Countries report new Polio Cases: Updates from global polio eradication initiative Countries report new Polio Cases: Updates from global polio eradication initiative Content Editor: Dr Tanya December 9, 2024 Centre for Infectious Disease Research and Policy Polio, Communicable Diseases, Updates Pakistan has reported 49 Polio cases this year, one of which was a wild poliovirus type 1 case in September. Chad reports 20 Polio cases this year, and 5 circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2 ) cases were detected this week. Nigeria reports 81 annual Polio cases . Poland reported an environmental sample of cVDPV2 with no evidence of local transmission. Click here to read more.

Impending outbreak of flu in the US Content Editor: Dr. Rashmi Verma March 7, 2024 at 1:30:00 PM Communicable disease, International Health News As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), half of the US regions still exhibit high levels of flu activity, whereas COVID-19 and RSV levels are on the decline . The national test positivity rate for respiratory viruses has decreased to 14.8% , although outpatient visits for flu-like symptoms have remained stable at 4.5%. In the previous week, flu activity increased in five US regions, with Influenza A comprising 71.7% of positive flu samples and Influenza B accounting for 28.3%. This flu season, 91 children have succumbed to the flu , with nine fatalities recorded between November and February. H1N1 and influenza B were responsible for five and four deaths, respectively. Conversely, RSV levels are diminishing in numerous areas, leading to a decline in hospitalizations among infants and seniors, according to the CDC. Previous Next

WHO releases comprehensive guide for global assessment of TB programmes WHO releases comprehensive guide for global assessment of TB programmes Content Editor: Dr. KH Reddy April 1, 2024 WHO News Section Tuberculosis, Communicable diseases, End TB, Programme evaluation, Public health, WHO On World Tuberculosis Day 2024 , WHO released a guide for evaluating tuberculosis programmes. This guide will help the nations navigate faster toward the End TB goals . This guide is touted as a companion document to the WHO Guide for National Strategic Planning, released in 2022. The primary objective of this guide is to support nations in enhancing the multi-sectoral response to tuberculosis by thoroughly carrying out more inclusive TB program evaluations. This guide will also aid in advocating and securing the necessary resources. Using them appropriately will help better implement the TB elimination programmes. Click here to read more

Trial to identify novel drugs against malaria Trial to identify novel drugs against malaria Content Editor: Dr. Swathi Shenoy April 4, 2024 The Lancet Infectious Diseases Malaria, Antimicrobial resistance Recently, an open-labeled, parallel arm, phase 2 RCT was conducted to determine the effectiveness and optimal dose of the ganaplacide and lumefantrine combination in treating uncomplicated malaria. This multicentric trial had one of its centers in India and was done to combat rising antimalarial resistance. The study was done in 2 parts, as follows: 1. Part A: The optimal combination dose was tested among adolescents and adults aged >12 years. 2. Part B: The optimal dose calculated from Part A was tested among children <12 years. In both parts, the control arm received combination therapy containing artemether and lumefantrine. A total of 1220 patients were screened, and 337 and 175 participated in parts A and B, respectively. The study concluded that the combination was effective and well tolerated by all age groups. The optimal combination dose consisted of ganaplacide 400mg plus lumefantrine-SDF 960mg once daily for three days. However, further trials are required before the drug is accepted as a standard treatment regimen. Click here to read more.

