• NPY offers a cash transfer of 500rs for every individual notified to have tuberculosis for the entire period of their anti-tubercular treatment.

• A retrospective cohort study examined the degree of NPY implementation in India from 2018 to 2022, using NTEP’s database of 3.7 million TB patients from nine randomly selected states

• The study results revealed that:

1. The proportion of patients who received at least one NPY transfer has improved from 56.9% in 2018 to 76.1% in 2022.

2. Increased political commitment and schemes like Jan Dhan Yojana have solved the problem of lack of bank accounts which was a major hurdle in delivering the DBT benefits to patients five years ago.

3. Since 2018 the average time between diagnosis and receipt of NPY installment has reduced by half but considerable delays still exist nationwide; more in private sector notified patients.

• Co-location of AYUSH facilities at various healthcare centers will enhance patient choice and accessibility.

• Integration of AYUSH with new AIIMS institutions is facilitated through a Joint Coordination Committee

• Wellness activities like Yoga are conducted in Ayushman Arogya Mandirs, promoting holistic health

• Over 1.64 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs delivered comprehensive primary healthcare services, including preventive, curative, and rehabilitative care

• Teleconsultation services at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs enable access to specialist care closer to home, benefiting millions with improved healthcare accessibility and continuity of care

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• FSSAI eliminates the need for BIS or AGMARK certification, streamlining the certification process for food businesses.

• Revision of milk fat products standards ensures quality and safety in dairy products consumer preferences.

• Revision of milk fat product standards will ensure the quality and safety of dairy products.

• Haleem, a popular dish, received standardized regulations under meat product standards, enhancing consumer trust.

• The comprehensive compliance manual provides guidelines for regulatory adherence, promoting transparency and accountability.

• Stakeholder feedback was invited before finalizing amendments, ensuring inclusivity and consensus-building in the high-level meeting.

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• The key initiatives include:

1. Initiatives like Ayushman Bharat-Health and Wellness Centres (now renamed as Ayushman Arogya Mandir), Emergency COVID Response Package(ECRP), and PM-ABHIM will enhance infrastructure and services.

2. District hospitals will serve as training sites, offering DNB/CPS courses for medical professionals.

3.  "Mera Aspataal" will be integrated for patient feedback ensuring service improvement.

4. National Quality Assurance Standards( NQAS ) certification will be done to ensure safe, quality healthcare delivery.

5. Free Drugs Service and Diagnostics Initiative will reduce patient financial burden.

6. Tele-consultation platforms like e-Sanjeevani to enhance specialist care accessibility.

7. Performance assessed through HMIS data validated against physical records.

8. 17 key performance indicators will cover structure, process, output, and outcome domains.

9. The second round of assessment will include data validation for 10% of district hospitals.

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• The Gender Budget, which allocates funds for schemes and programs that benefit women and girls, has increased by 38.6% compared to the previous year.

• 43 Ministries/Departments/UTs have reported a total of Rs. 3.09 lakh crore in the Gender Budget Statement 2024-25, which is 6.5% of the total Union Budget.

•  Ministry of Power and Ministry of Civil Aviation have reported in the Gender Budget Statement for the first time.

• The increase in the Gender Budget reflects the Government's commitment to empower women and girls and ensure their equal participation in the development of the country.

• The 37th STOP TB partnership Board Meeting was held and was virtually addressed by Union Health Minister, Dr.Mansukh Mandaviya showcasing the milestones India has reached in the mission END TB by 2025. 

• He urged the dignitaries to design large-scale interventions.

• The statements made by Dr.Mansukh Madaviya are as follows:

1. The global reduction in TB   incidence is at 8.3% and the same for India is at 16 % i.e., double-paced.

2. The number of missing TB cases in 2023(0.26million)  to were nearly  ¼ times of those during 2015(1 million)

• India has emphasized improving healthcare services under the G-20 presidency through:

1. Digital solution

2. Focusing on One Health and Anti-Microbial resistance

3. Enhancing pharmaceutical capabilities.

• The Private sector participation was 33% of total TB cases.

• The initiatives and outreach efforts that helped achieve community participation are :

1. Jan Bhagidhari

2. Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan-1,50,000 Ni-kshay Mitras came forward to support 1 Million TB patients with nutritional supplementation.

3. The Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra- 38 million people were screened and 1 million were sent for TB testing.

