Topic: Controlling Biting-Insect Populations
Country: Palestine
Delegate Name: Keely VandenBerge
School: Forest Hills Eastern High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Palestine position papers GLIMUN 2015 committees
Biting insects are found in most countries around the world. It is an on-going problem to control the populations of biting-insects that cause illnesses, treat these illnesses they cause, and educate the world about the problems they cause. In order to understand the problem these insects cause, we must first discuss how they transmit these diseases. These insects are commonly called vectors, living organisms that can transmit infectious diseases between humans and animals. The most known diseases they transmit are malaria, yellow, fever, Lyme disease, West Nile virus, dengue fever, and even the plague. The WHO’s focus is on the transmission of these disease, but we can not ignore the role they play in their environments. These insects each have a specific role on their ecosystem and can not be forgotten. Numbers wise, vector borne disease cause more than 17% of all infectious diseases and account for more than 1 million deaths annually. The WHO’s approach to combating these disease is to focus on environmental and social behaviors within human populations, as well as systematic cultural adaptation and education of said population to ensure they can treat and prevent potential outbreaks. The WHO also partners with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and U.N. Environmental Programme (UNEP) to combat illnesses in our food supply. This is complicated by the rise of pesticide-resistant insects, a topic that may come up in our discussion. Therefore, we come here today to discuss how to control the populations of biting insects, and how to treat and contain the outbreaks they cause.
The biggest vector-borne disease that plagues Palestine is leishmaniasis. Leishmaniasis is caused by the protozoan Leishmania parasites which are transmitted by the bite of infected sandflies. There are three main forms of the disease: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL also known as kala-azar), Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), Mucocutaneous leishmaniasis. Visceral leishmaniasis is fatal if left untreated. It is characterized by irregular bouts of fever, weight loss, enlargement of the spleen and liver, and anaemia. VL most commonly infects infants in Palestine. Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is the most common form of leishmaniasis and causes skin lesions, mainly ulcers, on exposed parts of the body, leaving life-long scars and serious disability. In Palestine, CL affects a much more broader age group then VL. Leishmaniasis occurs at a rate of infection of 8.5 per hundred thousand population, and recorded about 80% of cases in Jericho and Al-aghwar governorate, Tubas, and Qalqilya. Also recorded 8 cases of cytoplasmic leishmaniasis in three governorates: (4 in Ramallah and Al-Bireh 0.3 in Hebron, and one in Nablus ) , and the rate of infection of 0.3 per hundred thousand people. The Ministry of Health, especially the Departments of Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine is doing great efforts in the fight against this disease and in the treatment of the patients. We do this through treatment and swift diagnoses, but could use more supplies and education to stop the spread of the sand flies that cause it. According to WHO, poverty, malnutrition, population mobility, and environment are all major risk factors for leishmaniasis. Palestine is working towards treating and studying leishmaniasis when it occurs but also eliminating the risk factors that encourage the disease. Beyond this Palestine wishes to work with surrounding countries, in a diplomatic manner, to aid each other in stopping the spread of leishmaniasis.
The issue of vector borne diseases are a fixable problem. With proper education of populations to limit exposure to these disease, we can lower the 1 million deaths that occur for vector borne illnesses. Also by focusing on the root of some of the issues, like poverty and clean water, this number can be lowered. WHO, Palestine, and other countries need to focus on the communication between countries to stop the spread of insects across borders. By working together regions can control populations, not eliminate them, and keep illnesses to a minimum. Our job in the World Health Organization is to save lives, and by solving this problem we can accomplish this goal.
