Topic: Rise of Antibiotic Resistant Pathogens
Country: South Africa
Delegate Name: Allie Cobb
School: Williamston High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All South Africa position papers GLIMUN 2010 committees
The rise of drug resistant pathogens is an extremely important to South Africa. Such pathogens are almost impossible to stop during an unexpected outbreak. As a developing nation, South Africa has struggled with outbreaks of erythromycin-resistant pneumococci, among other things. This, as so many diseases do, has been on an exponential rise. This struggle is evident elsewhere in the world as well, and deserves considerable attention from the United Nations.
Not only do antibiotic resistant pathogens harm the health and safety of the people of a nation, it also causes immense strain on the people and the government economically. We have seen this during the AIDs epidemic, and the same situation will likely exist if we cannot put a stop to drug resistant pathogens.
Overuse of antibiotics has been deemed the cause of these drug resistant pathogens, so over prescription and self medication can be seen as sources of blame for these sometimes deadly outbreaks. Therefore, policy should be implemented to provide only those in need of antibiotics with them.
Ultimately, the current rise in the quantity of drug resistant pathogens cannot continue, for the betterment of South Africa, and for the betterment of the world. Diseases rarely stay local, and if such strains develop in one region of the world, one can be almost certain that other regions will suffer as well. Together, we must search to find a solution to this tremendous issue if ew wish to find success as a whole. South Africa supports reasonable initiatives aimed at saving its people from sickness and fiscal hardship in the future.
