• The Union Health Minister, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, chaired a high-level meeting to review the COVID-19 situation in India.

• The preparedness of the public health system was also assessed, including key points such as:

1. Surveillance.

2. Containment.

3. Management of COVID-19.

• The Union Health Minister stressed the need to be alert and prepared against new and emerging strains of COVID-19, especially considering the upcoming festive season.

• He urged states to ramp up testing and refer samples of COVID-19-positive cases to INSACOG labs for genome sequencing to track new variants.

• Following the meeting, the officials have been asked to undertake mock drills every three months at the central and state levels.

• This will be done to assess the functionality of medical equipment and oxygen supplies.

• States are urged to create awareness, manage infodemic, and ensure dissemination of factually correct information.

• Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, the Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare, inaugurated a range of new facilities at North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS).

• This includes a Regional Cancer Centre, Undergraduate Medical College, and Modular Operation Theatres.

• These new facilities at NEIGRIHMS aim to improve healthcare in Meghalaya.

• This will subsequently lead to an increase in medical course seats and reduce the necessity for residents to seek treatment outside the region.

• The addition of a 150-bed Critical Care Block, focusing on infectious diseases, aligns with the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission.

• This will ensure uninterrupted hospital care during outbreaks.

• These developments signify significant progress in delivering quality healthcare to Meghalaya and the Northeast.

• Leprosy patients often face stigma in the community.

• Insufficient awareness leads to stigma, hindering leprosy control.

• This also affects the social, employment, marriage, and family dynamics.

• The "Sparsh Leprosy Awareness Campaign (SLAC)" introduced in 2017 addresses stigma and discrimination under the National Leprosy Eradication Program.

• SLAC activities:

               1.  Messages from authorities

               2. Appeals to reduce discrimination

               3. Honoring leprosy-affected individuals

               4. Themed awareness.

• The SLAC is under renovation with a 2024 theme: "Ending Stigma, Embracing Dignity" with nationwide Gram Sabhas and various activities.

• As of 2023, the SLAC had already covered 80% of the villages.

• The State Coordination Committee and Leprosy Awareness Media Committee play a crucial role in planning and execution.

• Responsibilities assigned to the State Leprosy Officer, District Leprosy Officer, and Block Medical Officer are an essential push for effective campaign implementation.

• The Indian government is executing the National Tuberculosis Elimination Program (NTEP) with a determined plan to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of ending TB by 2025, instead of 2030.

• Since 2018, a Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) of INR 500 has been provided monthly in the Nikshay Poshan Yojana during the treatment duration.

• The Nikshay portal automatically generates benefits of INR 1000 at diagnosis and another INR 500 after 56 days of treatment.

• This will be processed through a maker/checker/approver method.

• To address delays, loss to follow-up, and resource optimization, the first benefit will be revised to INR 1500, followed by another INR 1500 at 84 days and subsequent monthly INR 500.

• This will reduce transition frequency from 5 to 2 and enhance implementation efficiency.

• The revised benefit system will be applied to patients notified after January 1, 2024, while existing patients will continue with the current frequency.

• Country-wide study of Air pollution impacts on human health in 20 cities under the National Environment Health profile study was conducted.

• The following factors were assessed:

1. Mercury levels exposure estimation.

2. Air Quality Assessment.

3. Impact of traffic emission and firecrackers amongst adolescents.

4. Air quality impact on respiratory health due to crop burning.

5. Effects of chronic exposure to biomass fuel smoke.

• Major steps taken by the Government to combat air pollution include:

1. The National Clean Air Programme -

• A target reduction of 20-30%  in particulate matter concentration by 2024, 

• A city-based action plan and performance-based funding,

• A Public Grievance Redressal portal, and 

• An emergency response system.

2. Measures for control of vehicular emissions-

• Leapfrogging from BS4 to BS6 fuel standards, 

• Radiofrequency identity, 

• Faster adoption and manufacture of electric vehicles, and 

• Sustainable and affordable alternative transportation.

3. Control of industrial emissions: 

• Notifications regarding So2 and NOx emission standards

• Ban on pet coke and furnace oil use

4. Air quality monitoring and network: 

• National Air Quality Index (AQI) 

• Ambient Air Quality Network

• Central Control Room for tracking PM concentrations

• Live Air Quality data

• The guidelines for preventive management of diabetes mellitus include lifestyle management and diets with higher levels of micronutrients.

• Many researchers have studied pomegranate phenols for their antioxidant blood glucose-lowering properties.

• However, the results of those studies have been conflicting.

• Hence the authors conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis aimed at assessing the impact of pomegranate on glycemic indices.

• The pooled findings of studies found that there was a significant reduction in levels of:

1. Fasting blood glucose, 

2. Fasting insulin, 

3. HbA1c, and 

4. Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR)- which is a measure of insulin resistance.

• The glycemic index of pre-diabetic and diabetic individuals decreased more than non-diabetics.

