UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 8 May 2024

InstaLinks : Insta Links help you think beyond the issue but relevant to the issue from UPSC prelims and Mains exam point of view. These linkages provided in this ‘hint’ format help you frame possible questions in your mind that might arise(or an examiner might imagine) from each current event. InstaLinks also connect every issue to their static or theoretical background. This helps you study a topic holistically and add new dimensions to every current event to help you think analytically.

InstaLinks : Insta Links help you think beyond the issue but relevant to the issue from UPSC prelims and Mains exam point of view. These linkages provided in this ‘hint’ format help you frame possible questions in your mind that might arise(or an examiner might imagine) from each current event. InstaLinks also connect every issue to their static or theoretical background. This helps you study a topic holistically and add new dimensions to every current event to help you think analytically.

Table of Contents:

GS Paper 2:

• Good news for India’s healthcare system

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

• Hicky’s Bengal Gazette

• Drip Pricing

• Report/Study in News

• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

• China’s Chang’e-6 mission

• Secure IoT

• Tactical nuclear weapons

• MQ-9B Predator drones

Mapping

• Hopen Island (Svalbard archipelago)

Good news for India’s healthcare system

#### GS Paper 2

Syllabus: Government Policies and Interventions

Source: IE

Context: India’s healthcare system is witnessing positive developments, with significant increases in government health expenditure (GHE) as a proportion of GDP and per capita expenditure.

Findings of the recent National Health Accounts (NHA):

• Increasing Government Investment in Healthcare: Government health expenditure (GHE) as a percentage of GDP rose from 1.13% to 1.84% between 2014-15 and 2021-22.

• Per capita government spending on health almost tripled during the same period. The National Health Policy (NHP) aims to increase public health expenditure to 2.5% of GDP by 2025.

• The National Health Policy (NHP) aims to increase public health expenditure to 2.5% of GDP by 2025.

• Government-Funded Insurance Schemes: Investment in government health insurance schemes like Ayushman Bharat PMJAY increased significantly (4.4-fold rise since 2013-14).

• Decreasing Out-of-Pocket Expenditure (OOPE): OOPE decreased from over 62% to about 39% between 2014-15 and 2021-22.

• Factors Contributing to Lower OOPE: Increased utilization of government facilities, free ambulance services, and other initiatives contribute to reduced OOPE. The availability of free medicines and diagnostics at Ayushman Arogya Kendras (AAMs) further lowers healthcare costs.

• Focus on Essential Drugs and Price Regulation: Jan Aushadhi Kendras provide affordable generic medicines and surgical items, resulting in substantial savings since 2014.

• Strengthening Social Determinants of Health: Increased government spending includes investments in water supply and sanitation through various missions.

• Investing in Healthcare Infrastructure: Schemes like Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana and Ayushman Bharat Infrastructure Mission are bolstering medical infrastructure.

Challenges in the healthcare sector in India:

Challenges | Description

Inequitable Access to Health Insurance | Lowest health insurance coverage among households under the underprivileged sections.

NFHS-5 results show only about 36% coverage among lowest lowest-wealth households.

Poor Finance | India’s current health expenditure (both Government + Private) stands at approximately 3.2% of its GDP, significantly lower than the average of over 5% observed among Lower- and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC).

Inclusion and Exclusion Errors | Government Schemes are prone to inclusion and exclusion errors, potentially including ineligible households and excluding eligible ones.

Inadequate Availability of Services | 56% of PMJAY empanelled hospitals in the public sector, and 40% in the private for-profit sector, indicating unequal service availability

Inadequate Infrastructure | Lack of proper infrastructure, including health facilities, equipment, and medical supplies, hinders UHC

The shortfall of over 79% specialists at Community Health Centers compared to the requirement.

Lower bed density: (number of hospital beds per 1000 population) in India is 1.0 while in low-income countries it is 1.2, in middle-income countries it is 2.4 while in the world it is 2.7. 72 per cent of hospital beds in India are available in urban areas, while 28 per cent are in rural areas.

Poor Health Education | Lack of education and awareness about healthy lifestyles and preventive measures contributes to preventable illnesses and conditions.

72 per cent of hospital beds in India are available in urban areas, while 28 per cent are in rural areas.

Way forward:

• Investing in Rural Healthcare Infrastructure: Build affordable hospitals, and clinics, and provide incentives for healthcare professionals.

