (as proven by scientific research). It is crucial to swiftly

decide how countries, especially developing countries, can develop efficient

alternatives to lockdowns. Already countries like France, Ireland, and Spain are

reimposing lockdowns after a coronavirus resurgence. While economies are still

struggling to recover from the adverse effects of the first lockdowns, second lockdowns

seem to be inadvisable. Moreover, some countries have been disproportionately

affected by the economic downsides of lockdowns, especially those in the African

region. This is because most populations in the African continent are reliant on informal

employment/ daily income (vendors, small-scale farmers, laborers, etc.) and the

hastily imposed lockdowns have grimly aggravated the food crises in these areas. For

example, in Zimbabwe, Malawi, Nigeria, Lagos, and Uganda, the government support

packages are highly inadequate and barely meet monthly needs. With the emergence

of the ‘Second Wave’ and the onset of the winter season, governments will probably

be tempted to impose lengthy and stringent lockdowns. However, this seems

inadvisable for countries that have been adversely affected by lockdowns the first time.

A second lockdown in these areas will be a recipe for disaster; hence viable

alternatives need to be formulated and implemented. The graph below estimates the

number of people falling below the food poverty line or below 50% of the poverty line

as a function of the length of the lockdown in weeks if all sub-Saharan African countries

were to impose a full lockdown.

Figure 4.1xxvi

Socio-Psycho Effects: As a pandemic continues to spread, human mobility gets

restricted as a precautionary measure, people get confined to their homes and

undergo immense social pressure. Some may be stuck in abusive households and

due to the extreme financial effect of lockdowns, depression becomes quite common.

These effects are further amplified by the sheer length of lockdowns, where people

are told to stay home for months.

Humans have evolved to be social. Being away from family and friends can be

unbalancing and traumatic for most people and can result in short or even long-term

psychological and physical health problemsxxvii.

Furthermore, as the disconnect between humans increases, panic attacks, paranoia,

and anxiety levels have all been known to increase.

As many researchers continue to correlate different psychological effects to

lockdownsxxviii, one thing can be said for sure, long lockdowns are detrimental for

human health.

Figure 4.2xxix

5. Prevention and Control of Neglected Viral Diseases (NVDs)

As the world faces a pandemic, the primary focus shifts away from the general

disease landscape and this leads to outbreaks of previously controlled diseases. A

global pandemic can hijack the international community’s attention away from other

virulent diseases for multiple reasons.

One of the prime reasons that the Covid-19 pandemic has been getting more

attention (apart from lack of resources and political tensions), is that it affects all, poor

and rich communities, equally and with the same magnitude of severity within a short

span, as people can die of the virus within days of showing symptoms. The virulence

factor of the coronavirus is equally high for the rich and poor alike. Similarly, the

economic consequences of the outbreak have not been exclusive to one social class

either, since both formally employed people and those relying on informal daily

livelihoods have suffered financial losses as a result of lockdowns, quarantines, and

international trade restrictions. On the other hand, Neglected Viral Diseases, like Ebola

or Marburg virus primarily affect impoverished communities in low- and middle-income

countries (LMICs), mainly rural and deprived urban communities, for example, West

African countries have experienced sporadic outbreaks of Ebola and HIV during the

pandemic. This is because many of the African countries were forced to suspend

immunization campaigns for protection against these diseases due to the lockdowns,

which led to a rise in HIV and Ebola cases, on top of the COVID-19- 19 cases. This

put additional strain on already exhausted healthcare systems struggling to function

during the pandemic. The graph below illustrates the sporadic outbreak of Ebola cases

in the Democratic Republic of Congo during the Covid-19:

Figure 5.1xxx

Similarly, the economic consequences of NVDs, although fairly dire, affect only

marginalized and low-income communities almost exclusively because it is these

populations that are directly inflicted by these diseases. While countries all across the

world seek to address the Covid-19 pandemic with hurried urgency, directing their

attention to the development of vaccines, drug treatments, diagnostic kits, and

protective equipment, it is easy for the international community to grow neglectful of

other viral diseases. However, if the transmissibility of these diseases is not monitored

and regulated, they may escalate into serious health crises that currently we neither

have the funds nor the healthcare infrastructure to tackle. With most of the funds being

allocated to COVID-19 exclusive health emergencies, there are little or no resources

to strengthen preventive measures against the spread of other viruses. One example

of such a virus is HIV, which should especially not be neglected. 38 million people

globally are living with HIV, including 1·7 million children under 15 years. 1·7 million

people are newly infected with HIV annually. 6000 women aged 15–24 years are

infected every week and 770 000 people die every year from AIDS-related illnessesxxxi.

If we continue neglecting these alarming statistics, very soon, we will have another

health crisis on our hands before our exhausted systems even recover from the current

one.

Currently, with the local public attention focused on healthcare with the Covid- 19

pandemic, now is the best opportunity WHO has to draw the attention of health

ministers and world policymakers towards NVDs and their likelihood of developing into

alarming epidemics in the future.

WHO recommends a multi-sectoral approach to tackle NVDs and acquire a strong

degree of preparedness and immunity against them should they ever spiral out of

control in the future.

