November 5, 2022
WHO’s functions have been of great importance and interest since the inception of the COVID-19 pandemic. Communicable diseases, characterized as “those that are infectious or transmissible” by the Chair of the WHO committee, kill over 17 million people each year. As stated by the Delegate of Australia “vaccine access is now more critical than vaccine distribution because supply has tremendously improved.”
Recently, gaps have been identified between operational and financial capacities for vaccine administration, impeling delegates to focus on the education of communicable diseases similar to COVID-19. In partnership with the Delegatee of Australia, the Delegate of Brazil implores others to focus on “vaccinations and vaccine roll out programs” in cooperation with programs that “discuss misinformation, that has been a huge blockage in getting people vaccinated and make sure they stay safe.”
Similarly, the Delegate from Australia emphasized the importance of focusing on “prioritizing communities with a lack of accessibility, especially those who live on the lower end of the socioeconomic ladder.” The importance of education worldwide is a large undertaking though it could prove to be extremely beneficial.
Working towards a different goal, the Delegate of Cuba, and their surrounding members, talked about “education in countries, with an emphasis on those that are underdeveloped, about the spread of communicable diseases.” Prior to this committee session, WHO created a standard on water quality as a preventative risk management program targeting water-born pathogens. Despite this effort, WHO has been unable to create initiatives to solve their problem, though the Delegate of Spain suggested “creating a product like life straws for mass distribution”.
It is evident that there is much work to be done in order to effectively reduce the mortality and people with illness as a result of communicable diseases.