UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 14 October 2024

UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 14 October 2024 covers important current affairs of the day, their backward linkages, their relevance for Prelims exam and MCQs on main articles

InstaLinks :  Insta Links help you think beyond the  current affairs issue and help you think multidimensionally to develop depth in your understanding of these issues. 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.

Table of Contents 

GS Paper 2: (UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 14 October 2024)

1. Rare Diseases

GS Paper 3:

1. Precision Medicine

2. Digital Arrest

Content for Mains Enrichment (CME)

1. Kidney Transplant Racket

Facts for Prelims (FFP)

1. Water chestnut (Goer)

2. X-band Radar

3. THAAD missile system

4. Tele-MANAS

5. Inter-Parliamentary Union

Mapping:

1. Roopkund Lake

2. Insights Shorts:

UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 14 October 2024

GS Paper 2:

Rare Diseases

 Syllabus: Health and Diseases

 Source: IE

 Context: The Delhi High Court last week issued directions aimed at improving the availability of so-called “orphan drugs”, which are medications used to treat “rare diseases” — defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a debilitating, lifelong condition that affects 1 or fewer people in 1,000.

Definition of rare disease:

• India does not have a standard definition for rare diseases.
• Globally, a rare disease is defined as one affecting fewer than 1 in 2,000 individuals.
• In India, there are over 450 identified rare diseases, including Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) and Gaucher’s disease.

 Indian status:

• Around 50-100 million Indians suffer from rare diseases, with over 75% of the cases being children.
• High morbidity and mortality rates are observed, as most patients do not survive into adulthood due to lack of treatment.
• 80% of patients do not receive necessary treatment.

Categorization of rare diseases:

1. Group 1: Diseases that can be treated with a one-time curative procedure.
2. Group 2: Diseases requiring lifelong treatment with lower costs.
3. Group 3: Diseases with available treatments but at extremely high and lifelong costs.

Challenges:

1. Unavailability of treatment: Less than 50% of rare diseases have treatments.
2. Unaffordable treatment costs: Drugs for rare diseases (orphan drugs) are highly expensive.
3. Low focus on R&D: Pharmaceutical companies view rare diseases as unprofitable, limiting drug development.
4. Late diagnosis: Diagnosis takes an average of seven years, leading to delayed or incorrect treatments.
5. Lack of trained healthcare professionals: Healthcare professionals are often untrained to diagnose or treat rare diseases.

Government initiatives:

1. National Policy for Rare Diseases 2021: Provides financial assistance and sets up 12 Centres of Excellence (CoEs) for treatment.
2. PLI scheme for rare drugs: Provides financial incentives for manufacturing orphan drugs.
3. Customs duty waiver: Waivers on imported rare disease drugs for personal use.
4. Digital portal for crowdfunding: Allows the public to donate funds for patients’ treatments.

Way ahead:

• Increase treatment access: Expand the range of treatable rare diseases and increase the number of CoEs.
• Financial assistance: Enhance financial aid, especially for long-term treatments, and reduce the burden on patients.
• R&D investments: Encourage research and development of affordable drugs for rare diseases.
• Healthcare professional training: Improve medical education and training for better diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases.
• Public awareness: Raise awareness about rare diseases to foster timely diagnosis and better understanding.

Conclusion:

India’s rare disease burden demands urgent attention, with reforms in healthcare infrastructure, treatment access, and research development. Strengthening policies, enhancing financial support, and improving medical knowledge are essential steps in providing equitable healthcare to millions of affected individuals.

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UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 14 October 2024 GS Paper 3:

Precision Medicine

 Syllabus: Healthcare and Technology

 Source:  TH

 Context: Precision medicine is a rapidly evolving approach to healthcare that tailors treatment based on individual genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. In India, despite strides in this field, the lack of robust biobank regulations is a major hurdle in advancing precision medicine.

What is Precision Medicine and Biobanks?

• Precision medicine: An approach to medical care that customizes treatment based on the genetic makeup, lifestyle, and environmental factors of an individual, rather than adopting a generalized treatment for all.
• Biobanks: These are repositories that store biological samples such as blood, tissues, DNA, etc., alongside their genetic data, collected from consenting individuals for research purposes.

