UN: World Blood Bank (voting ends Wednesday 14th April)

[ceroomaster]

World Blood Bank
A resolution to reduce income inequality and increase basic welfare.

Category: Social Justice
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: Malagassia
Description:
Whereas it has been observed that some nations are experiencing repeated or seasonal shortages of blood,

Whereas it has been observed that most nations are experiencing acute shortages in donor organs,

Whereas it has been observed that organs compatible to the victim of the body are often hard to find,

Whereas it has been observed that only 1 in 200,000 people have compatible marrow types,

Whereas it has been observed that marrow donors are rare,

Whereas it has been observed that every nation is susceptible to acute blood and organ shortages in the case of calamities,

Whereas national blood reserves are largely left idle most of the times as fresh blood expires in a matter of days,

Whereas regional or worldwide redistribution would provide an assurance against acute shortage and could level national shortages/surplusses,

A World Blood Bank is proposed in which all nation's donations would be included and redistributed on a regional scale meeting local needs.

UN nations would need to open up their reserves to the World Blood Bank and partake in the funding of a centralized body that would coordinate the efforts of gathering, archiving and redistributing.

These efforts are deemed compatible with the role of the Red Cross/Red Crescent and could/should be done in concordance with that organisation.

In order to safeguard quality and well-being of donors and receivers, blood, marrow and organ donations should meet the requirements put forward by the Red Cross/Red Crescent.

[ceroomaster]

Ceroo will be voting AGAINST, and encourages other members to vote the same.

The fact that this resolution requires

all nation's donations [of blood] would be included and redistributed on a regional scale meeting local needs

but also states

fresh blood expires in a matter of days

confirms this as a poorly thought out plan.

Ceroo would consider giving any surplus of blood, to a regional organisation for redistribution- however, as with most nations there are barely enough donations to cover demand. To lose time shipping out our donations to a central organisation, just to get the same amount, or less, back is not a step in the right direction.
The Cerooan people deserve better than this.

[Mr. President]

This resolution might have its heart in the right place, but it could cause a public health nightmare. Many infectious diseases are blood-borne, and supplies from countries with poor monitoring and less stringent public health administration could taint the entire supply. (AIDS is the obvious problem, but not the only one: some cases of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease have been linked to blood transfusions.)

I agree with Ceroo: we should cast our votes against.

[joncha]

The people of Jonchastan are in favour of the motion, although we share the reservations of our neighbours. We believe that the stated aims of the resolution are worthy of support, and that any problems that may arise can be easily dealt with. Our people have full confidence in the ability of the Jonchastani Committee for Public Health to safegaurd our blood supply.

We look forward to further debate on this issue, and are willing to modify our position to support the majority, should our neighbours be sufficiently concerned about the potential drawbacks of the resolution.

[Ave'Tris]

Just a quick note on the shelf life of blood. Blood is rated for 42 days from donation to use. Organ donation and platelet donations need to be used in a much more timely fashion (usually with donation and use being nearly immediate). Also, if screening were to be done by the organization handling redistribution, it would ensure that less advanced nations would not easily taint the blood supply. If a nation with a superior screening system wished to use that instead, I doubt that the Red Cross would object.

[Westgale]

As much as we are in support for such initiatives as this to benefit all people, this UN resolution is not rational for all reasons previously stated. The shelf life of blood is so short that sending it away to be redistributed may serve no purpose as it could very well become worthless before it reaches its final destination. We would be much more interested in supporting a regional blood bank, if such an idea was proposed, but our vote on this UN resolution is NO.

Samuel Grace
Regional Government Representative
Foreign Policy Bureau of the Commonwealth of Westgale

[Basus]

Basus is for the current resolution for it will strenghten the feeling of unity. The feeling of beeing one with all other human beings. I don't mean in a collective kind of way but just the feeling that all are equal. This kind of thinking is revolutionairy and will stop wars all over the world. Of course their are some practical problems to solve but if you see them as challenges then we can achieve great things !

[Guardian]

Guardinia is officially still considering the issue.
We are inclined to agree with Ceroo but reluctant to turn our backs on Basus.

[ceroomaster]

We appreciate the sentiments of Basus' people, but despite this are not willing to jeapordise the health of our own.
In our opinion, a more practical solution would be a voluntary multi-national database of blood, marrow and organ compatability. Should there be no match in one nation, they can seek the database for one in other nations.

There is also the consideration of ethnicity when it comes to blood- for example, peoples of Asian descent are more likely to be type B, Scandanavian descent type A, the dominant blood group in the UK is type O. This would probably favour setting up a regional distribution centre rather than a worldwide one in the event the resolution passes.

With regard to the shelf life of blood, it would be only the minority blood groups that have the potential to ever reach this, and these are what generally create the surpluses which we would not mind contributing.
(OOC: IIRC in the UK, 2500 pints of type O are used a day, and each donation is used within 10 days on average- that's between just 60 million people, the quanities used by nearly 3 billion people would be astronomical).

[Ave'Tris]

Azure Dianoga is officially FOR the bank. We feel that it is reasonable to assume that the international network will be created in such a way as to place emphasis on the region. The idea of redistributing the entire world supply of blood is lunacy, and it is assumed that the banks will be used in a more regional and as needed way.

However, Azure Dianoga will continue to maintain its own seperate system in which enough tissues to meet demand are met. A reasonable reserve will be kept, and remaining tissues will be forwarded to the World Bank. Azure Dianoga will only call upon the bank in cases of emergency.

[Basus]

The scientific counsil of Basus has recommended to vote for the current resolution. The people of Basus earlier voted for this resolution. The scientific Counsils advised to continue with our own organ, marrow and blood bank but is willing to cooperate with any international organisation. We have trust in the capacities of the U.N.
and we have to to everything we can to help the less fortunate nations in this world.

"True strenght lays in trust and unity" a thesis by Mr Joosten

[joncha]

A resolution passed at the latest meeting of the Jonchabad International Issues Committee has confirmed Jonchastan's position for the motion, but has also stipulated that we vote along with the majority position in the region, as an act of solidarity.

We await a telegram from Ceroo to inform us of Apolyton's majority decision.

[ceroomaster]

UN Members' Votes:

FOR: (7)
North Texas
Jonchastan
Basus
Azure Dianoga
Twilemen
Guardinia
The United Good

AGAINST: (4)
Dunlendor
Admaria
Ceroo
Karakas

Non-UN Members' Opinions
For: (0)

Against: (1)
Westgale

[ceroomaster]

In accordance with regional opinion, Ceroo will be voting FOR the resolution.

[Guardian]

Guardinia is also voting FOR.