WHO releases the Health Inequality Data Repository Content Editor: Dr. Urmimala Maiti April 25, 2023 at 2:37:50 PM Global Health, Health inequalities WHO launches "Health Inequality Data Repository (HIDR)" on 20th April 2023. The repository consists of disaggregated data covering the span of public health with the dimensions of inequality. It opens up a platform for conducting research and data analysis on inequality at the global, national, and subnational level. Encourages countries to adopt "Health inequality monitoring" routinely. It consists of: 2000 indicators grouped into 22 dimensions of inequality , for example demographic, socioeconomic and geographical factors. 59 datasets from 15 sources make up 11 million data points in HIDR. Previous Next

In the Summer of 2023, few news headlines reported that the 3rd and 4th of July recorded the highest temperatures in over a million years.(1,2) These claims might be inaccurate pertaining to the evidences from the recent studies on paleoclimatology and radioactive decay of various isotopes. Public Health News Analysis Paleoclimatology And Far-Fetched Climate Claims Author: Dr. Subhana Siyad Updated on : February 29, 2024 Paleoclimatology, Climate Change, Renewable Energy, Global Health, Environmental Health, One Health Reviewing the accuracy of Climate-Related News and Future Solutions for Climate Change WHAT IS PALEOCLIMATOLOGY? Paleoclimatology is the study of the Earth's historical climatic conditions throughout different geological eras. Palaeoclimatologists work to comprehend our current and future climate trends by determining the causes of past climate shifts. 3, 4 For studying the climate trends, spanning over thousands of years, scientists make use of “Paleo Proxies,” short for paleoclimate proxies or paleoenvironmental proxies, which are indicators used to reconstruct historical climate and environmental conditions. Tree rings, sediment cores, ice cores and organisms like diatoms, forams, and coral reefs are examples of useful proxies for the climate. 4 On observing paleoclimate records, it is usually noted that a rise in carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere is associated with a rise in temperature. This means that climate change, on a broad scale, can be studied by referring to paleoclimate records. 1 Reconstruction models of data on temperature profile of the planet over the last 2000 years show a significant rapid rise in temperature over the last 50 years. 1 HOW ARE PALEOPROXIES USED? ( 3, 4) Forams and Diatoms: The composition of these organisms' shells reflects the chemistry of the water at the time of shell development. It is possible to deduce the water temperatures in the past from the stable oxygen isotope ratios found in the shell. The heavier oxygen isotope is more abundant in shells formed in warmer waters because warmer water tends to evaporate off the lighter isotopes. Tree rings: Temperature and precipitation variations can be deduced from the thickness of each ring since the ideal growing circumstances for that tree species will produce more growth and, consequently, thicker rings for a given year. Sediment cores: Sediment-trapped charcoal can reveal information about previous wildfires. Given that each species has a narrow range of liveable conditions, remains of creatures like diatoms, forams and pollen within sediment can reveal shifts in the past climate. Ice cores : To determine the ancient climate, deep ice cores can be examined for trapped gas, stable isotope ratios, and pollen. HOW ACCURATE ARE THEY? A major assumption made about paleo proxies is that the environment and processes that led to their formation in the past is very similar to that of the present. Additionally, these proxies, which are basically fossils, being buried for years, can only record anomalies in the climate or shifts from the baseline temperature which is derived from thermometer recordings from the modern times. (6) The constant water currents surrounding the underwater paleo proxies and the microorganisms within them smoothens over the information carried by them over the years, making it practically impossible to estimate decadal or annual temperatures, let alone daily temperatures. (6) Also, paleo proxies are not reliable in giving accurate data as they are constantly subjected to changes due to the varying environmental conditions. (8) WHAT ARE THE OTHER ALTERNATIVES? Studying the rate of radioactive decay of various isotopes over the years can help in estimating climate shifts in longer timescales, like the Holocene Epoch. The amount of the isotope that existed in the past can be determined if the rate of decay and present amounts of the isotope are known. Carbon and lead isotopes with half-lives ranging from 5000 to 10 million years can be used for the same purpose. (6) It has long been known that Radiocarbon (14C) offers a crucial dating technique over the last 55,000 years. Reconstructing comprehensive records of 14C has become more easier in recent years. Improved modelling of marine radiocarbon reservoir, new detail of pre-Holocene 14C levels using speleothems, lake macrofossils, and subfossil trees are few of the advances in this field. (7) However, as mentioned, these methods are only useful in studying the climate anomalies spanning over longer timescales and not for daily temperatures. CLIMATE CHANGE AND THE AGE OF MAN (9, 10, 11) Source: Drishti IAS / Anthropocene Epoch Source: Illinois State Museum / Paleoclimates and Ice Ages The age of man, referred to as the Holocene or Anthropocene era, commenced approximately 11,700 years ago following the end of The Ice Age. Throughout this era, numerous civilizations have risen and fallen, despite Homo sapiens having evolved and