6. Global surveillance of Pandemic prone diseases

Disease surveillance is an information-based activity involving the collection,

analysis, and interpretation of large volumes of data originating from a variety of

sources. The information collated is then used in several ways to evaluate the

effectiveness of control and preventative health measuresxxxii. The WHO already has

systems in place that predict and monitor the global disease landscape.

In 2018, the World Health Organization (WHO) identified a list of diseases that it

considered priorities for further research, they called it the R&D Blueprint.xxxiii

Some action of this sort is urgently required considering the accusations levied by

several states that China’s delay in informing the WHO of the emergence of an

unknown virus is what led to the disease outbreak culminating in a disaster of

apocalyptic proportions.

Economic Issues

The stance of the USA

USA’s decision to defund the WHO, in the middle of the health crisis and that too at

a crucial stage as we witness a resurgence of coronavirus cases in many countries,

will have dire consequences not just for WHO but also for the global health situation.

Many least-developed countries rely heavily on the WHO funds for medical aid and

supplies, and since the USA was the WHO’s wealthiest donor, donating US$ 853

billion during 2018-19, the withdrawal spells disaster for some countries more than

othersxxxiv.

Figure 7.1xxxv

For example, WHO collaborates closely with the USA on health efforts particularly in

Africa. The defunding might affect the African countries disproportionately, where the

sporadic outbreaks of Ebola, lack of testing and contact testing facilities as well as

the inadequate healthcare system is already devastating the continent. With the U.S.’

decision to defund, and the successful development of a vaccine, it will be difficult for

these vaccines to be effectively administered in this continent without the financial

and logistical support of the USAxxxvi. The suggested withdrawal is predicted to inhibit

the WHO’s capacity to respond to pandemics and health emergencies in Africa,

which is heavily reliant on WHO for the fulfillment of its healthcare needs after a

memorandum stipulating the development of health emergency preparedness was

signed between the two in 2019xxxvii. Moreover, in its 2019-2021 Global Health

Strategy, the WHO was identified as a significant strategic

partner strengthening health emergency preparedness and response-ability by the

USA. The collaboration was crucial in dispersing U.S. healthcare efforts and initiatives

across the globe because only 5 percent of the U.S. global health funding is reserved

for global health preservationxxxviii. With the termination of the WHO-USA relationship,

the USA’s commitment to global health security is waning, as evident from proposals

to cut U.S. global health funding for 2021 by $3 billion, to 2008 levels. This decision

also places enormous strain on the WHO’s functionalityxxxix.

The Importance of Flexible Funding

The WHO has called for an increase in flexible funding arrangements. Research has

proven that multi-year flexible humanitarian funding is more efficient in the delivery of

its outcomes since its structure is oriented in a way that it readily lends itself to

emergency management crisis and any problems that emerge from the unraveling of

unforeseen events. There is sufficient evidence published by think tanks,

humanitarian organizations, and U.N. Agencies that illustrates the efficiency and far-

reaching benefits of multi-year flexible funding programs. With the growing scale of

humanitarian health needs following the COVID-19 19 pandemic and to achieve a high

degree of preparedness against future viral outbreaks, efficiency is a key priority for

donors and implementing agencies. For example, Multi-year, flexible financing has

allowed the IRC (International Rescue Committee) to respond faster and reach the

most vulnerable in emergencies. In CAR (Central African Republic) and Cameroon,

IRC could quickly respond to emergency needs without any major budget or grant

agreement changes, and so when in 2018, the conflict between armed groups in the

commune of Mbrès reignited tensions that led to inter-community violence and

displacement to the commune of Mala and its axes, IRC teams were able to swiftly

incorporate Mala and Simandélé in their protection programs, “without having to waste

time renegotiating the terms of the grant agreement with its donors, as is often the

case with conditional funding”xl. IRC was able to expand the circumference of its plan

without any delay because it had already acquired adequate funding to manage the

smaller-scale emergency and because the grant agreement was not tightly earmarked

Smangele for specific locations or sectorsxli. This illustrates that Flexible Funding is

more instrumental in helping organizations to adapt to emergencies and address them

quickly and efficiently.

Currently, the WHO’s Core voluntary contributions (CVC) are completely

unconditional (flexible) and WHO exercises absolute autonomy in determining how

these funds should be distributed across the different programmes of WHO and does

not have to comply with any terms and conditions regarding the allocation of these

funds from the donating parties. However, these flexible funds represent ONLY 3.9%

of all voluntary contributions. UK is its biggest CVC donor. Then, for the Thematic and

Strategic Engagement funds (partially flexible), WHO is obligated to fulfil the donors’

reporting requirements and is also accountable to them for the usage and allocation

of funds, but there is a considerable degree of flexibility in their allocation. They

represent 6% of all contributions. This leaves us with a staggering 90.1% of Specified

Voluntary Contributions which are strictly earmarked for certain programmes decided

by the donors’ and are also constrained in terms of the territories where they must be

used within a predetermined time spanxlii. Since these funds need to be allocated to

specific problems within a specified timeframe of the donors’ choice, these funds are

not exactly helpful to the WHO in times of health emergencies as they are reserved

for particular territories and particular healthcare problems. This means, that when a

health crisis like the current one erupts, WHO has ONLY 9.9% of its total contributions

to rely on, since only a small proportion of the total WHO contributions allow for the

flexibility and room for adaptation that is required to address unforeseen, sudden

health emergencies.