• Monitoring and Regulation: Ensure efficient fund utilization and prevent leakages through robust monitoring systems and stricter regulations.

• Preventative Healthcare: Promote healthy lifestyles, early disease detection, and regular checkups to reduce future healthcare costs.

• Infrastructure and Human Resource Improvement: Invest in new healthcare facilities, and medical research, and expand medical education.

• Accessibility of Quality Healthcare: Implement targeted programs for marginalized communities, enforce regulations, and ensure transparency.

• Improving Mental Health Services: Increase funding, train healthcare workers, and reduce social stigma around mental illness.

• Addressing Health Inequities: Collaborate with other sectors to address social determinants of health and reduce health inequities.

• Sustainable Health Governance: Strengthen management systems, regulatory bodies, and cybersecurity measures for critical medical infrastructure.

• Tax Reductions: Incentivize R&D with tax deductions and reduce GST on life-saving drugs.

• One Health Approach: Recognize the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, promoting collective health initiatives.

About National Health Account (NHA) estimates:

Its estimates, prepared by the National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHSRC), serve as a vital tool for health financing analysis. Established in 2006-07 under the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), NHSRC aids policy development and capacity building for the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW). Using the System of Health Accounts framework by WHO, NHA provides internationally comparable data, aiding policymakers in monitoring health financing indicators.

Mains Link:

“Besides being a moral imperative of a Welfare State, primary health structure is a necessary precondition for sustainable development.” Analyse. (UPSC 2021)

Prelims Link:

Which of the following are the objectives of ‘National Nutrition Mission’? (UPSC 2017)

• To create awareness relating to malnutrition among pregnant women and lactating mothers.

• To reduce the incidence of anaemia among young children, adolescent girls and women.

• To promote the consumption of millets, coarse cereals and unpolished rice.

• To promote the consumption of poultry eggs.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1, 2 and 3 only

(d) 3 and 4 only

Ans: A

Hicky’s Bengal Gazette

#### Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: IE

Context: On World Press Freedom Day (May 3), India remembers Hicky’s Bengal Gazette, the country’s first newspaper.

Launched in 1780 by James Augustus Hicky in Kolkata, it highlighted government corruption and civic issues but faced closure due to lawsuits. It was a weekly English-language publication that faced closure in 1782 after criticizing Governor General Warren Hastings.

Despite its short lifespan, it paved the way for journalism in India, inspiring future publications and promoting freedom of the press.

Drip Pricing

#### Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: HT

Context: The Department of Consumer Affairs warns against drip pricing.

What is Drip Pricing?

Drip pricing is a tactic where only part of a product’s price is advertised, with additional charges revealed later. It’s used to attract customers and has been labelled as a dark pattern under Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023

This practice goes against principles of transparency and fairness in pricing, as consumers may feel deceived when confronted with unexpected costs. It can also hinder their ability to make informed purchasing decisions and compare prices accurately.

Report/Study in News

#### Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Reports/Study | Description

ICAR-CMFRI study on Coral Bleaching in Lakshadweep Sea | Researchers from ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) have documented widespread coral bleaching in the Lakshadweep Sea due to marine heatwaves since late October 2023.

Marine heat waves (MHWs) occur when seawater temperatures surpass a seasonal threshold (typically the 90th percentile) for at least 5 consecutive days. These events can persist for weeks, months, or even years.

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) – Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) was founded in 1947 and became part of ICAR in 1967. Located in Kochi, Kerala, it is renowned globally for its research in tropical marine fisheries.

The Laccadive Sea, also known as the Lakshadweep Sea, borders India, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka. Located southwest of Karnataka, west of Kerala, and south of Tamil Nadu, this warm sea sustains a diverse marine ecosystem with approximately 3,600 species in the Gulf of Mannar alone.

India at 19th Interpol Conference of Heads of National Central Bureau | Online radicalization remains a major global security challenge. Internet platforms, especially social media, are utilized by terrorists for radicalization, indoctrination, recruitment, and financing of terror activities.

Interpol, established in 1923, is an inter-governmental organization facilitating information exchange among national police forces. With 196 member countries, including India, its structure includes a General Assembly, General Secretariat, Executive Committee, and National Central Bureaus (NCB). The NCB serves as the country’s focal point for all Interpol activities, with the Central Bureau of India (CBI) designated as India’s NCB.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

#### Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: LM

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive diagnostic procedure used to obtain images of soft tissues within the body, such as the brain, cardiovascular system, and joints.

