World Health Organization Committee
Forest Hills Eastern
In 2014 the World saw the lethal consequences of a widespread Ebola outbreak. Originating in a small village, Ebola quickly spread into Guinea’s urban areas. Due to Guinea’s weak public health infrastructure and lackluster surveillance systems Ebola quickly became a widespread terror and eventually spread to Guinea’s neighboring countries, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Before the CDC was able to contain the virus through means such as border checkpoints, treatment centers, and meetings with local leaders over 11,000 people perished. Additionally, Ebola is still an ongoing issue in the Congo with over 2,000 deaths and many new cases being reported every year.
Although not having any cases of Ebola, Cambodia has had experience with other dangerous communicable diseases of similar magnitude such as SARS, Avian Influenza, AH1N1, and MERS and so knows how to deal with dangerous outbreaks. Due to Ebola being a possible threat to Cambodia, Cambodia’s Ministry of Health(CMH) has placed precautionary measures in place. CMH has passed out guides to its citizens on how to recognize and report symptoms and how to avoid contracting Ebola. The most effective method the CMH has implemented is using heat sensors; Cambodia has been able to pinpoint those in busy public areas that have fevers and has ordered them to receive a medical check-up to confirm they are not a carrier of Ebola. Medical checks like these have proven crucial in spotting those infected with Ebola during the 2014 African outbreak. In order to strengthen these attempts in rural areas CMH also supports NGOs such as GVICT and TLC which has established multiple health centers that have provided healthcare to those areas in most danger of epidemics. Cambodia also checks all incoming people crossing the border and those with a history of traveling to Africa, which has been effective in preventing the spread of disease into Cambodia.
Cambodia asks The World Health Organization to come to a consensus on a resolution that will promote thermal surveillance, medical infrastructure upgrades, better education of citizens on Ebola and strong border checkpoints in The Democratic Republic of Congo. Cambodia is more than willing to contribute solutions to this issue, work with other countries, and contribute to any resolutions relatively parallel to Cambodia’s ideals and virtues. Through these efforts, Cambodia believes that Ebola can be eradicated.
- Ryan Longo