Importance of Biobanks in precision medicine:

• Data repository: Biobanks provide genetic data essential for identifying disease patterns and developing targeted therapies.
• Research backbone: They enable research into genetic disorders, chronic diseases, and personalized treatments.
• Diversity in research: Large and diverse biobanks ensure precision medicine benefits more people across varying ethnicities and demographics.

Present status in India:

• Growth of precision medicine: The Indian precision medicine market is growing rapidly, expected to be worth over $5 billion by 2030.
• Biobanks: There are 19 registered biobanks in India. Major initiatives like the Genome India Project and Phenome India have begun collecting large-scale genetic data.
• Policy gaps: India lacks comprehensive biobank regulations, which hampers growth in precision medicine.

Best Practices from foreign nations:

• Comprehensive laws: Countries like the U.S., U.K., Japan, and China have specific laws regulating biobanks, covering aspects like informed consent, privacy, and data security.
• Oversight: These nations have centralized authorities overseeing biobank operations, ensuring ethical standards and data protection.

Significance of Biobank regulations:

• Ensuring ethical standards: Clear regulations will protect individual rights, ensuring informed consent and preventing misuse of genetic data.
• Boosting research: Regulating biobanks can enhance trust, encouraging more public participation in precision medicine research.
• Global collaboration: Aligning Indian laws with global standards will facilitate international collaborations in drug development and clinical research.

Challenges:

1. Lack of comprehensive regulation: No central authority governs biobank operations, leading to ethical concerns and potential misuse of data.
2. Informed consent issues: Participants are often unaware of how their samples will be used, creating risks for privacy violations.
3. Limited public trust: Without strong privacy protections, public participation in biobank-related research remains low.
4. Access by foreign entities: Inadequate regulations allow foreign companies to access Indian genetic data without ensuring local benefits.

Way ahead:

1. Formulate comprehensive biobank laws: Implement stringent biobank regulations that ensure privacy, consent, and ethical handling of samples.
2. Establish central authority: Create a national body to regulate and oversee biobank operations, ensuring compliance and consistency.
3. Encourage public participation: Through awareness campaigns and data protection assurances, encourage more individuals to contribute to biobanks.
4. Promote research and collaboration: Facilitate collaboration between Indian and international research organizations while ensuring equitable access to research outcomes.
5. Incentivize domestic drug development: Support the development of locally manufactured drugs based on biobank data to lower costs.

Conclusion:

Biobanks are pivotal in driving precision medicine forward. However, for India to become a global leader in this field, it must establish strong legal frameworks ensuring ethical practices, data security, and equitable benefits from research. These steps will build trust and ensure the advancement of personalized healthcare for all.

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Digital Arrest

 Syllabus: Cybersecurity

 Source:  New Indian Express

 Context: The rise of cybercrimes has given birth to new scams, such as “digital arrest,” where cybercriminals impersonate government officials to extort money. These scams have impacted many well-educated and affluent individuals, prompting the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to issue warnings and take preventive actions.

What is Digital Arrest?

• Definition: Digital arrest is a form of cybercrime where scammers impersonate officials from law enforcement agencies (CBI, ED, police, etc.) and claim the victim is involved in serious crimes like money laundering or narcotics trafficking. They create a fear psychosis and “arrest” the victim digitally by forcing them to stay on video calls while extorting money under the pretense of avoiding physical arrest.

Status in India:

• Examples:
  • Businessman S.P. Oswal: Duped of Rs 7 crore after being misled into believing he was involved in a money laundering case.
  • Scientist in Indore: Lost Rs 71 lakh after he and his wife were placed under digital arrest for six days.
  • Bengaluru lawyer: Extorted Rs 14 lakh and subjected to a fake narcotics test during a digital arrest.

According to Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) data, multiple such scams have been reported in various states, with significant financial losses.

Consequences of digital arrest:

1. Financial losses: Victims lose substantial sums, sometimes their entire savings, to these scams.
2. Mental trauma: Victims face immense psychological stress, often leading to depression and suicidal tendencies.
3. Trust erosion: The prevalence of these scams erodes public trust in online platforms and even government systems.

