AMIGOS IAS Daily Current Affairs (10^th August 2024)

India to roll out new treatment regimen for drug-resistant TB

GS 3: Science and Technology: TB

Why is it in the news?

• India is preparing to introduce the BPaL (bedaquiline, pretomanid, and linezolid) treatment regimen for patients with multidrug-resistant (MDR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB).

• This new regimen is set to significantly cut the treatment duration from the previous 18 to 24 months to approximately six months. Training for this new approach is scheduled to commence this month.

More about the news

• The BPaL regimen has demonstrated positive results in countries such as Pakistan, South Africa, and Ukraine.
• Soumya Swaminathan, principal adviser for the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme, announced on social media that India is gearing up to roll out this regimen.
• She noted that this change should improve treatment outcomes and assist thousands of patients, with increased coverage of nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT) being a key element of the strategy.
• Experts welcomed the move, highlighting that the cost of generic bedaquiline has decreased, making the BPaL regimen more affordable.
• They described this as a significant advancement for drug-resistant tuberculosis patients, as it will replace the older, longer, and less effective treatments with a more efficient, safer, and shorter regimen, improving the chances of curing the disease.
• According to senior Health Ministry official, the introduction of pretomanid in the BPaL regimen has led to a notable reduction in treatment duration. Previously, patients had to take up to 14 different anti-TB drugs daily, while the new regimen requires just three tablets.
• Moreover, the World Health Organization recommended the BPaL and BPaLM (BPaL + moxifloxacin) regimens in 2022, recognizing them as effective, shorter, and less burdensome treatment options that also reduce costs for health systems and patients.

Additional Information:

Tuberculosis:

• About: It is an infectious disease, the world’s deadliest, primarily caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) bacteria, commonly affecting the lungs (Pulmonary TB) but also capable of impacting other body parts (Extrapulmonary TB).
• Airborne Infection: It is an airborne disease that transmits through close contact with infected individuals, particularly in crowded and poorly ventilated environments.
• Symptoms:
• Active TB: Common symptoms include a persistent cough with sputum and occasional blood, chest pain, weakness, weight loss, fever, and night sweats.
• Latent TB: Many infections are asymptomatic, known as latent tuberculosis, where individuals do not exhibit symptoms and do not spread the disease.
• Treatment:
• Treatment of TB requires the use of multiple antibiotics over a long period of time.
• Drugs for TB:
• Isoniazid (INH): A key TB medication, INH is highly effective against Mycobacterium tuberculosis by inhibiting mycolic acid synthesis in the bacterial cell wall.
• Rifampicin (RIF): Essential for TB treatment, RIF inhibits RNA synthesis in bacteria and is crucial for preventing drug resistance when used with other drugs.
• Delamanid: A newer drug for multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), Delamanid is used in combination with other medications to enhance treatment effectiveness.
• Different Initiatives to Combat TB:
• Global:
• WHO Initiative: The World Health Organization has launched the “Find. Treat. All. EndTB” initiative in collaboration with the Global Fund and Stop TB Partnership.
• Global Tuberculosis Report: WHO publishes the Global Tuberculosis Report, which provides crucial data and insights on TB.
• Global Plan to End TB: It was adopted in 2014 with the aim to end the TB epidemic globally by 2035.
• It aims at 95% reduction by 2035 in the number of TB deaths compared with 2015, 90% reduction by 2035 in the TB incidence rate compared with 2015 and Zero TB-affected families facing catastrophic costs due to TB by 2035.
• National (India):
• Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan
• National Strategic Plan (NSP) for Tuberculosis Elimination (2017-2025)
• TB Harega Desh Jeetega Campaign
• National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme

About World Health Organization (WHO):

• Established in 1948, this specialized United Nations agency links nations, partners, and communities to advance global health, ensure safety, and provides technical support to countries in assessing health trends.
• It Commenced its operations on April 7, 1948, this date is now annually commemorated as World Health Day.
• Membership: WHO currently has 194 member states.
• India became a party to the WHO on 12 January 1948.

Top of Form

Govt. says ‘creamy layer’ not applicable to SC, ST quota

GS 2: Polity and Governance: Creamy Layer within SCs/STs

Why is it in the news?

• The Union Cabinet has recently declared that the principle of the ‘creamy layer’ does not apply to reservations for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs).

More about the news

• Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw emphasized that the government is committed to the Constitutional provisions established by Babasaheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar, which do not include the ‘creamy layer’ concept. He stressed that the reservation should be based solely on the Constitution as outlined by Ambedkar.
• Moreover, Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured BJP MPs from SC and ST communities that no ‘creamy layer’ distinctions would be implemented within the reserved quotas for jobs and educational seats.
• Further, the Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal also clarified in the Lok Sabha that the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on sub-categorization within the SC quota did not mandate the ‘creamy layer’ principle.
• The Supreme Court’s decision on August 1 allowed States to sub-classify SC communities based on empirical data to better target reservations. However, Justice B.R. Gavai suggested that States should establish policies to identify and exclude the ‘creamy layer’ within SCs and STs.

