VICTORIA SCHOOL

The World Health Organisation (WHO) is a specialised agency of the United Nations which is concerned with international public health. The WHO was established on 7 April 1948 and has since played a crucial role in the eradication of smallpox. It is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends.

In VSMUN 2015, delegates of the WHO will be focusing on the issue of Ebola. The countries currently considered to be Ebola-affected due to widespread and intense transmission include Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. However, should the situation not be monitored the Ebola virus might potentially spread. The main focus of the council would therefore be on the maintenance of surveillance and the containment of the Ebola virus as well as the aid and development of the medical infrastructure and treatment of affected countries. The council will also be taking a look at the possibility of the Ebola utilised as a biological weapon in warfare. The council will also address the issue of the media blowing up of the Ebola issue causing widespread panic. This issue is critical as the Ebola virus can potentially lead to widespread death due to the fatality rate of around 50%.