YUNMUN Position Paper: Topic 1 Committee: World Health Organization (WHO) Country: Republic of Zimbabwe Delegate: Caitlyn Franks

High School: Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community High School Topic: HIV/AIDS Ever since its downfall which began in the 1990s, the Republic of Zimbabwe has suffered from countless issues nationally and internationally. After their current President Robert Mugabe was elected in 1990, the state of affairs for the newly independent country began to disintegrate at a rapid rate. By 2000, not only did President Mugabe redistribute farmland to his associates- which caused inflation and hunger to rise- but 25% of Zimbabwes population was living with HIV/AIDS. According to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), recent statistics show that in Zimbabwe, approximately 16 million adults over the age of 15 are living with HIV/ AIDS. While both treatment and prevention are essential in preventing HIV/AIDS, the Republic of Zimbabwe urges that treatment precedes protection against the fatal disease. HIV/AIDS treatment should be considered as WHOs main focus; Due to Zimbabwes inadequate education concerning the dangers of unprotected sex, treatment must be administered to the people infected with HIV/AIDS. Then, once those persons have been treated we must take preventative measures against HIV/AIDS. These measures would include the distribution of protection (i.e. condoms), prevent prostitution, and most importantly, education of the countrys youth about the fatal consequences of unprotected sex and HIV/AIDS. While the Zimbabwean government point-blank refuses to accept medical assistance from the international community, Zimbabwes people and local officials would like to accommodate proper medical care for its citizens, including reliable medical facilities. Another top priority to the parents of young children in Zimbabwe is the importance of education. By educating the Zimbabwean youth about the importance of protection and taking precautions, the spread of the HIV/AIDS epidemic can be halted. Chinas support has helped through a few temporary issues concerning medical care, and Iran has been a source of support for the Zimbabwean government in international fora, as well as signing trade agreements between the two countries for medical equipment.

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