• The Government has developed an online portal called ‘Platform for Effective Enforcement for No Child Labour (PENCiL)’ to enforce the Child and Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act of 1986.

• The portal consists of five components:

1. Central Government

2. State Government

3. District Project Societies

4. Child Tracking System

5. Complaint corner

• District Nodal Officers (DNOs) have been appointed to ensure strict implementation of the Act.

• The Ministry has framed a model State Action Plan (SAP) with action points for State Governments to eradicate child labor, including among migrant, girl, and SC/ST children.

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• The 'Desh Ka Prakriti Parikshan Abhiyan' is a health awareness initiative launched by the Ministry of Ayush.

• The initiative offers personalized health insights based on one's Prakriti to prevent diseases and promote well-being.

• With widespread participation and volunteer support, it aims to create lasting awareness about Ayurveda and break Guinness World Records, fostering a healthier nation.

• To date, 10,737 volunteers are actively promoting the campaign across India.

• Six thousand eight hundred twenty-eight individuals have completed their Prakriti Parikshan (Ayurvedic mind-body constitution assessment).

• Eleven thousand six hundred eight citizens have pledged to adopt Ayurvedic principles for better health.

• The campaign aims to break several Guinness World Records, including the most significant online photo album of Prakriti certificates and the most pledges for a health campaign.

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• India has launched a landmark national campaign, “Nayi Chetna – Pahal Badlaav Ki,” to eliminate gender-based violence.

• This month-long initiative, running from November 25 to December 23, is spearheaded by the Ministries of Women and Child Development and Rural Development, with support from UN Women.

• It coincides with the launch of #AbKoiBahanaNahi, a movement inspired by the global #NoExcuse campaign, emphasizing zero tolerance for violence against women.

• A major milestone of the campaign is the establishment of 227 Gender Resource Centres in 13 states, providing essential services like counseling and legal aid to survivors.

• The initiative employs a “whole-of-government” approach, involving nine ministries, including Health, Education, Home Affairs, and Social Justice, united under the slogan, “Ek Saath, Ek Awaaz, Hinsa Ke Khilaaf” (Together, One Voice Against Violence).

• The campaign aims to raise awareness, empower communities to speak out and enhance local institutions' capacity to combat violence. 

• A film screened during the launch highlighted the need for collective accountability from all sectors, including citizens, to take action against gender violence.

• This initiative, aligned with India's vision of Viksit Bharat (Developed India) by 2047, emphasizes that national development depends on women's safety and empowerment.

• By participating in the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, India reinforces its commitment to ensuring women’s safety as a fundamental pillar of national growth and justice.

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• The government proposed support in the following manner:

1. Monthly Incentive: ₹2000 for routine activities.

2. Performance-Based Incentives: Additional incentives for various National Health Programmes.

3. Team-Based Incentives: Up to ₹1000 per month after the launch of Ayushman Arogya Mandir.

4. Non-monetary Incentives: Uniforms, identity cards, cycles, mobile phones, CUG SIMs, diaries, drug kits, and restrooms.

5. Cash Award: ₹20,000 and a citation for ASHAs serving at least 10 years.

6. Social Security Schemes: Coverage under PMJJBY(Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Beema Yojana), PMSBY(Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Beema Yojana), and PM-SYM(Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan Dhan)

7. Healthcare Coverage: ₹5 lakhs annual coverage under AB-PMJAY.

• This decision recognized the remarkable role of ASHAs in our health system and aims to strengthen their capacity further. 

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• UNICEF recently released ‘State of the World’s Children 2024’, a report that looked into the impact of three major changes: 

1. Climate change

2. Demographic transitions 

3. Technological advances 

• The report analyzed the state of children’s health today and over 26 years projected globally till 2050.

• India has been ranked 26th out of the 163 countries studied for this report.

• The report states that by the 2040s, as many as 34 million children may suffer from extreme river flooding, and 18 million could be impacted by coastal flooding due to climate change.

• These will especially impact children from the lower socioeconomic strata.

• While raising concerns about India, the policy also praised certain government initiatives, such as the National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) and Mission LiFE, which aim to reduce emissions by 45% by 2030 and promote sustainability.

• An exploratory quantitative study published in Wellcome Open Research journal, conducted by the George Institute of Global Health in Kolkata in collaboration with Kolkata Rista, an NGO, looked into the struggles faced by transgender women and the ways they face stigma amongst themselves and society. 

• The following were the results -

1. Transgender women face stigma from various sources in their day-to-day life: Internal stigma, which is self-directed; stigma from cis-gendered persons (Interpersonal stigma); and discrimination faced at the institutional level, such as at hospitals or by law enforcement (Structural stigma).

2. They face a lot of rejection from their families about their orientation. While some would find solace in hijra gharanas, the hierarchical relationships there also affect the mental health of younger chelas due to the elderly gurus.

3. Stigma at schools would leave them unable to complete their education often, thus forcing them to look for work by begging or sex work. This also leads to poor treatment by law enforcement and hospital medical staff. The lack of education would hamper employment and further advancement.

4. The researchers raised the importance of a greater focus on implementing laws already in place while inculcating sex education and sensitization in schools.

• Further, they advocated for increased representation of trans individuals at the policy-making and decision levels.

