Topic: Controlling Biting-Insect Populations
Country: Panama
Delegate Name: Courtney Clay
School: Forest Hills Eastern High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Panama position papers GLIMUN 2015 committees
In 2014, Panama declared a public health emergency because of an outbreak of dengue fever. Dengue fever is a illness with flu like symptoms caused by a bite from an infected mosquito, However, if severe, dengue fever can damage the lungs, liver or heart. In some cases of dengue fever, blood pressure drops to dangerous levels, causing shock and possible death. Panama was listed by the head of the Panamanian Public Health as the North American country with the most cases of dengue fever. There were about 3,214 identified cases of dengue fever in 2013. More recently in January 2015, it was discovered mosquitos are the vector causing an outbreak in chikungunya. Chikungunya is a disease whose symptoms include chronic joint pain accompanied by sudden fever, headaches, fatigue nausea, vomiting, and a rashes. Panama responded to the dengue fever and now the chikungunya outbreaks by releasing Oxitec’s genetically engineered mosquitoes in Panama and have reached over 90% control of the mosquito responsible for outbreaks of dengue fever and chikungunya. The duration of mosquito releases was 27 weeks, the start of releases in Panama was 25 April 2014 and the end of release was 31 October 2014. Panama seems to only have issues with mosquito-borne diseases, no other insects seem to majorly affect Panama.
Panama reports insect borne illness outbreaks to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Panamanian government. The CDC typically releases health related information on their website to inform travelers about the diseases currently spreading in Panama. Then, the Panama government public health center is responsible for releasing information regarding disease outbreaks to the Panamanian public.
Panama currently is using the Oxitec mosquitoes to combat vector-borne diseases, they don’t currently have a specific protocol when vector-borne diseases arise. Panama understands the need for further research on vaccines and alternative approaches to vector control. Additionally, our nation needs to put in action a training system for health care workers to educate them on vector-borne diseases. This step has been attempted in the past, but never followed through on, we need to make sure to follow through with this training system. If we as a UN are able to create a successful health training system on vector-borne diseases, we could suggest to the security council to assign a representative of the UN in each country to educate their health care workers based on this system we would create. As previously mentioned, Panama has used Oxitec’s genetically engineered mosquitoes to control dengue fever and chikungunya.
Panama has not financially supported other nations in insect outbreaks, however, they have been active participants in test trials with Oxitec’s genetically engineered mosquitoes along with the Cayman Islands, Malaysia, Panama and Brazil. They have shared the positive results of this trial with Oxitec, and Panama continues to encourage other countries to use the method as well. Panama attempts to aid other countries by suggesting the methods that have worked for them. One day Panama hope to be able to financially support other countries, but right now, Panama currently can not.