dispersed around the globe long before this period. A climatically related event was not usually the only or even the closest reason of the decline of different civilizations during this era, as per evidence. It should also be kept in mind that our bi-pedal ancestors have managed to withstand tremendous climate shifts over the course of hundreds of thousands of years. Paleoclimatology acts as retrospective tool that helps in predicting the evolution of the future climate, but only over longer timeframes. Even thermometer-based data are too few to be able to make credible claims regarding daily temperature records at the global scale. Therefore, while global warming can bring record-breaking warm months and years, we should exercise caution when it comes to news of apparently breaking records for warmth on a given day. CLIMATE TIPPING POINTS However, this does not mean that climate change must be taken on a lighter note. The concept of climate tipping points state that there are crucial benchmarks in a climate system that, if crossed, have the potential to cause a big shift in the state, with the change being irreversible.(12) In the early 2000s, scientists believed that most tipping points may be reached in the case of a 4°C rise in global temperatures. However, more recent analyses have indicated that going over 1.5°C of the global temperature can put multiple of these thresholds at risk of being crossed. (13) In comparison to the average temperature between 1850 and 1900, the Earth's surface temperature has already risen by around 1.2°C, and if the greenhouse gasses emissions do not decrease significantly, we are on course to cross the much feared 1.5°C threshold between 2026 and 2042. (13) Although we must acknowledge the fact that we have somewhat irrevocably altered the climate of the world, we cannot afford to continue with the same trend. Source: Earth.org / Tipping points in climate change Way forward Strategies To Mitigate the Climate Change at Global Level: (14) The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) (1994), aimed to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations, outlining commitments for all parties, especially developed nations, to reduce emissions and aid developing countries; meanwhile, the Paris Agreement, established during from COP-21 in 2016, enhanced climate frameworks by introducing additional goals with a primary focus on limiting global temperature rise to 2 °C by 2100, with efforts to cap the increase at 1.5 °C. Decarbonization technologies - such as fuel switching to renewable energy or nuclear energy and carbon capture, storage and utilization in order to reduce CO2 emissions. CO2 negative emissions techniques - ocean alkalinity enhancement, soil carbon sequestration, afforestation and reforestation, wetland construction and restoration, as well as alternative negative emissions utilization methods such as mineral carbonation and using biomass in construction. Radiative forcing geoengineering technologies - the main objective being temperature stabilization or reduction of stratospheric aerosol levels. COP 28: ( 15,16) The 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change meeting convened at Dubai (UAE) from November 30th to December 12th, 2023. The key points were: Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA): It aims to improve adaptation to climate change through initiatives which include reducing climate-induced water scarcity, promoting climate-resilient food and agriculture production, and enhancing resilience against health impacts related to climate by 2030. Global Stocktake Text: It outlines eight steps to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius, by urging the tripling of worldwide renewable energy capacity and doubling the annual rate of global energy efficiency improvements by 2030. Global Renewables and Energy Efficiency Pledge: The Pledge involves signatories collaborating to triple global renewable energy capacity to at least 11,000 GW by 2030 and double the global energy efficiency improvement rate from around 2% to over 4% annually until 2030. The Global Cooling Pledge for COP 28: 66 countries pledged together to reduce global cooling-related emissions in all sectors by at least 68% from 2022 levels, by 2050. Loss and Damage Fund: The member nations have agreed to activate the Loss and Damage (L&D) fund, designed to provide compensation to countries facing climate change impacts, with a designated percentage allocated for Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States, to be overseen by the World Bank. Climate Finance: The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) projects that, by 2025, affluent nations are obligated to provide developing countries with USD 500 billion as part of the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) for climate finance. Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels to achieve net zero by 2050. Declaration to Triple Nuclear Energy: The target is to triple the global nuclear energy capacity by 2050. Coal Transition Accelerator: Introduced for knowledge-sharing and financial support in transitioning from coal. Coalition for High Ambition Multilevel Partnership (CHAMP): 65 national governments signed commitments for enhanced cooperation with subnational governments in climate strategies. Buildings Breakthrough Initiative: This initiative facilitated under UNEP and jointly led by France and the Kingdom of Morocco, hosted by the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (Global ABC), aims to establish near-zero emissions and resilient buildings as the standard by 2030. Strategies To Mitigate the Climate Change at National Level:( 17) The Government of India launched