• The study concludes that pomegranate consumption has a positive impact on the reduction of blood glucose levels. 

• Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM JANMAN) was launched by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to attend to 11 critical interventions via various ministries.

• The aim is to emphasize the socio-economic and health services of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).

• Under the Development Action Plan for the Scheduled Tribes (DAPST), 15000cr is approved for the program’s execution in the next 3 years.

• The interventions in focus are:

1. Availability of pucca home

2. Connecting roads

3. Regular water supply

4. Mobile medical unit with required expenses

5. Building Anganwadi, multipurpose centers, and hostels

6. Capacity building and vocational training

7. Provision of electricity

8. AYUSH wellness centers

9. Skill building of the PVTGs

•  The target beneficiaries are set for each intervention to achieve.

• The collaborating ministries hope to uplift the vulnerable communities with the above actions using the resources that have been approved.

• The Indian Cabinet has approved an extension of the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY).

• The scheme will provide free food grains to 81.35 crore beneficiaries for five years from January 1, 2024.

• This initiative positions PMGKAY among the world's largest social welfare initiatives, costing approximately Rs. 11.80 lakh crore over five years as food subsidy.

• The scheme aims at enhancing food security and provides the following free of cost:

1. Rice 

2. Wheat

3. Coarse grains

• The scheme ensures uniform distribution through over 5 lakh Fair Price Shops with a common logo.

• The One Nation One Ration Card initiative simplifies access for recipients across the country, fostering the transferability of privileges within and between states.

• This extension reflects the enduring commitment to addressing national food and nutrition security and mitigating financial hardships for the vulnerable.

• A dedicated Tele-MANAS cell was inaugurated at the Armed Forces Medical College in Pune.

• This approach was launched due to the various cultural, and environmental stressors prevalent among armed forces. 

• The cell will be functional 24*7 and will be manned by psychological counselors. 

• The Cell is an extension of the Tele-Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States initiative by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

• The cell will act as a central assistance center for all Armed Forces beneficiaries across India. 

• The government is committed to addressing mental health challenges in the Armed Forces, recognizing their unique stressors.

• Currently, there are 46 functional Tele-MANAS cells operating across 34 States/UTs, handling over 2000 calls daily and receiving more than 4.7 lakh calls since its launch in October 2022.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Merck Research Laboratories, a priority review of its application for approval of an investigational pneumococcal conjugate vaccine for adults.

• Merck's 21-valent (21-strain) pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, V116, is designed to help prevent pneumococcal disease and pneumococcal pneumonia in adults, including serotypes that are responsible for 83% of invasive pneumococcal disease in people 65 years of age and older. 

• It has eight unique Streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes not covered in currently licensed pneumococcal vaccines.

• The License Application is based on the results of multiple phase 3 trials that evaluated V116 in both vaccine-naïve and vaccine-experienced adults. 

• In the STRIDE-3 trial, V116 elicited non-inferior immune responses to PCV20 (pneumococcal 20-valent conjugate vaccine) for all 10 serotypes covered by both vaccines and superior immune responses for 10 of 11 serotypes included in V116 but not covered by PCV20.

• The FDA has set a target action date of June 17, 2024.

• 157 Government medical colleges have been sanctioned in phases, with 108 currently operational as per the Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS).

• Notably, there has been an 82% surge in medical colleges (from 387 to 706) and a 112% increase in MBBS seats (from 51,348 to 1,08,848) since 2014.

• Active Government initiatives include:

1. CSS for setting up and upgrading medical colleges and referral hospitals.

2. Constructing Super Specialty Blocks under the PMSSY scheme.

3. Approval of 22 new AIIMS institutions.

4. Norm relaxation for medical college setup.

5. Recognition of DNB qualification for faculty.

6. Age limit extension to 70 years for appointments signifies efforts to address shortages.

• The CSS focus is on underserved areas, emphasizing a cooperative fund-sharing approach between the Centre and State Governments to build new medical colleges supporting the referral hospitals for wide community reach.

• UNICEF Innocenti's latest release reveals surges in child poverty in affluent OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) and EU (European Union) nations from 2014-2021.

• It underscores the adverse impact of childhood poverty on education, earnings, and life expectancy disparities.

• Inequality in poverty risks is stark, notably affecting children with disabilities, minorities, ethnic/ racial backgrounds, and those in lone-parent families.

• Stable economic growth from 2012-2019 presents a recovery opportunity post-2008-10 recession.

• The report stresses the potential improvement in children's living conditions, independent of a nation's wealth.

• To eradicate child poverty, urgent measures include:

1. Expanding social protection.

2. Ensuring access to quality services.

3. Generating employment opportunities with fair pay and family-friendly policies.

4. Tailoring measures for minority groups and single-headed households.

• The Report Card emphasizes the immediate impact of cash benefits in alleviating poverty, urging decision-makers to prioritize and increase expenditure on child and family benefits.