Polio Virus
Context: The Centre has instructed states to provide sewage samples to all sentinel locations that currently conduct Poliovirus surveillance, in case a new Covid-19 strain causes a new rise in cases. Sentinel surveillance is defined as “the voluntary monitoring of the rate of incidence of specific diseases/conditions by a network of doctors, laboratories, and public […]
Parboiled Rice
Context: Recently, Telangana Chief Minister and members of his Cabinet staged a dharna at Telangana House, demanding a uniform paddy procurement policy. The protest came after the Centre said it was stopping the purchase of excess parboiled rice, of which Telangana is a major producer. The Centre has said demand is low and it cannot waste money […]
The Food Vaccine As Right, More So For TB patients
Context Historical importance of good nutrition was ignored by the modern therapist who tried to control TB initially with streptomycin injection, isoniazid and para-aminosalisylic acid. In the ecstasy of finding antibiotics killing the germs, the social determinants of disease were ignored. Relevance GS-II: Issues Relating to Development and Management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, […]
What is Colour Blindness
Context: The Supreme Court has directed the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) not to exclude candidates suffering from colour blindness from its courses on film making and editing and asked it to make changes to its curriculum instead. Relevance: GS II- Health Dimensions of the Article: What is colour blindness? What causes colour blindness? What […]
World Health Day
Focus: GS II- Health Why in News? April 7 of each year marks the celebration of World Health Day. Background: From its inception at the First Health Assembly in 1948 and since taking effect in 1950, the celebration has aimed to create awareness of a specific health theme to highlight a priority area of concern […]
Measures to Address Malnutrition Among Women and Children
Focus: GS II- Health Why in News? The Government has accorded high priority to the issue of malnutrition and is making serious efforts to address this issue. Poshan Abhiyaan The term ‘POSHAN’ in the name of the programme stands for ‘Prime Minister’s Overarching Scheme for Holistic Nutrition’. POSHAN Abhiyaan launched in 2018 aims at improving […]
Why WHO suspended Covaxin?
Context: Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that it has suspended the supply of Covaxin through UN procurement agencies and recommended to countries that received the vaccine to take actions as “appropriate”. Relevance: GS II- Health Dimensions of the Article Why has the WHO taken this step now? What did the WHO inspection find? Why did the company not […]
Corbevax
Context: The Centre has opened up Covid-19 vaccination for children between the ages of 12 and 14, allowing them to receive Corbevax, a vaccine against Covid-19 that is manufactured by Hyderabad-based Biological-E. Corbevax is India’s first indigenously developed Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) protein sub-unit vaccine. Relevance: GS II- Health Dimensions of the Article: What is Corbevax? What is […]
Xenotransplantation
Context: Recently, A patient whose failing heart had been replaced with the heart of a genetically altered pig in a landmark surgery at the University of Maryland Medical Centre in Baltimore, United States, died, two months after the operation. Relevance: GS III- Science and Technology, GS II- Health Dimensions of the Article: What is xenotransplantation? Why the heart […]
Pal-Dadhvav Massacre
Context: Recently, the Gujarat government marked 100 years of the Pal-Dadhvav killings, calling it a massacre “bigger than the Jallianwala Bagh”. Before this, the incident had been featured on the state’s Republic Day tableau. Relevance: GS II- History Dimensions of the Article: About Pal-Dadhvav massacre: Who was Tejawat Tribal population About Pal-Dadhvav massacre: The Pal-Dadhvav […]