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• Mr. Dinesh Gundu Rao, Health Minister, Government of Karnataka, unveiled a ‘second opinion’ helpline on November 19th under the aegis of the Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Trust, to help patients undergoing complex joint surgeries get advice to guide them regarding their decisions.

• The first-of-its-kind helpline in India will provide information in Kannada and English from a group of expert joint replacement surgeons on second opinions, treatment options, surgical plans, and rehabilitation programs.

• The expert group will also review patients referred from government facilities to empanelled facilities under the health scheme to review gaps in manpower and facilities within the state and amend these.

• The government aims to roll out the service in other specialties in a phased manner.

• The highlights of the CoP29 held at Baku,Azerbaijan on 21 November,2024 are:

1. Disappointment with focus shift: India was disappointed with Capital CoP29 for mowing the focus from climate finance to mitigation initiatives.

2. Alignment with developing countries: Having highlighted the difficulties faced by the global South, India sided with like-minded developing countries.

3. Rejecting attempts to renegotiate ‘just transitions’: India maintained its stand that developed nations must take the lead in efforts to mitigate the effects of the crisis.

4. India’s criticism on new Chapeau: India stood a critique against the new chapeau on enhancing action for not being integrated with continuing budgetary needs and talks.

5. Demand for adequate climate funding: In order to take effective action, India stressed the need for $1.3 trillion in climate funding, mostly in the forms of grants.

6. Emphasis on adaptation goals: To ensure that all nations receive support for climate action. India called for clear indicators for adaptation goals.

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• A new study by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), published in The Lancet HIV, reveals notable progress in reducing the global impact of HIV/AIDS while cautioning that the UNAIDS 2030 targets remain out of reach. 

• Between 2010 and 2021, new HIV infections dropped from 2.1 million to 1.7 million, and AIDS-related deaths decreased from 1.2 million to 718,000. 

• Sub-Saharan Africa leads this progress, achieving a 60% reduction in lifetime HIV acquisition risk since 1995 and significantly decreasing the population without viral suppression. 

• However, regions like Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia face rising infection rates and gaps in viral control.

• The study predicts HIV cases will peak at 44.4 million by 2039 before a gradual decline. 

• Researchers stress the need for expanded access to antiretroviral therapy, enhanced prevention strategies, and strengthened global programs like PEPFAR. 

• Comprehensive, equitable efforts are vital to meet global goals and eventually end HIV/AIDS.

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• The 18th Kolokotrones Symposium, organized by Harvard’s CAUSALab and Population Mental Health Lab, addressed challenges in understanding and addressing mental health issues. 

• With nearly one in four U.S. adults affected by conditions like anxiety, depression, or PTSD, and one in 20 experiencing significant impairment, traditional treatments like therapy and medication are proving inadequate. 

• Karestan Koenen, who leads the lab, emphasized the need for population-based strategies, such as policies that alleviate economic stress to improve mental health.

• Experts explored diverse topics, including teen depression, opioid overdoses, and PTSD, highlighting the complexity of evaluating interventions. 

• Katherine Keyes noted inconsistent evidence on restricting adolescent social media use, while Magdalena Cerdá described difficulties in assessing harm reduction laws for opioid overdoses due to fragmented data. 

• Discussions also covered child mental health, PTSD’s role in cardiovascular risk, and the effects of childhood trauma. 

• The panel stressed better data, advanced methodologies, and innovative tools like AI for meaningful progress

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• The card is a step forward in the government’s commitment to inclusive healthcare for the elderly in India.

• The card was released on the occasion of the Dhanavantri Jayanti and Ayurveda day and marks a transformative step in healthcare.

• The salient features of the card are as follows:

1. The card provides free treatment for citizen age 70 and above.

2. There is no capping with respect to family size, age or income to ensure universal access for all senior citizens.

• As part of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Yojana, it aims to cover over 6,00,00,000 senior citizens and 10 lakh seniors have enrolled within three weeks of the card’s rollout.

• The program covers a wide range of medical services viz., surgeries and post hospitalization care i.e.,all that covered under AB-PMJAY

• More than 4800 seniors have been benefited and treatments worth over Rs 9 crores have been authorized.

• This step aims to reduce the out-of-pocket expenditure among elderly and ensures that the elderly are cared for with dignity.

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• A decline in TB incidence, increased diagnostic testing, improved financial assistance, integrated patient support and community involvement in the year 2023 as compared to the then status in 2015 were the achievements listed.

• India aims to reduce TB incidence by 80% and mortality rate by 90% and zero house-hold getting infected and suffering from catastrophic expenses.

• The global average in decline was 8.3% whereas India recorded a remarkable 17.7% decrease in incidence of Tuberculosis.

• The focus of National Strategic Plan (2017 to 2025) was on innovative diagnostics and comprehensive care.

• The program has addressed HIV, malnutrition, substance abuse and diabetes for enhanced outcome of TB treatment

• The NTEP conducted 68.3 lakh Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests and 1.83 crore sputum smear tests in 2023 thereby resulting in an increase in diagnostic testing.

• 1croreTB patients have been provided with rupees to 781 crores under Ni-kshay Poshan Yojana.

• For TB care and awareness, the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan mobilized over 1.5 community workers.

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