Which Should Come First: The Pill or The Protein?

The delegate from Mali raises his placard to debate the topic of discussion for the W.H.O.

By JESSE JAMES STEELE, AL-JAZEERA

The World Health Organization convened today to discuss the wellbeing of the global community, however debate rang over whether it was more pertinent to discuss biofortification’s effect on malnutrition, or the instability of the international pharmaceuticals. The multiplicity of arguments for both sides kept the discussion going, even through attempts to close debate, causing delegates to closely examine each topic.

Blocked countries split, as the agenda of the group was set with a number advocating for the necessity to focus on the lack of micronutrients in some countries the remaining members argued that reforming the global pharmaceutical industry took precedent.

“Biofortification is a problem within countries, not a problem between countries,” said the delegate of the United States of America (U.S.A.). “Each individual country needs to solve that. Now pharmaceuticals, that’s an international law problem.”

The nature of the international pharmaceutical sector varies from country, and while more developed nations have adequate systems of handling and distributing, developing states face a number of issues that destabilize the industry.

Countries opposing this mentality felt that pharmaceutical products can be introduced, however before focusing time on the entire infrastructure of the sector it is necessary to establish a common level of health amongst citizens. The delegate of Oman argued that the lack of micronutrients, which cause a deficit in physical and mental development,

“Nutrition of women and children around the world is not a state issue, it is an international one,” said the delegate from The United Kingdom, immediately following U.S.A. “Before we can even start to look at the pharmaceutical industry we first need to create a foundation of health, of nutrition for families around the world.”

Following a rebuttal from the delegate of South Africa, a motion was made to close debate. Members argued that individual countries who wished to speak were not given proper time, and although many of the delegates raised their placards in favor of ending the motion failed.

Delegates attempt to close debate, however this motion failed.

Debate continued with both sides providing adequate arguments for their topic to be discussed; however when discussion was voted closed the topic of malnutrition was chosen as the committee’s target.

“We lobbied before to discuss malnutrition, and after closing debate the second time voted for it,” said the delegate of Denmark. “The topic of pharmaceuticals is a very broad topic with more complex angles.”