Technology

Misinformation

“We’re not just battling the virus,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom

Ghebreyesus. “We’re also battling the trolls and conspiracy theorists that push

misinformation and undermine the outbreak response”xliii.

During the pandemic, WHO coined the word “infodemic”, meaning “an overabundance

of information and the rapid spread of misleading or fabricated news, images, and

videos.” Misinformation can have serious social and lethal consequences when

dealing with a global pandemic or coordinating an outbreak response. For example, in

the U.S. a person died from ingesting a fish tank cleaner which contained chloroquine

due to misinformation suggesting hydroxychloroquine as a possible treatment for the

coronavirus. In Germany, health experts are worried because of the anti-vaccination

movement in the country which may dissuade people from getting vaccinated after a

treatment is available. Similarly, over 8 million people have viewed a video being

shared across social media that claims wearing masks will lead to self-infection. The

WHO is concerned about the spread of such misinformation.

A recent study also showed that the largest classification of social media posts

labelled as incorrect or misleading by fact-checkers was content that challenged the

policies of governments and organizations such as the United Nations and WHO. Such

content can tarnish the integrity of organizations which coordinate outbreak responses

to diseases.

WHO responds to such misinformation by first identifying it and then responding to it

with evidence-based guidance. The United Nations has also launched an anti-

misinformation initiative called Verified. Its campaign, “Pause. Take care before you

share” aims to encourage people to fact-check sources before sharing and spreading

content. WHO has been working with over 50 digital companies such as Google and

YouTube to ensure scientific and verified messages from official sources reach people

first when searching for COVID-19 related information. xliv

Contact tracing using technology:

Living beside technology during a pandemic has its merits and demerits,

imagine your phone being able to tell you the probability of you contracting a disease

depending on your activity and past movement. This can be a very powerful tool as

technology continues to become more efficient.

As many companies carry out polls and research regarding using technology

for Contact Tracing, concerns are raised, “Technology suggests that the clear majority

of these groups believe COVID-19 contact-tracing technologies put individuals'

personally identifiable information at risk. Despite this, both groups generally believed

that these types of tools could help cut down the impact of the disease, and would

support a nationwide rollout of the technology in spite of privacy concerns.xlv”

MANAGING PANDEMICS IN CONFLICT-STRICKEN REGIONS

Preface

While the covid-19 pandemic has dealt a severe blow to the world at large, some

regions have been at increased risk and have not been able to formulate adequate

measures against the pandemic because of pre-existing political bones of

contention. Conflict-stricken areas require WHO’s urgent attention and it falls upon all

Member States to ensure that these areas are provided the aid that they require.

Case Studies:

The Rohingya Crisis:

The COVID-19 pandemic is a source of grave alarm for the Rohingya community.

The Rohingya community, after oppression at the hands of the Burmese military,

currently inhabits the densely populated camp(where there is an acute lack of

adequate sanitation facilities which prevents these refugees from adopting even the

most basic preventive measures against Covid-19, like frequent hand-washing,

similarly, these make-shift settlements are shared by multiple people, hence social

distancing to mitigate the transmission of the coronavirus is also not a possibility These

conditions heighten the risk of contagion and infection. All in all, these refugees are a

fairly vulnerable community in terms of conid-19 transmission) in Bangladesh. Urgent

action is needed to shield the Rohingya from a deadly coronavirus infection outbreak

and to develop the area in a way that a future emergency can be preempted. A

concerted, international plan that addresses the short-term and anticipates the long-

term problems of the Rohingya community is needed. Members of the WHO as well

as members of the U.N. Security Council and other U.N. agencies should work

collectively to avert a future crisis of alarming degrees in this region.

On the 14th of May 2020, the government of Bangladesh confirmed the first cases of

COVID-19 in the refugee camps of Cox’s Bazarxlvi. By early July, that number had

grown to 54, with one death. As of mid-July, Myanmar's government has reported 326

cases nationwide, and six deaths; the first positive case of COVID-19 in Rakhine

State was reported on the 18th of May. xlviiTo date, testing remains scarce in both

Cox’s Bazar and Rakhine State. As a result, the true number of infected may be much

higher. Without adequate precautions, they could grow significantly in the months and

years to come. The pandemic could also have dire economic repercussions. Reports

suggest the livelihoods of many residing in the camps have already been adversely

affected, which has compounded food security concerns. In the past few months, the

Rohingya community has been increasingly riddled by hardships, forcing people to

flee their homes and seek refuge elsewhere. Long-term, radically transformative and

sustainable policies should be formulated to ensure that the crisis does not exacerbate

into a disaster that requires drastic measures to be dealt with. The refugee camps in

Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, are home to over 850,000 Rohingya refugees, spread

across 34 settlements. The largest camp is elsewhere. Long Expansion Site, which 23

settlements are home to roughly 600,000 refugees – the majority of them women and

childrenxlviii. The refugee camps of Cox's Bazar are the largest and most thickly

populated on Earth. A majority of families share one-room shelters, with limited access

to water, sanitation and basic hygiene materials like soap. Kutupalong is served by

five hospitals, capable of accommodating a maximum of 630 hospital beds.xlix By any

measure, a massive outbreak of Covid-19 will wreak havoc within this marginalized

community. Delegates should devise policy recommendations for managing this crisis,

some fundamental challenges to be kept in mind are:

● Overcrowded conditions: The camps in Cox’s Bazar have an average

population density of 40,000 inhabitants per square kilometre, with

some areas approaching 70,000 inhabitantsl.

● Inadequate health care infrastructure: In the Kutupalong site, there are

just 0.31 physicians and 0.12 nurses per 1,000 peopleli. There is also

an acute lack of testing equipment and facilities, which is primarily why

we do not have reports of a disturbingly high number of cases in the

community, because most people who might be infected are not even tested.

● Comorbidity factors: As a result of decades of inadequate health care

access and discrimination, many Rohingya refugees and displaced

persons suffer from health concerns that put them at greater risk to

COVID-19, as well as low routine vaccination rates which put them at

high risk of preventable diseases

● Violence: In April, a World Health Organization vehicle carrying swabs

necessary for COVID-19 testing came under attack in Rakhine State,

and its driver was killedlii.

● Internet Blockade: The Rohingya community in Cox’s Bazar has been

subjected to internet blockades by the Bangladeshi government since 2019.

The lack of internet communication leaves the population without access to

medical guidance and severely hampers the community’s ability to

communicate to the outside world. The blockade also prevents any important

information regarding the status of Covid-19 transmission because of the

repeated Internet disconnection. In the case of an emergency, it is highly

plausible that we will not be able to receive information regarding it in a timely

manner, and by the time we do respond, irreversible damage might have

already been doneliii.

Yemen:

With nearly six years of war, 80 percent of Yemen’s 30 million population—more than

24 million people—depend on humanitarian assistance to survive. Millions are

severely malnourished, underfed and weakened by diseases such as dengue, malaria,

and choleraliv.

Figure 9.1lv

They suffer from underlying health conditions that have weakened their immunity,

making the impact of the Covid-19 deadlier. Yemen is already the world’s worst

humanitarian and development crisis and following the Covid-19 pandemic, the

country has hit rock-bottom. It requires urgent international attention. Due to

insufficient testing and reporting capabilities, the accurate number of cases and deaths

is disputable, however, the U.N. is estimating that the percentage of those who die

from COVID-19 is as high as 30 percent, well above anywhere else on the planet.

Hence, the average fatality rate is seven percent and in many more advanced

countries it fluctuates around three percent. The pandemic has resulted in the collapse

of an already exhausted healthcare system, most of which had been ravaged by the

war. Many of Yemen's 3,500 medical facilities have been damaged or destroyed in air

strikes, and only half are considered to be fully functioninglvi. Clinics are reported to be

crowded, and basic medicines and equipment are inadequate it caters to the

population - in a country of 27.5 million people there are only a few hundred ventilator

machines, which are used to help patients breathe in cases where coronavirus leads

to lung failurelvii.

Figure 9.2lviii

Moreover, a partial land and sea blockade imposed by countries fighting the Houthi

rebels has prevented crucial supplies like food and medication from reaching the

needy populations.Over the past 8 months, WHO joined forces with KSRelief (King

Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre) to preserve the healthcare system in

Yemen, and so far has succeeded in keeping 293 facilities functional and enabling

access to health care to 4.3 million peoplelix. While this is a commendable

development, when you put this into perspective, considering Yemen has a

population of 30 million people, it is evident that a staggering majority of the

population is still neglected in terms of health care.Moreover, the country is at the

brink of being inflicted by a famine, with more than 20 million people in the country,

roughly 80% of its population, having a hard time getting enough food and water to

survive, while 40% of the population could face an acute food crisis by the end of the

year, exposing them to the dire complications of malnutrition, according to the

humanitarian nonprofit CARElx. In these crucial times, it is the moral obligation of

WHO and its Member States to come to the assistance of Yemen. While WHO does

not reserve the power to intervene politically in this crisis, it should do everything it

can in terms of aid in order to prevent the country from spiralling into the hands of an

abyssal and irrecoverable health disaster. Some important things to remember are:

● There is an acute lack of medical supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) as many healthcare workers are severely underpaid and since they do not have granted access to PPE, they have resigned from their posts, mandating the shutdowns of more medical centres.This has further depleted an already exhausted healthcare system.

● Attempts by organizations to help Yemen in this crisis by supplying aid have been thwarted by the restrictions implemented by the Houthi on international aid agencies and humanitarian organizations. Since May, the Houthis have blocked 262 containers in Hodeida port belonging to the World Health Organization as well as a large shipment of Personal Protective Equipment

(PPE) for the Covid-19 responselxi.