What is an MRI Scanner?

An MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scanner is a medical device that uses a strong magnetic field and radio waves to generate detailed images of the inside of the body, particularly the soft tissues like the brain, muscles, and organs.

How does it work?

When a patient enters the MRI machine, their body’s hydrogen atoms align with the magnetic field. Radio waves are then used to temporarily disrupt this alignment. When the radio waves are turned off, the hydrogen atoms return to their aligned state, emitting energy that is detected by the scanner.

Different tissues emit different signals based on their hydrogen atom density and molecular environment, allowing the scanner to create detailed images that physicians can use to diagnose various medical conditions.

China’s Chang’e-6 mission

#### Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: Nature

Context: China’s Chang’e-6 mission, launched successfully, aims to collect rocks from the Moon’s far side, a complex endeavour requiring precise planning.

About the Chang Mission:

Chang’e-6, China’s mission to the Moon’s far side, aims to retrieve 2 kilograms of samples, a feat never accomplished before. Unlike the Chang’e-5 mission, which brought back samples from the near side in 2020, this mission targets the unexplored territory of the far side. The spacecraft, equipped with a communications satellite called Queqiao-2, will land in the South Pole-Aitken basin, the Moon’s largest impact basin.

Additionally, it includes the ICUBE-Q orbiter, a CubeSat developed by Pakistan, known for its small size and standardized design.

Secure IoT

#### Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: India Today

Context: IIT Madras startup Mindgrove Technologies has launched Secure IoT, India’s first microcontroller chip, which is cheaper and more efficient.

Running at 700 MHz, Secure IoT is 30% cheaper than other chips and offers high performance, versatility, and security features. It aims to bridge the gap between premium and budget options in embedded systems. With potential global interest, it enhances India’s semiconductor self-sufficiency. Mindgrove’s chip powers various devices from wearables to smart city infrastructure, promoting innovation and local production.

What is a microcontroller chip?

A microcontroller chip is a small integrated circuit that combines the functions of a central processing unit (CPU), memory, input/output ports, and other peripherals into a single chip. It is commonly used to control and manage electronic devices, ranging from simple household appliances to complex industrial machinery.

Tactical nuclear weapons

#### Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: TOI

Context: Russia has ordered tactical nuclear weapons drills as a warning to Ukraine’s allies amid rising tensions.

TNWs, or Tactical Nuclear Weapons, are weapons not classified as “strategic” under US-Russian arms control agreements. They include short-range options like land-based missiles (less than 500 km range) and air- or sea-launched weapons (less than 600 km range). TNWs are the least-regulated nuclear weapons category under arms control agreements and are widely present in nuclear arsenals worldwide.

MQ-9B Predator drones

#### Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Source: BS

Context: The Indian Army and Air Force plan to deploy MQ-9B Predator drones at Sarsawa and Gorakhpur air bases in Uttar Pradesh to enhance surveillance along the Line of Actual Control with China.

The US-made drones, with a flight time of over 36 hours and capable of reaching heights of 40,000 feet, will bolster India’s surveillance capabilities, particularly in the Indian Ocean Region and along its borders with China and Pakistan. The MQ-9B has previously been instrumental in monitoring anti-piracy operations and providing surveillance over long distances.

MQ-9B, available in two variants – SkyGuardian and SeaGuardian, serves multiple roles such as surveillance and airborne early warning. Operated by the Indian Navy since 2020, the SkyGuardian is the next generation of remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS), capable of flying for over 40 hours in all weather conditions.

Hopen Island (Svalbard archipelago)

#### Mapping

Source: WION

Context: The first case of a walrus dying from bird flu was recorded on Hopen Island in the Svalbard archipelago. However, it’s unclear whether it was the H5N1 or H5N8 strain, and there’s a possibility that other walruses found also had bird flu.

Hopen, an island in the Svalbard archipelago (Norway), was discovered in 1596 during Willem Barentsz’s expedition. Since 1947, the Norwegian Meteorological Institute has operated a staffed weather station on the island with a crew of four. Hopen is home to a significant number of polar bears in winter. Additionally, Hopen is recognized as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International