Government initiatives:

• I4C: The MHA-established Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre has been blocking fraudulent accounts, including over 1,000 Skype accounts linked to digital arrest scams.
• Cyber awareness campaigns: I4C’s “Cyberdost” platform is issuing alerts and spreading awareness about such scams.
• National cyber-crime reporting portal: Victims are encouraged to report incidents at the portal or call the helpline (1930).

Challenges:

1. Lack of awareness: Many victims are unaware of the existence of digital arrest scams and easily fall prey to them.
2. Cross-border operations: These scams often have international elements, making it difficult for law enforcement to track and prosecute the criminals.
3. Use of deepfake technology: Scammers use sophisticated technology to impersonate officials, making it harder for victims to detect fraud.
4. Inadequate cybercrime laws: India’s cyber laws are still evolving, and enforcement is not always efficient in addressing new forms of cybercrime.

Way ahead:

1. Strengthen cybercrime laws: Amendments to cyber laws are necessary to keep pace with rapidly evolving technologies.
2. Public awareness campaigns: The government must intensify awareness campaigns to educate people about digital arrest scams.
3. Enhance technology and law enforcement: Invest in anti-deepfake technology and increase cooperation with international bodies to combat cross-border cybercrimes.
4. Collaboration with financial institutions: Work with banks to monitor suspicious transactions linked to these scams.

Conclusion:

Digital arrest scams pose a significant threat to individuals’ financial and mental well-being in India. While government initiatives like I4C and public awareness campaigns are steps in the right direction, a multi-pronged approach involving stronger laws, better technology, and public education is essential to curb this menace.

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UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 14 October 2024 Content for Mains Enrichment (CME)

Kidney Transplant Racket

Context: A kidney transplant racket, spanning from Dhaka to Delhi, exploited fake family trees, forged documents, and a fake lab to facilitate illegal transplants for Bangladeshi patients in two Noida hospitals. The racket, allegedly involving a prominent surgeon, middlemen, and forged diplomatic approvals, conducted numerous illegal transplants over the years before being busted by Delhi Police.

Relevance to UPSC GS2:

• Health governance: Exposes gaps in medical regulations and hospital oversight, especially in cross-border medical tourism and organ transplant laws.
• Diplomatic channels: Highlights misuse of diplomatic procedures and failures in health diplomacy screenings for foreign patients.

Relevance to UPSC GS4:

• Medical ethics violation: Demonstrates ethical breaches by healthcare professionals, eroding trust in medical practices.
• Lack of accountability: Emphasizes the need for transparency, integrity, and stronger oversight to prevent corruption and unethical practices in healthcare.

UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 14 October 2024 Facts for Prelims (FFP)

Water chestnut (Goer)

Source: TH

 Context: Water chestnut, or “goer” in Kashmir, is a vital income source for families around Wular Lake, one of Asia’s largest freshwater lakes. However, environmental changes have led to declining production, affecting local livelihoods.

About Water Chestnut (Goer) in Kashmir:

• Aquatic vegetable: Grows in Wular Lake, Kashmir; known as “Singhara” in other parts of India.
• Harvest season: Collected during autumn, typically starting in late September.
• Labor-intensive collection: Harvested by villagers using boats, with protective footwear to avoid injuries from sharp barbed spines on the plants.
• Edible part: The edible kernel is peeled, dried, and ground into flour. It’s widely consumed during festivals like Navaratri.
• Uses:
  • Food: White, crunchy, sweet flesh is eaten fresh or dried and used in fasting rituals.
  • Fuel: Dried outer shells are used as fuel in traditional Kashmiri fire pots (kangri) during winter.
• Nutritional value: Rich in potassium and fiber, low in sodium and fat, and high in carbohydrates.
• Economic importance: Primarily harvested by poorer communities around Wular Lake; provides seasonal income.
• Challenges: Declining production due to dry weather and increasing marshland around the lake, impacting livelihoods.

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X-band Radar

 Source: TH

 Context: The Union Ministry of Earth Sciences approved the installation of an X-band radar in Wayanad to improve monitoring and prediction of weather conditions, specifically for early warnings related to landslides and floods.

About X-band Radar:

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THAAD missile system

Source: TH

 Context: In response to escalating tensions in West Asia, particularly with Iran’s missile attacks on Israel, the U.S. has decided to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile system to bolster Israel’s air defense.

