Topic: Stopping the Spread of Disease Across International Borders
Country: Rwanda
Delegate Name: Kyle Buffin
School: Kalamazoo Central High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Rwanda position papers GLIMUN 2012 committees
Communicable diseases are very difficult to stop especially in developing countries such as Rwanda. However, the WHO must take action towards preventing the spread of diseases. Rwanda has always had high numbers of HIV/ Aids positive citizens. So many in fact, that it is classified by the World Health Organization as an epidemic. It is the feeling of Rwanda that more must be done in order to stop the spread of diseases. We propose that a first step must be taken of determining what the sources of epidemics are, this greatly affects how to deal with the diseases. Mainly, sources of disease are internal or external to a country. If external, certain measures need to be taken to regulate immigration and migration. However, if the issues are internal the country must look at resolutions which provide health provisions for the people.
In Rwanda there is a large amount of Democratic Republic of the Congo refugees. Transnational movement like this can be a great cause of disease in a country. If the disease problems of a country are external, it is the opinion of Rwanda that both countries must work together to insure mutual health. If both countries are able to work together and regulate the amount of freedom allowed when crossing borders, there will for sure be a lower transmission of international disease.
There are also internal causes of epidemic which can be dealt with in a different fashion to make positive that surrounding countries won’t be affected. Rwanda feels that it should be a goal of all developing nations to move toward required health care. In the past few years Rwanda has been making the push to give all of its citizen’s health insurance. One of the best ways of dealing with a public health issue is by treating, and healing those who are infected. With a national health plan, developing countries will be more effectively able to give help to those who need it. This process of helping the individuals who spread communicable diseases within countries only helps public health, and stops the spread of disease.