4. ‘TB Mukt Panchayat’ - 5 million courses of TB Preventive Treatment drug, 3HP, and provision of TB services in nearly 1.6 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs.

• The HCES provides estimates of Monthly Per-capita Consumption Expenditure (MPCE) categorized as per:

1. Urban-Rural difference

2. Share of food and non-food items

3. Trends in consumption over the last quinquennial surveys.

• The survey findings are:

1. Rural consumption and expenditure have increased over the years. The urban-rural difference value (expressed as % of rural MPCE) has decreased from 83.9 % in the 68th round(2011-2012) to 71.2% in the current round.

2. The urban-rural difference was highest in Meghalaya, followed by Chhattisgarh.

3. The Average MPCE share for the 2022-2023 period was:

4. 46% for food groups and 54% for non-food groups in rural areas

5. 39% for food groups and 61% for non-food groups in urban areas

• From 11 to 13 December 2023, the Global Influenza Programme of the World Health Organisation (WHO), in partnership with other organizations, conducted a critical meeting on how best to develop and expand the activities of the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS).

• This symposium brought together over 120 laboratory and surveillance professionals, and health authorities from 62 countries to establish and define the scope and objectives of an enlarged GISRS, the so-called "e-GISRS" idea.

• e-GISRS will monitor and respond to any epidemic or pandemic dangers posed by influenza viruses, as well as other respiratory viruses.

• The key meeting objectives included:

1. Consider how best to adopt integrated surveillance strategies for influenza.

2. Identify and discuss e-GISRS gaps and needs, as well as its coordination with other surveillance systems and networks.

3. This important gathering reiterated the spirit of collaboration and trust and brought into closer focus the stronger, extended, and shared vision for advancing GISRS.

• The newly released GLASS dashboard displays a comprehensive range of AMR and AMU data through 2021. 

• It facilitates data visualization and supplements GLASS yearly reports.

• The GLASS dashboard summarises resistance rates for twenty-three medications in eleven antibacterial classes, spanning eight bacterial pathogens usually isolated from patients with circulatory, gastrointestinal, urinary, or genital infectious disorders.

• The number of countries enrolling and reporting data on antimicrobial use to GLASS has grown over time, and WHO is working with governments to expand even more. 

• Continuous efforts are made to improve both data quality and user experience.

• WHO is preparing a handbook on using AMU surveillance data for policy and practice, which will be published by the end of 2024.

• In the last 6 months (August 2023- Feb 2024), Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health has reported 4 cases of MERS-CoV; 2 of which were fatal.

• Regions of KSA from where these cases were reported include: 

1. Riyadh

2. Qassim

3. Eastern KSA

• All four cases had some comorbidity, two of them also had a history of regular contact with camels but none of them reported a history of consumption of raw camel milk.

• KSA’s MoH followed up with close contacts of all cases but no secondary cases were found.

• In the current scenario, WHO reiterates the need for a strong surveillance system for respiratory diseases and prompt investigations when indicated by disease patterns.

• The main aim of the scheme is to increase enrolment, reduce dropouts, and also to improve the nutritional status of adolescent girls.

• According to the education department, Rs 10,000 per annum for classes 9 and 10 will be disbursed as Rs 500 monthly based on attendance. 

• The balance of 50 percent will be credited to the account after they clear the Class 10 board exam.

• Similarly, Rs 15,000 per annum for classes 11 and 12 will be transferred in monthly installments of Rs 750 for 10 months based on attendance, while the remaining 50 percent will be credited to their accounts after they clear the Class 12 board exam.

• Moreover, with the implementation of this scheme, the state will be able to achieve universal enrolment in secondary education just as the state has achieved universal enrolment in primary education.

• Namo Lakshmi Yojana will be available as an additional benefit to the students covered under Namo Saraswati Merit Scholarship.

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• The two men had consumed raw date juices which is a known risk factor for contracting the disease before they became ill

• Nipah virus cases follow a seasonal pattern from December to May as the period coincides with the harvesting of palm sap and festivities related to the process.

• The sap can be contaminated by the saliva, urine, or droppings from fruit bats which are thought to harbour the disease

• The virus can then spread from person to person.

• Out of 14 cases reported, 10 of them turned fatal.

• Nipah virus has a high case fatality rate between 45% to 75%.

• There are no approved treatments or vaccines.

• WHO has designated it as a high-priority disease.

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