About THAAD:

• Purpose: THAAD is a missile defense system designed to intercept and destroy short- to medium-range ballistic missiles during their final flight phase.
• Key features:
  • Uses a powerful radar to detect incoming missiles.
  • Does not rely on warheads; instead, it uses kinetic energy to destroy missiles, making it a safer defense system.
• Range: THAAD can hit targets at ranges of 150 to 200 kilometers.
• Contractor: Lockheed Martin is the primary contractor behind the THAAD system.
• Deployment: First deployed in 2008, THAAD is considered a complementary system to the Patriot missile defense but covers a wider area of defense.

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Tele-MANAS

Source:  PIB

Context: Tele MANAS (Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States) is a tele-mental health initiative launched by the Government of India under the National Tele Mental Health Programme (NTMHP) on October 10, 2022.

About Tele MANAS:

Need for Tele MANAS:

• Mental health crisis: 15% of India’s adult population requires mental health intervention, with a 70-92% treatment gap.
• High suicide rates: Over 1 lakh people die by suicide annually in India.
• Mental disorders: Mental disorders are the second leading cause of years lived with disability (YLDs).
• Untapped healthcare access: More than 80% of people with mental health issues in India do not seek help, despite mental healthcare being a statutory right under the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017.

Key features of Tele MANAS:

• 24/7 toll-free helpline: Provides phone-based counselling, psychotherapy, psychiatric consultations, and referral services.
• Accessibility: Designed to make mental health support easily available to individuals across remote and urban areas.
• Two-tier system: Tier 1 offers initial counselling and referral services, while Tier 2 provides specialist consultations and follow-up care, including e-prescriptions.
• Integrated care: Seamless connections to in-person services and other mental health interventions.
• WHO praised model: Recognized by the WHO as an effective, innovative model for large-scale mental health care delivery.

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Inter-Parliamentary Union

Source:  News on Air

 Context: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla is leading a parliamentary delegation to the 149th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Geneva.

About Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)

• Established: 1889 in Paris to promote representative democracy and world peace.
• Mission: Facilitates parliamentary diplomacy and empowers parliaments to promote peace, democracy, and sustainable development.
• Slogan: “For democracy. For everyone.”
• Members: 179 member parliaments and 13 associate members.
• Headquarters: Moved to Geneva in 1921.
• Funding: Primarily financed by member contributions from public funds.

Key structures:

1. IPU assembly: The main body expressing IPU’s views on global issues. It brings together parliamentarians to study international problems and make recommendations.
2. Governing council: The plenary policymaking body, comprising three representatives from each member parliament. It establishes the annual programme and budget.
3. Executive committee: A 17-member body responsible for overseeing IPU’s administration. It advises the Governing Council and is led by the IPU President.
4. Standing committees: Three committees assist the Assembly in its work.
5. Meeting of women parliamentarians: A separate body that discusses gender-related issues and reports to the Governing Council. It includes both male and female parliamentarians.

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UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS – 14 October 2024 Mapping:

Roopkund Lake

Source: TOI

 Context: Roopkund Lake, the site has drawn significant attention due to the mystery surrounding the skeletons’ origins. However, environmental changes linked to climate change are shrinking the lake, raising concerns about its future.

About Roopkund lake:

• Origin: A glacial lake at the base of Mt Trishul in the Garhwal Himalayas, Uttarakhand, India, at an altitude of 5,029 meters (16,500 feet).
• River feed: Roopkund Lake is a peri-glacial lake, primarily fed by melting snow and glaciers around the area.
• Geographical location: Situated in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, part of the Nanda Devi National Park, Roopkund lies on a popular pilgrimage route to Nanda Devi.
• Historical mystery: The lake contains human skeletons that date back to 850 AD, with DNA studies suggesting two distinct groups of people, likely pilgrims, who died from a hailstorm.
• Current issue: Climate change is shrinking the lake, reducing its depth and area due to shifting precipitation patterns and increased silting from moraine slides, impacting both the lake’s ecosystem and cultural significance.

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Insights Shorts:

Daily Current Affairs + PIB Summary 14 Oct 2024

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