Prioritizing conflict-stricken communities in the event of a future pandemic:

The Covid-19 pandemic has illustrated how conflict-stricken areas are devastated when a health crisis strikes. The Rohingya Crisis, Yemen, Iraq crisis, Somalian and Syrian crisis demonstrate the far-reaching consequences of the disruption of sudden and unforeseen health emergencies. WHO needs to contemplate how to formulate policies that ensure when, in the future, health crisis strikes, conflict-stricken and war- ravaged countries are not disproportionately affected. According to the International Humanitarian Law (IHL),

“Medical units are civilian objects that have special protections under the laws of war. They include hospitals, clinics, medical centers and similar facilities, whether military or civilian. While other presumptively civilian structures become military objectives if they are being used for a military purpose, hospitals lose their protection from attack only if they are being used, outside their humanitarian function, to commit “acts harmful to the enemy.”

Several types of acts do not constitute “acts harmful to the enemy,” such as the presence of armed guards, or when small arms from the wounded are found in the hospital. Even if military forces misuse a hospital to store weapons or shelter able- bodied combatants, the attacking force must issue a warning to cease this misuse, setting a reasonable time limit for it to end, and attacking only after such a warning has gone unheeded.

Under the laws of war, doctors, nurses and other medical personnel must be permitted to do their work and be protected in all circumstances. They lose their protection only if they commit, outside their humanitarian function, acts harmful to the enemy.

Likewise, ambulances and other medical transportation must be allowed to function and be protected in all circumstances. They lose their protection only if they are being used to commit acts harmful to the enemy, such as transporting ammunition or healthy fighters”lxii.

Restructuring the WHO

Why is there a need to restructure the WHO?

Many countries have claimed that the current pandemic has catapulted a lot of WHO’s inadequacies and administrative deficiencies to the forefront of global attention, and that this is not the first time that WHO has demonstrated ineptitude in terms of handling a health crisis. Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014, which was quite a disaster for WHO and the IHR. The inadequacy of the WHO response coaxed the U.N. Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon into creating an ad hoc emergency response effort. WHO Director-General Chan did not evaluate the information WHO had received from non- governmental sources and other countries before formulating active responses. Neither were governments who had been hushing up the outbreaks questioned. WHO only declared a public health emergency of international concern after the epidemic had already escalated into a crisis. Numerous governments bypassed WHO recommendations by imposing travel restrictions, and the crisis catapulted the

shortcomings of IHR implementation to the forefrontlxiii.

This situation was replicated in the current pandemic too: Despite having received information about the virus being contagious by Taiwan, Hong Kong and Thailand, the WHO kept insisting ruthlessly, even as late as the 14th of January 2020 that “preliminary investigations conducted by the Chinese authorities have found no clear

evidence of human-to-human transmission of the novel coronavirus”lxiv. Once again, despite having received evidence from Taiwan and Hong Kong that the virus was transmissible, the WHO chose to remain wilfully ignorant of this and continued to parrot China’s resolute denial of human to human transmission. Even though there was substantial evidence provided by Taiwanese health authorities that presented contradictory claims as gathered by their medical medical teams sent to Wuhan in December. They confirmed human-to-human transmission, the most significant indicator of whether a health emergency is a local one, confined to a particular territory, or a potential global emergency. That human to human transmission was present was a claim also backed by Hong Kong health authorities, corroborated with evidence in their own contacts in Wuhan. However, WHO dismissed all this information and stuck aggressively to the Chinese claim of no human-to-human transmission. The WHO waited until the 22nd of January to confirm human-to-human transmission, after China finally did. It waited until the end of January to declare a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and then let February and nearly half of March pass before

finally declaring a pandemic. By that point, a staggering 114 countries had already reported cases, and more than 4,000 known deaths had occurred. By then, the

damage had already been donelxv. Had WHO been more swift in taking action,researchers estimate that acting even a week or two early might have reduced cases by 50 to 80 percent When the international community then accuses WHO of being China-centric and letting political sensitivities take precedence over global health, it is an accusation rooted in sufficient evidence.

A recently concluded trip (August) by a two-member WHO team responsible for investigating the origins of the coronavirus, did not even visit Wuhan, the epicentre of

the outbreak, during the three-week triplxvi. It then becomes tempting to jump on the bandwagon and accuse WHO of being affiliated with China in the virus cover-up.While it is not difficult to concede that USA’s decision to defund the WHO is Trump's ploy to distract public attention from his own administrative inefficiency, one cannot deny that many of USA’s complaints are valid, especially considering USA is not the only complainant. In a recent statement in the Japan Parliament,Taro Aso, the Deputy Prime Minister and the Finance Minister of Japan, dubbed the “World Health

Organisation'' the “Chinese Health Organization”lxvii. Moreover, this is not the first time WHO has displayed a proclivity for being politically prejudiced. In 1949, as as the Cold War tensions escalated, Soviet Union withdrew from WHO along with the Ukrainian and Byelorussian Soviet Republics on the pretext that it was submitting to American

dominancelxviii. With this history and in light of the trajectory followed by WHO in the current pandemic, it is now high time to reform and reorganize it, before more lives are lost in the case of a future pandemic.

