Public Health Headlines  26 - 28th February, 2023

Under Mission Shakti, One Stop Centers were established in each district to provide comprehensive help to women who are victims of violence. 

Under section 8 of the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005, there should be a protection officer, ideally a woman who can help victims of domestic violence in the provision of legal support. 

According to the government report, there are 4.4 lakh cases of domestic assault pending across 801 districts, by this number each protection officer will be handling approximately 500 cases, which makes the provision a dead letter. 

Supreme Court has asked the Ministry of Women and Child Development secretary to meet with other stakeholders, record the current status of Mission Shakti, whether any common portal launched or not, and submit an action taken report in 6 weeks.

In the 98th episode of Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister applauded the role of the eSanjeevani app in ensuring medical services to people living in hard-to-reach areas. 

eSanjeevani app is a teleconsultation app via which a person sitting at the periphery can videoconference with a doctor and can seek medical advice. 

The number of eSanjeevani teleconsultations has crossed 10 crores. 

According to Prime Minister eSanjeevani is becoming a life-saving app for the common man, for the middle class, for the people living in hilly areas.

Supreme court has taken judicial notice of the fact that manual scavenging still continues even after the passage of the Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993 and the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and Their Rehabilitation Act, 2013. 

Supreme court in 2014, Safai Karamchari Andolan And Others vs Union of India case has also banned manual scavenging. 

Supreme court has asked the Social Justice Ministry to submit the report within 6 weeks regarding steps taken to :-