National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) on 30thJune, 2008 which encompasses eight National Missions to tackle issues on climate change in the country. These include: National Solar Mission National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency National Mission on Sustainable Habitat National Water Mission National Mission for Sustaining the Himalayan Eco-system National Mission for a Green India National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture National Mission on Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change The SAPCCs (State Action Plans on Climate Change) are implemented in 33 Indian states and UTs, outlining priority actions for climate change in sectors like water, agriculture, health, biodiversity, rural development, etc.18 Moreover, India’s commitment and accountability towards curbing climate change is commendable. Himachal Pradesh has been recognised as the first Carbon free state while the Palli Panchayat of Jammu has been declared as the country’s first ‘Carbon Neutral Panchayat.’ CONCLUSION: Without thermometer records, it is impossible to predict the temperature of even a single day from the prior year. Far-fetched claims like the headlines stating that a specific day in July 2023 was the hottest in over million years can be a result of an increasing urge to report alarmist statements without considering the ramifications. Creating climate consciousness among the public by sacrificing scientific accuracy can cause more harm than good in the long run. Even if the overall goal is positive, incorrect and poorly investigated methods to reach that goal cannot be justified as this might damage the credibility of climate community. Responsible journalism, avoiding sensationalized headlines, especially for sensitive topics such as climate change, should be given careful consideration. The confidence and trust that today's societies have placed in scientists should not be breached as this could result in permanent setback to the endeavours to enhance worldwide involvement in climate-responsible negotiations, the drive of governments to fulfil their climate commitments, and the grassroots campaigns that compel governments and corporations to take responsible actions. References: 1. Roeloffs, M.W., n.d. July 4 Was Earth’s Hottest Day In Over 100,000 Years—Breaking Record For 2nd Day In A Row [WWW Document]. Forbes. URL https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2023/07/05/july-4-was-earths-hottest-day-in-over-100000-years-breaking-record-for-2nd-day-in-a-row/ (accessed 2.23.24). 2. Washington Post (2023) This July 4 was hot. Earth’s hottest day on record, in fact. Available at: https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2023/07/05/hottest-day-ever-recorded/ (Accessed: 26 February 2024). 3. National Geographic. Paleoclimatology. Available at: https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/paleoclimatology-RL/ (Accessed: 26 February 2024). 4. Microbiological Life Educational Sources (2023) Paleoclimatology, Paleoclimatology: How Can We Infer Past Climates? Available at: https://serc.carleton.edu/microbelife/topics/proxies/paleoclimate.html (Accessed: 26 February 2024). 5. National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) (2023) Climate change in the context of Paleoclimate, Climate Change in the Context of Paleoclimate. Available at: https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/climate-change-context-paleoclimate (Accessed: 26 February 2024). 6. Drishti IAS (2023b) Palaeo proxies, Drishti IAS. Available at: https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/palaeo-proxies (Accessed: 26 February 2024). 7. Heaton, T.J., Bard, E., Bronk Ramsey, C., Butzin, M., Köhler, P., Muscheler, R., Reimer, P.J., Wacker, L., 2021. Radiocarbon: A key tracer for studying Earth’s dynamo, climate system, carbon cycle, and Sun. Science 374, eabd7096. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abd7096 8. Borzenkova, I., Zorita, E., Borisova, O., Kalniņa, L., Kisielienė, D., Koff, T., Kuznetsov, D., Lemdahl, G., Sapelko, T., Stančikaitė, M., Subetto, D., 2015. Climate Change During the Holocene (Past 12,000 Years), in: The BACC II Author Team (Ed.), Second Assessment of Climate Change for the Baltic Sea Basin, Regional Climate Studies. Springer International Publishing, Cham, pp. 25–49. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16006-1_2 9. Drishti IAS (2023b) Palaeo proxies, Drishti IAS. Available at: https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/palaeo-proxies (Accessed: 26 February 2024). 10. Drishti IAS (2023a) Anthropocene epoch, Drishti IAS. Available at: https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/anthropocene-epoch-1 (Accessed: 26 February 2024). 11. Drishti IAS (2023c) Palaeo proxies, Drishti IAS. Available at: https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-analysis/palaeo-proxies (Accessed: 26 February 2024). 12. ESA. Understanding climate tipping points. Available at: https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Space_for_our_climate/Understanding_climate_tipping_points (Accessed: 26 February 2024). 13. Igini, M. (2024) The Tipping Points of Climate Change: How Will Our World Change?, Earth.Org . Available at: https://earth.org/tipping-points-of-climate-change/ (Accessed: 26 February 2024). 14. Fawzy, S., Osman, A.I., Doran, J. et al. Strategies for mitigation of climate change: a review. Environ Chem Lett 18, 2069–2094 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-020-01059-w 15. Drishti IAS (2023) COP 28: Charting The roadmap for climate action, Drishti IAS. Available at: https://www.drishtiias.com/daily-updates/daily-news-editorials/cop-28-charting-the-roadmap-for-climate-action (Accessed: 26 February 2024). 