International Health Regulations (IHR)

The International Health Regulations (IHR), the fundamental universal agreement on infectious diseases and other life-threatening disease adopted by WHO member states in 2005, is central to any reformation WHO must undergo. International Health Regulations (IHR), with revisions as required, “were conceived to serve as a first step in providing specific and universal medical knowledge of a unique infectious disease outbreak. The WHO also created distinctive rules, regulations, and organizational constraints, such as travel restrictions, examples being the emergence and pandemic potential of HIV/AIDS and the urgency provoked by severe acute respiratory syndrome

(SARS) in 2003”lxix. It was first introduced in 1969 and was initially only restricted to the robust detection of and response to 3 diseases (cholera, plague or yellow fever) but following the SARS pandemic of 2003, they realized that the 1969 IHR was exclusive to only 3 diseases and since the biomedical world was changing drastically, with the emergence and evolution of new pathogens and microbes and increased threat, a more inclusive treaty was needed, and thus the WHO, with the authority of WHA revised IHR in 2005. “The WHO Director-General, Gro Brundtland, confronted China over its SARS outbreak and, without approval from the countries concerned, issued warnings against travel to SARS-affected places. Brundtland acted without authority to take these steps. In addition, WHO took the lead in efforts to advance scientific understanding of the SARS coronavirus, develop public health strategies, and establish clinical treatment protocols. In adopting the IHR in the aftermath of SARS, WHO member states gave WHO unprecedented authority vis-à-vis state

sovereignty and expanded the need for WHO’s scientific, medical, and public health capabilities”lxx.

Figure 10.1lxxi

World Health Assembly

The World Health Assembly is the decision making body for WHO. It is a convention of all member states where they vote upon important actions that the WHO shall implement in the coming years. The agenda for every World Health Assembly is decided by the Executive Board. Held annually in Geneva, the World Health Assembly decides policies of WHO, appoints the Director-General and makes financial decisions.

This year, WHO at LUMUN plans to restructure the World Health Assembly as part of a larger discussion on making actions of the World Health Organization more effective. It is imperative for the committee as a whole to decide how the restructuring takes place. Delegates should be looking for a “Security Council-like'' committee with lower delegate counts so that representation is more grouped. The exact count of delegations in the World Health Assembly is prerogative of the committee. How do they enter the World Health Assembly? What should the voting process be like? How long may those delegations stay in the World Health Assembly? These are all valid questions that the dais expects delegates to ask and find answers to.

Origin

COVID - 19

The most common explanation for COVID-19’s origin is that of a spillover event in

Wuhan. It is assumed that the spillover happened from bats to humans. While some

states within WHO hold the opinion that this virus was man-made in China, it is

important to understand the lack of evidence supporting this claim.

Casualties

At the time of writing this, 1.25 Million deaths have occured due to COVID-19

worldwide and this number is consistently increasing. Many countries are now facing

a second wave that will make life even worse for countries trying to survive and

come out of the economic peril caused by the first wave.

Economic Impacts

While deaths are, for all intents and purposes, the most tragic consequence of

COVID-19, this pandemic and the subsequent lockdown has brought forward a

myriad of economic issues that would take years to be resolved. COVID-19 and the

subsequent lockdown caused the largest global recession in recorded history. On a

micro scale, panic buying has led to a shortage of household commodities worldwide.

Unemployment is also on an astonishing high, with ILO concluding that 400 million full

time jobs have been lost globally and revenue earned by workers worldwide has

fallen by 10%lxxii. On a macro scale, Agrarian economies are suffering heavily as the

lockdown has essentially disrupted agricultural cycles. What is important to

understand here is that despite the global economic losses, developing countries

would suffer more because of weaker planning and less social benefits like global

healthcare.

Social Impacts

A global pandemic is much more than what its immediate impact may suggest. A

pandemic of this scale has incredible social, psychological and political impacts.

USA, a country severely hit by COVID-19 is a prime example of the massive political

bearing this pandemic holds. The elections in the USA were dependent on what the

incumbent's response strategy was to the pandemic. On a more humanitarian level,

social isolation caused by the pandemic is a real issue creating mental health

problems for many individuals. Unemployment has created financial insecurity for

many people which can also be cause for troubled mental health.