Additional Information:

Understanding the ‘Creamy Layer’

• The concept of the creamy layer emerged from the landmark Indra Sawhney ruling in 1992.
• Based on the Mandal Commission’s recommendation, the V P Singh government in 1990 notified 27% reservation for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (OBC) in civil posts and services. This was challenged in the Supreme Court by Indra Sawhney and others.
• On November 16, 1992, a nine-judge Bench headed by Justice B P Jeevan Reddy upheld the 27% OBC reservation, subject to the exclusion of the creamy layer, or the more socially, economically, and educationally advanced members among OBCs, to ensure that reservation benefits reached those most in need.
• The creamy layer refers to the better-off individuals within a caste/community based on specific criteria, not the sub-classification of the entire reserved category.

Identifying the Creamy Layer among OBCs

• The criteria for determining the creamy layer were established by an expert committee headed by retired Justice Ram Nandan Prasad, following the Indra Sawhney judgement.
• The committee’s report, submitted on March 10, 1993, led to the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) listing six categories on September 8, whose children would be considered in the creamy layer.
• These categories include individuals holding constitutional/statutory posts, Group ‘A’ and ‘B’ officers of central and state governments, employees of PSUs and statutory bodies, universities, Colonels and above in the armed forces, professionals such as doctors and lawyers, and property owners with significant holdings. The creamy layer is determined by parental occupation and income.
• Initially, the income threshold was set at Rs 1 lakh per annum, revised to Rs 8 lakh in 2017, with no further updates. A committee headed by former DoPT secretary B P Sharma was constituted in March 2019 to review this criterion, but progress has stalled.

Philippines, Vietnam hold their first-ever joint coast guard exercise

GS 3: Defence-Military exercises

About the news

• On Friday (9th August), the Philippines and Vietnam conducted their first-ever joint coast guard exercise, marking a significant collaboration between the two nations.
• During the drills, crews from both countries’ coast guard vessels used water cannons to simulate an engagement and conducted a mock search and rescue operation.
• This exercise is particularly notable as both countries have had confrontations with China, which claims sovereignty over nearly the entire South China Sea.
• The Philippines and Vietnam have each submitted separate claims to the United Nations for an extended continental shelf in the South China Sea, seeking recognition of their rights beyond the 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone.

Additional Information:

South China Sea:

• About:
• The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Western Pacific Ocean that extends from the Strait of Malacca in the southwest, to the Strait of Taiwan in the northeast.
• The littoral countries of the South China Sea (clockwise from north) are: the People’s Republic of China, Taiwan, Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, Singapore and Vietnam.
• It contains rich source of hydrocarbons and natural resources. The Paracel Islands, the Spratly Islands and the Scarborough Shoal are the most important.

Significance:

• Strategic Location: The South China Sea borders China, Taiwan, the Indo-Chinese peninsula, Indonesia, Brunei, and the Philippines, linking to the East China Sea and the Philippine Sea.
• Trade Importance: In 2016, $3.37 trillion in trade passed through the South China Sea, a vital route with 80% of global trade volume and 70% by value passing through sea routes, with China and India heavily reliant on it.
• Fishing Ground: The South China Sea is a vital fishing ground, essential for the livelihood and food security of millions in the region.

UPSC Civil Services Mains PYQ:

Q. Evaluate the economic and strategic dimensions of India’s Look East Policy in the context of the post-Cold War international scenario. (2016)

Aman Sherawat clinched a bronze medal

Miscellaneous

About the news

• Aman Sherawat, who lost his parents and became an orphan at age 11, has achieved a remarkable feat by winning a bronze medal in wrestling at the Paris Olympics.
• Despite a challenging weight management issue before his bronze medal bout, Sehrawat, who had initially gained 1.5 kg post-semifinal, successfully cut down to his competition weight in time.
• His victory over Puerto Rican wrestler Toi Darian Cruz demonstrated his strength and skill, marking a continuation of India’s success in wrestling.

INS Tabar

GS 3: Science and Technology -Defence

Why is it in the news?

• Recently, Russian President Vladimir Putin extended a warm welcome to Indian Navy personnel aboard the INS Tabar during Russia’s Navy Day celebrations.
• The INS Tabar, a stealth frigate built for the Indian Navy in Russia, is currently participating in these events.

About INS Tabar

• INS Tabar, a key vessel in the Indian Navy, is the third ship of the Talwar-class series of frigates.
• Commissioned on April 19, 2004, in Kaliningrad, Russia, it serves as part of the Indian Navy’s Western Fleet based in Mumbai under the Western Naval Command.
• Key Features:
• This frigate is designed for a variety of missions, including air, surface, and sub-surface operations and can operate independently or as part of a larger naval fleet.
• INS Tabar has a crew complement of around 280 personnel with advanced weapons and sensors. The ship can reach speeds of up to 30 knots (56 km/h or 35 mph).
• Moreover, the INS Tabar is equipped with a range of sophisticated weaponry, including supersonic BrahMos anti-ship cruise missiles, making it the first Talwar-class ship to be armed with this advanced missile system.
• Additionally, it is outfitted with Barak-1 missiles for defence purposes.