Pharmacovigilance Programme of India

For: Preliminary

Topic: Pharmacovigilance initiatives in India

News Flash

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) has asked commonly-used antibiotics manufacturers to ensure its details be made available to the general public. This decision was taken considering directives from the National Co-ordination Centre of the Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI).

 

Pharmacovigilance Programme of India

• The Pharmacovigilance Program of India (PvPI) was launched with a broad objective to safe guard the health of 1.27 billion people of India.
• Pharmacovigilance is defined as the science relating to the detection, assessment, understanding and prevention of adverse effects, principally long term and short term adverse effects of medicines.
• The  CDSCO has a nation-wide Pharmacovigilance Programme for protecting the health of the patients by promising drug safety.
• The Programme shall be coordinated by the Indian Pharmacopeia commission, Ghaziabad as a National Coordinating Centre (NCC).

The Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI) was approved by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOHFW), Government of India (GOI) in July 2010 with the primary objective of the programme to create a nation-wide system for patient safety reporting. There are 250 functioning Adverse Drug Monitoring centres in the country (in medical colleges and corporate hospitals) as part of the Pharmacovigilance Programme of India.

 

Why

• The Union Health Ministry was alerted about the adverse reactions of Antibiotic Cefixime last year in August.
• Antibiotic Cefixime is used to treat a wide variety of bacterial infections and is known to have adverse reactions, including pain, diarrhoea, nausea and headaches.

 

CDSCO guidelines to manufacturers

• CDSCO has written to drug manufacturers, to mention in leaflets inserted into drug packets or on promotional literature, information about the adverse reactions of these medicines.
• All of the seven formulations  have been instructed to warn patients of the “new” side effects.

 

Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission

Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission through National Coordination Centre, Pharmacovigilance Programme of India is one of the active member countries in WHO-Programme of International Drug Monitoring and is also leading the thematic area of Vigilance as part of the South East Asia Regulatory Network (SEARN).

 

CDSCO

The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), New Delhi, under the aegis of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India has initiated a nation-wide pharmacovigilance programme in July, 2010, with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi as the National Coordinating Centre (NCC) for monitoring Adverse Drug Reactions (ADR) in the country to safe-guard Public Health.

 

Source: The Hindu

 

 

Girls is higher than that of boys in Indian schools

For: Preliminary

Topic: Gender gap, Education

News Flash

The newly released State of World Population 2019 report of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), reveals that the enrolment rate of girls is higher than that of boys in Indian schools at both primary and secondary levels.

 

India scenario

• In India, 98% of primary school-age girls were actually enrolled, as opposed to 97% boys, according to figures adjusted for 2009-18.
• At secondary school level, India’s female and male enrolment rates are lower than the worldwide 66% for both genders.
• India’s female enrolment (62%) is once again higher than male enrolment (61%), giving it a gender parity index (1.01) that is higher than the worldwide index of 1.0.

 

Global Look

• Worldwide, with 90% female enrolment and 92% male enrolment.
• India’s gender parity index is 1.01 to the world’s 0.98.
• Worldwide, the rate of enrolment of girls is lower than that of boys at primary school, and equal at secondary level.

 

 

Gender parity index

The Gender Parity Index is a socioeconomic index usually designed to measure the relative access to education of males and females. This index is released by UNESCO. In its simplest form, it is calculated as the quotient of the number of females by the number of males enrolled in a given stage of education.

Source: Indian Express

 

 

 

Belt and Road Initiative

For: Preliminary; Mains: GS II

Topic: BRI, International cooperation’s between Malaysia and China, Significance

News Flash

Malaysia has reopened a closed Chinese rail construction project after slashing 30% from the original cost. Under the rewoked deal, the 648-Km rail link will now cost $10.6 billion. China appears to have agreed to the hugely lowered price because it is desperate to present a strong global infrastructure programme at the Belt and Road Forum between April 25 and 27.

• The new deal includes a reduction in the rail route by 40 km, which works out to about 6% shorter than the original one.
• India has indicated it will stay away from the event.

 

Project

The East Coast Rail Link will connect Malaysia’s east coast on the South China Sea with the busy waterway of the Malacca strait on the west.

 

Why Malaysia discontinued the project earlier

Malaysian President Mahathir Mohamad said the project contracted by the previous government was ‘unfair’ and imposed a major financial burden on the country.

 

Advantages

• This reduction will surely benefit Malaysia and lighten the country’s financial position.
• The decision to restructure the project showed China’s willingness to modify its projects to satisfy customers.

 

Negative’s for china

The decision to slash the price might result in a chain effect with several countries implementing the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), like Pakistan, demanding a price cut.

 

BRI

The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), also known as the One Belt One Road (OBOR) or the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-century Maritime Silk Road is a development strategy adopted by the Chinese government involving infrastructure development and investments in 152 countries and international organizations in Europe, Asia, Middle East, Latin America and Africa.

The paramount leader of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping, originally announced the strategy during official visits to Indonesia and Kazakhstan in 2013.

“Belt” refers to the overland routes for road and rail transportation, called “the Silk Road Economic Belt”; whereas “road” refers to the sea routes, or the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.

 

Source: Times of India

 

 

21st ASEAN-India Senior Officials’ Meeting

For: Preliminary; Mains: GS II

Topic: India-ASEAN, Maritime security, strengthen ties

News Flash

India and ASEAN have resolved to strengthen ties by deepening cooperation in the maritime sector and boosting connectivity. The two sides made the affirmations at the 21st ASEAN-India Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM).