Notable responses

1. Taiwan:

Taiwan is one of the few countries that has handled the pandemic remarkably well,

and without resorting to draconian measures like nation-wide lockdowns. Since the

pandemic began, Taiwan has reported 563 cases and just seven deaths, and as

countries witness a coronavirus resurgence, Taiwan, as of the 29th of October, hit 200

days without any domestic transmission of coronavirus infectionslxxiii.This is

especially commendable considering Taiwan’s close proximity to the Chinese

mainland and direct flights from Wuhan,where the virus emerged but despite that,

the Taiwanese government was able to successfully regulate the importation of

cases and the transmissibility of the virus. Some of the Taiwanese strategies, as

proven, were highly efficient for example, aggressive screening, contact tracing and

tracking through mobile sim led to Taiwan becoming the forerunner in battling the

virus. However, Taiwan never really got the opportunity to impart the wisdom and

knowledge of its Covid-19 regulation strategy on the rest of the international

community because it is locked out of membership from WHO. This is because

China does not recognize the island’s sovereignty and thus Taiwan does not have a

seat in the U.N. Taiwan was thus eliminated from all emergency meetings and global

sessions on the pandemic, and as a country that has been praised extensively in the

world for its deft handling of the coronavirus outbreak, it could definitely have shared

important lessons and recommendations, even technical assistance, with the

international community, and maybe played an important part in managing the

pandemic. Moreover, with the infections under control at home, Taiwan has been

offering aid to other countries in many forms, for example the government donated

17 million surgical masks to countries inflicted by the virus, and has been working

closely with the U.S. in order to herald the development of vaccines and diagnostic

kits, it could have definitely been a reliable partner in combating the crisislxxiv. But

despite repeated protests, Taiwan was not included in any meetings relating to the

crisis, and this elicits the question; could the outcome have been slightly different if

Taiwan’s recommendations and advice had been invoked by WHO? Political bones

of contention can affect the global community severely, and Taiwan’s exclusion from

WHO at a time that calls for concerted global effort demonstrates that, because

Taiwan is excluded solely as to not upset the political sensitivities of China, which

does not recognize Taiwan’s sovereignty.

2. United States of America:

The United States of America is proof that no country is too powerful for a pandemic.

They have famously had a very tragic response strategy that has not only left the

people of the USA at risk, it has also majorly affected their economy. With more than

10 million total cases and around 240,000 deaths, the USA is in the midst of a crisis

caused by the pandemic. Between February and June, 14.6 million people have lost

their jobslxxv and the USA has added $3.1 trillion to its public debtlxxvi. This can be

attributed to the social norms and societal outlook on COVID-19 within the United

States of America. A large majority of individuals believe COVID-19 to be trivial, or an

issue that will ‘go away on its own’. There is seldom any regard for social distancing

and schools/colleges open as normal. Examples of these can be found throughout the

country: on the 9th of August, Sturgis, South Dakota held its annual biker rally which

attracted more than 200,000 people from all over the countrylxxvii. There was little to

no regard for social distancing and it showed the norm established within the country.

The US government measures have largely failed in containing the virus. As the virus

spirals out of control, it is necessary to recognize that people’s social behavior is

affected by the media around them and the Trump administration consistently used

the media to build a narrative of COVID-19 being a trivial issue. This was done to

safeguard the economy. However, the economy suffered nonetheless. The US

government also set a “state first” policy for the containment of COVID-19. The federal

government took a backseat and allowed states to function as they liked in response

to COVID-19. This, in a national crisis, divided the nation rather than uniting it.

Disjointed policies created difficulties in dealing with the Pandemic. The U.S. elections

also created great discourse about COVID-19 with the Democrats consistently finding

opportunities to highlight faults in the Trump administration’s response to the Novel

Coronavirus.

The Associated Press has called the elections and declared Joe Biden, the democratic

nominee, as the 46th President of the United States for the upcoming 4 years. He has

consistently been critical of the Trump administration’s response to COVID-19 and has

vowed to provide a better solution to the pandemic than what Donal Trump and his

administration has provided.

QARMA

Vaccines

1. Should there be joint funding through a centralized effort or an independent

approach (which allows autonomy and time flexibility to individual big

pharmaceutical companies around the world) to support the development of

the vaccine ?

2. Should all countries be allowed to participate in the drug creation and

distribution mechanisms?

3. Which countries/companies should be provided with funds and support?

4. Should some countries be obliged to contribute to the funding and distribution

process?

5. Which countries should receive access to the vaccine first?

6. How will the provision and distribution of the vaccine take place? Should high-

income countries be allowed to make APAs at the expense of low-income

countries?

Mental Health

1. What framework should be put in place to support those struggling with

mental health and domestic violence?

2. How does a mental health crisis affect our ability to deal with the spread of

contagious diseases and what can be done to reduce the detrimental impacts

of this?

3. How can we ensure that precautions such as lockdowns minimize the

detrimental impact on the mental health of the citizens? Should there be

exceptions for those struggling with their mental health?

4. For those that have been directly impacted by a contagious disease, should a

new body be set up to keep mental health checks and monitor their progress?

5. To what extent should high-income countries support low-income countries in

the provision of mental health services?

Technology

1. Should there be a partnership or agreement with Big Tech firms like Google,

Amazon, Facebook, and others to facilitate the process of research in the

case of future epidemics and pandemics?

2. What measures should be put in place to ensure that the data of a country’s

citizens are protected?

3. How should a censoring body to stop misinformation be set up? How will it

operate and what will be the extent of its control over information?

The Importance of Lockdowns

1. What economically feasible alternatives to lockdowns can be implemented by

countries as a Second Wave emerges?