16. InsightsIAS (2023) Important outcomes of COP28, INSIGHTSIAS - Simplifying UPSC IAS Exam Preparation. Available at: https://www.insightsonindia.com/2023/12/15/important-outcomes-of-cop28/ (Accessed: 26 February 2024). 17. Climate change programme: Department of Science & Technology: Department of Science & Technology (DST) (no date) Department of Science & Technology (DST). Available at: https://dst.gov.in/climate-change-programme (Accessed: 26 February 2024). 18. PIB (2022) National Action Plan on Climate Change. Available at: https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1810566 (Accessed: 26 February 2024). 19. The Hindu (2022) Palli in Jammu becomes India’s first carbon-neutral panchayat. Available at: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/carbon-neutral-palli-village-is-our-living-example-toglasgow-goals-says-pm-modi/article65350800.ece (Accessed: 26 February 2024). comments debug Comments Rated 0 out of 5 stars. 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First-ever pre-qualification of a Tuberculosis Diagnostic Test Announced Content Editor: Dr Soundher December 26, 2024 at 7:08:57 PM Tuberculosis, Public health, Diagnostic test The first prequalification of a diagnostic test for tuberculosis marks a critical milestone in scaling up and accelerating access to high-quality TB assays that meet WHO recommendations as well as quality, safety, and performance standards. It assures the quality of tests used to improve access to early diagnosis and treatment The assessment is based on information submitted by the manufacturer, Cepheid Inc., and reviewed by Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority (HSA), the regulatory agency of record for this product. This Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAAT ) detects the genetic material of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which causes TB, in sputum and provides accurate results in hours. It also identifies mutations associated with its rifampicin resistance , a key indicator of multidrug-resistant TB. It is intended for those who screen positive for pulmonary TB and either have not started anti-tuberculosis treatment or have received less than three days of therapy in the last six months. Click here to read more. Previous Next

Three-Step approach - the anganwadi protocol for divyang children Content Editor: Dr. Manjeet Mohanty December 13, 2023 at 2:56:31 PM Health Programme Protocol, Anganwadi Centres Union Minister Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani recently launched the Anganwadi Protocol for Divyang Children. This protocol, part of the POSHAN Abhiyan , adopts a three-step approach : Screening for Early Disability Signs Community Inclusion, and Referral support through ASHA/ANM/ RBSK teams. It addresses education and nutrition needs, providing Swavlamban Cards for empowerment. This protocol marks a significant stride in creating a nurturing environment for divyang children, fostering inclusion, and celebrating diversity. Previous Next

05. National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) - Executive Committee approves projects Worth Around Rs. 2700 Crore for sewage infrastructure in Ganga basin 05. National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) - Executive Committee approves projects Worth Around Rs. 2700 Crore for sewage infrastructure in Ganga basin December 26, 2022 Press Information Bureau Drinking Water & Sanitation The 46th meeting of the Executive Committee of National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) was organised under the chairmanship of Shri G. Asok Kumar, Director General, NMCG on 23rd December 2022. The projects are as follows, 1. In UP, 3 projects approved, out which one pertains to development of sewerage infrastructure in Prayagraj costing Rs. 475.19 crore 2. In Bihar, one project each for Daudnagar and Motihari towns approved at estimated costs of Rs. 42.25 and 149.15 crore respectively 3.In West Bengal, big project for Rejuvenation of River Adi Ganga approved at estimated cost of Rs. 653.67 crore 4. Afforestation Programmes for the year 2022-23 for Uttarakhand and Bihar also approved 5. Project titled ‘Scientific exploration of floral diversity near the Ganga river banks for ethnobotanical purposes along with their conservation and economic development of the region via skill development programs’ also approved for all the five states.

Silent killer: WHO Highlights global drowning crisis Silent killer: WHO Highlights global drowning crisis Content Editor: Dr. Dheena January 2, 2025 WHO global status report on drowning prevention Drowning, Preventive Care The World Health Organization (WHO) released its first-ever global report on drowning prevention , revealing that 3 lakh lives were lost to drowning worldwide in 2021, averaging 30 deaths every hour . A disproportionate 92% of fatalities occurred in low- and middle-income countries , with South-East Asia accounting for 28% of the global burden. The report highlights that children under five are most vulnerable , constituting 24% of drowning deaths. Despite a 38% global decline in drowning rates since 2000, the progress has been uneven, with the WHO’s South-East Asia Region witnessing only a 48% reduction. WHO emphasized that nearly all drowning deaths are preventable. Key measures include integrating swimming lessons into school curriculums, improving flood risk management, and training bystanders in rescue techniques. WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus urged countries to prioritize drowning prevention, emphasizing its potential to save millions of lives and avert an estimated $4 trillion in economic losses by 2050. Click here to read more