 

Highlights of Meeting

• The ASEAN-India SOM reviewed the strategic partnership and its future direction. It assessed the progress of cooperation under all three pillars — political-security, economic and socio-cultural. The SOM leaders also exchanged views on regional and international issues of interest to ASEAN and India.
• They agreed to deepen maritime cooperation as decided at the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit 2018. In this context, they proposed to undertake a variety of measures, including enhanced cooperation in the sub-sector of Blue Economy. It was decided at the meeting to give an impetus to ASEAN-India connectivity in all its forms.
• The two sides also discussed the ways and means to further deepen cooperation on financial matters as well as overall strengthening of the ASEAN Secretariat.
• The two sides also vowed to step up cooperation in renewable energy and hold an ASEAN-India Conference on Renewable Energy in 2019. The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) and the ASEAN Centre for Energy (ACE) would be the co-partners for this project.
• The ASEAN-India partnership is being implemented through the “Plan of Action (2016-20) to implement the ASEAN-India Partnership for peace, progress and shared prosperity”.

 

ASEAN

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is a regional intergovernmental organization comprising ten countries in Southeast Asia, which promotes intergovernmental cooperation and facilitates economic, political, security, military, educational, and sociocultural integration among its members and other countries in Asia.

It also regularly engages other countries in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond. A major partner of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, ASEAN maintains a global network of alliances and dialogue partners and is considered by many as a global powerhouse the central union for cooperation in Asia-Pacific, and a prominent and influential organisation.

 

TERI

The Energy and Resources Institute is a research institute in New Delhi that specializes in the fields of energy, environment and sustainable development. Established in 1974, it was formerly known as the Tata Energy Research Institute.

Source: The Hindu

 

 

Ambedkar Jayanti: Why India Must be Grateful to BR Ambedkar

For: Preliminary; Mains: Eminent personality

 

News Flash

On 14th April 2019, India clebrated 128th birth anniversary of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar or Ambedkar Jyanti or Bhim Jyanti.

The celebrated Indian jurist, economist, politician and social reformer is not only regarded as the architect of India’s Constitution and one of the founding fathers of the Republic but also for his immense contribution in shaping India’s future as a democracy and ensuring rights for all its citizens.

BR Ambedkar was posthumously conferred with Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award in 1990.

 

why India owes much to ‘Babasaheb’ BR Ambedkar

1. ARCHITECT OF CONSTITUTION

American historian Granville Austin described the Indian Constitution drafted by ‘Babasaheb’ BR Ambedkar as ‘first and foremost a social document,’ underlining that majority of its provisions had been ‘either directly arrived at furthering the aim of social revolution or attempt to foster this revolution by establishing conditions necessary for its achievement.’

 

2. RIGHT TO VOTE

As India goes to polls, it might be worth remembering that it was ‘Babasaheb’ BR Ambedkar who first advocated universal adult franchise for the country’s citizens way back in 1928. ‘Babasaheb’ BR Ambedkar argued that the right to vote— granted only to the rich, the landed and the tax payers at that time—must be extended to all citizens irrespective of their social or economic status.

 

3. FIGHT AGAINST UNTOUCHABILITY AND CASTE DISCRIMINATION

‘Babasaheb’ BR Ambedkar is revered for his contribution towards the upliftment of Dalits and long and arduous struggle against untouchability and caste discrimination . He emphasized on religious, gender and caste equality. Ambedkar introduced the reservation system to create a social balance amongst the classes.

 

4. WOMEN EMPOWERMENT AND OTHER CONTRIBUTIONS

‘Babasaheb’ BR Ambedkar resigned from the Union Cabinet when the government dilly-dallied over the Hindu Code Bill moved by him to provide equal rights to women. He was also responsible for introducing the Power and Water policy and bringing the production of electricity under the control of the government. ‘Babasaheb’ BR Ambedkar is also credited for proposing the idea of constructing big dams across rivers to prevent floods and widen the irrigation network.

 

5. DALIT BUDDHIST MOVEMENT

In 1956, he steered a socio-political movement called the Dalit Buddhist Movement in India which was joined by nearly half a million Dalits. The movement later got converted to Navayana Buddhism or Neo-Buddhism, a re-interpretation of Buddhism.

Source: News 18

 

 

North Atlantic right whale

News: Preliminary

Topic: Environment, Species

News Flash

The North Atlantic right whale is one of the rarest species of whale on the planet.

 

Background

• The North-Atlantic right whale is mostly found along the Atlantic coast of North America.
• The right whale belongs to the suborder Mysticeti, and is characterized by a symmetrical skull, paired blowholes, and rows of baleen plates for feeding on plankton.
• This large whale mostly inhabits temperate waters, and compared to other similar-sized cetaceans is found more often in coastal waters, especially during the breeding season.
• It is estimated that North Atlantic right whales live longer than 30 years.

 

Common Name

North Atlantic right whale, black right whale, northern right whale; Baleine de Biscaye, baleine des Basques (Fr); Ballena, ballena Franca del Norte (sp)

Scientific Name: Eubalaena glacialis

Status: IUCN: Endangered

 

Source: Indian Express

 

 

ATTENTION

World’s largest plane

The world’s largest aircraft took off over the Mojave Desert in California, the first flight for the carbon-composite plane built by Stratolaunch Systems Corp, started by late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, as the company enters the lucrative private space market.

The white airplane called Roc, which has a wingspan the length of an American football field and is powered by six engines on a twin fuselage, took to the air shortly before 7 a.m. Pacific time (1400 GMT).

 

 

Anthos

Google launched Anthos, n new open platform from Google cloud, that lets users run applications from anywhere. Anthos allows users to run applications, unmodified, on existing on-premise hardware or on the public cloud and is based on the cloud services Platform that Google announced in 2018.