2. Previous lockdowns have amplified the food and unemployment crisis in the

African countries. How can WHO help these countries recover from the effects

of these previous lockdowns?

3. How can vulnerable populations like women and children be protected from

violence and abuse as countries impose second, more stringent lockdowns?

Prevention and Control of Neglected Viral Diseases

1. How can other relevant sectors (non-healthcare sectors) be included in the

discussions of methodologies, definition of indicators and in the actual

implementation?

2. Given the uniqueness of each setting, meaning countries and continents,

potential synergies with COVID-19 public health interventions and other sectors

agendas would need to be tested and adapted to each particular social-

ecological setting. How can this be achieved?

3. After reviewing the main determinants for NVD endemicity and current control

strategies, how can key control activities that involve or concern other

programmes within and beyond the health sector be incorporated in the multi-

sectoral approach?

4. How can identified synergies between Covid-19 and NVDs be used to tackle

them both together and concurrently?

5. How can funding for such a programme be acquired, and how allocation of

these funds may be prioritized to some particular regions?

The Threat from Zoonotic Viruses

1. How can the future be secured from zoonotic viruses? Should an Inter-Agency

Coordination Group in consultation with the Food and Agriculture Organization

of the United Nations (FAO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE)

and the World Health Organization (WHO) be convened? If so, what will be its

aims and how will it be structured? Which will be the leading countries in this

Global Action Plan?

2. Some populations are at higher risk of contracting and serving as hosts for

zoonotic viruses.These include rural populations in close contact with livestock,

markets selling meat or animal by-products and people involved in animal

testing. What protective measures can be incorporated in countries’ national

plans in order to safeguard these populations?

3. How can a global research group consisting of Member States be convened

that carries out wildlife surveillance for high-risk pathogens? Considering the

current political climate of WHO can collaboration of such a degree for a global

cause be achieved? Moreover, how well can WHO itself oversee the

proceedings and activities of such a committee?

4. How can WHO collaborate with the World Trade Organisation (WTO)

to develop the biosecurity of international wildlife trade?

Funding

1. What kind of precinct does the USA’s decision to defund the WHO set, and how

can WHO be restructured to prevent future withdrawals?

2. While the WHO has called for an increase in flexible funding arrangements,

what are some of the reservations countries may have in appropriating flexible

funds and how can WHO eliminate these reservations?

3. How the WHO’s funding structure be reformed in order to offer protection

against future pandemics?

4. How can WHO prioritize funding to areas that are in urgent need of international

attention and medical aid? Should a committee be convened within the WHA

that surveils health conditions across countries and decides, through a mutually

agreed criteria, the appropriation of funds to countries in compliance with their

healthcare needs? How can the credibility and accountability of such a

committee be ensured?

Managing Pandemics in Conflict-stricken regions

1. How can WHO ensure that in case of future pandemics, conflict-stricken

areas are prioritized in terms of financial, logistical and technical help?

2. What organizations or other U.N. Agencies can WHO collaborate with to

ensure the enforcement of wartime laws that forbid attacks on medical

facilities and healthcare personnel during armed conflict?

3. Should WHO’s funding system be restructured in such a way that a certain

percentage of all funds is kept aside for convening health infrastructure

development and healthcare recovery programs in war-ravaged regions?

What are the challenges that will surface in the implementation of such a

proposal?

4. Immunization campaigns are often indefinitely suspended during wartime,

compounding the health crisis. How can WHO ensure the efficient and timely

delivery and administration of necessary vaccines to conflict-stricken regions?

5. Viral epidemics in conflict-stricken regions or refugee camps often emerge

because of poor sanitation facilities and lack of access to clean water. How

can WHO align itself with UNDP to bolster developmental programs in these

regions?

Restructuring the WHO

1. Should the IHR treaty of 2005 be revised in an attempt to make it more legally

binding on Member States and incorporate negative sanctions in an event of

non-compliance?

2. The revision of IHR will require an overwhelming majority vote in the WHA.

Given the climate of political divisiveness in the WHO, is an agreement of a

sufficient degree even plausible? If not, what possible bloc formations of

alliance systems be convened in order to bring about a revision of the IHR

treaty?

3. How can WHO’s structure be reformed to mitigate its advisory role and allow it

to assert itself more responsibly during health-crisis, without becoming an

instrument of political maneuvering for superpowers?

4. Should WHO be allowed to assume unchallengeable authority over the

healthcare policies of Member States during international health emergencies,

like the current one? If so, how can this proposal be sanctioned, and how can

potential challenges or downsides of such a decision be anticipated and

addressed?

5. WHO has received considerable backlash from the international community

for not inviting Taiwan to any of the emergency meetings held during the

pandemic, despite Taiwan’s deft strategic handling of the pandemic. Is it

possible for WHO to give Taiwan a seat in the WHA, considering China’s

political sensitivities? Is this course of action even advisable at all?

6. What should the role of the World Health Assembly be in contemporary

times? How many delegations should be able to observe, debate and vote on

issues that surround us in the medical world? How will a restructuring help the

WHO in general and the World Health Assembly in specific?

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