{"id":111329,"date":"2021-06-08T21:00:44","date_gmt":"2021-06-08T15:30:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.forumias.com\/?p=111329"},"modified":"2021-06-09T11:45:30","modified_gmt":"2021-06-09T06:15:30","slug":"9-pm-daily-current-affairs-brief-june-8-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/9-pm-daily-current-affairs-brief-june-8-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"9 PM Daily Current Affairs Brief \u2013 June 8, 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Good evening dear reader<\/p>\n<p>Here is our 9pm current affairs brief for you today<\/p>\n<div class=\"content-box-blue\">\r\n<p><strong>About 9 PM Brief<\/strong>- With the <span style=\"color: #000000;\">9 PM Daily Current affairs for UPSC brief we intend<\/span> to simplify the newspaper reading experience. In 9PM briefs, we provide our reader with a summary of all the important articles and editorials from three important newspapers namely The Hindu, Indian Express, and Livemint. This will provide you with analysis, broad coverage, and factual information from a Mains examination point of view.<\/p>\r\n<p><strong>About Factly<\/strong>- The Factly initiative covers all the daily news articles regarding Preliminary examination. This will be provided at the end of the 9 PM Brief.<\/p>\r\n<p>Dear Aspirants,<\/p>\r\n<p>We know for a fact that learning without evaluation is a wasted effort. Therefore, we request you to please go through both our initiatives i.e 9PM Briefs and Factly, then evaluate yourself through the 10PM Current Affairs Quiz.<\/p>\r\n<p>We plan to integrate all our free daily initiatives to comprehensively support your success journey.<br \/><strong>Happy Learning!<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<\/div>\n\n<hr \/>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/mitigating-the-third-wave-requires-a-focus-on-dots\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mitigating the third wave requires a focus on DOTS<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><b>Source<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/epaper.thehindu.com\/Home\/ShareArticle?OrgId=GQQ8L8M35.1&amp;imageview=0\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Hindu<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Syllabus<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: GS 2 &#8211; Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector\/Services relating to Health<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Synopsis<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India is witnessing a softening of the second wave. Nonetheless, the anticipation of the 3rd wave is quite high. Therefore, it is imperative for India to focus on reducing the reproduction number (R). This in turn calls for focusing on its determinants i.e. DOTS for Mitigating the third wave<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Background<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India witnessed a brutal impact of the second wave of the pandemic in May 2021, with cases crossing the 4 lakh mark in one day.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The situation has now eased and the number of cases has come down below the 1.5 lakh mark. The second wave appears to be abating due to a reduced reproduction number.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>About Reproduction number (R):<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It refers to the <strong>average number of new infections arising from one infected individual<\/strong>.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">R greater than 1 implies that infected individuals infect more than one person on average, and we observe increasing cases. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it is less than 1, cases are declining.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is dependent on Four Factors, summarised by the acronym DOTS:\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Duration<\/strong> a person is infectious\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Opportunities<\/strong> for infected individuals to spread the infection to others;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the probability of <strong>Transmission<\/strong> of infection if given an opportunity\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the average <strong>Susceptibility<\/strong> of a population or subpopulation\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>What led R to increase earlier this year resulting in a second wave?<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Susceptibility<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: It was quite high at the start of the year. This is evident from the results from a national seroprevalence survey done in December 2020 and January 2021. They indicate roughly <strong>25% of the population had antibodies to the virus<\/strong> that causes COVID-19.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Further, <strong>less than 1% of the total population had received two doses<\/strong> of the vaccine till March 2021.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Opportunity for Transmission<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: By January 2020, people perceived that they had won the battle over the pandemic. They were eager to get back to life and work. Eventually, this increased the social mixing and the occurrence of large gatherings that might have facilitated a second wave.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Probability of Transmission<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: A fall in <a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/how-covid-19-can-be-addressed-via-covid-19-appropriate-behaviour\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Covid-19 appropriate behaviour<\/a>\u00a0was witnessed in early 2021 like not wearing masks in public, not properly sanitizing oneself etc. Further new variants with higher transmissibility potential emerged.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For instance,\u00a0 B.1.617.2 (<a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/what-is-the-delta-variant-of-covid-19\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the delta variant<\/a>) is known to possess higher transmissibility potential, twice than the <a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/who-classifies-indian-variant-as-variant-of-concern\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Covid-19 variants circulating in 2020<\/a>. It has emerged as the dominant variant in India and UK during their second wave.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Duration of infectiousness<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: It may have enhanced with the emergence of new variants however more research is needed on this front.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Therefore, it is now imperative that <strong>we need to focus on DOTS for Mitigating the third wave<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Suggestions for Mitigating the third wave:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The government must build <\/span><b>well-designed <a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/icmrs-3rd-serological-survey-need-to-rethink-on-vaccination-strategy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">seroprevalence surveys<\/a><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to understand how much of the population remains susceptible and where they reside. These should accommodate the complexities of new variants and the occurrence of reinfections.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The focus should be on <strong>increased use of face masks and improved ventilation<\/strong> for reducing the transmission. The country can learn from <\/span><b>the Bangladesh model <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in which the distribution of free masks coupled with community monitors delivered positive results.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Temporary<\/strong><b style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> solutions like lockdowns and a ban on mass gatherings<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> should be used to focus on slowing the transmission rate.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The magnitude of the susceptible population can be brought down by substantially <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/universal-vaccination-in-india-challenges-and-way-forward-explained-pointwise\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>increasing the immunisation coverage<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Currently, only 3% of the population has received both doses.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The<\/span><b> isolation and quarantining guidelines should be revised periodically<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as per the changing duration of infectiousness.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/prudent-approach-towards-the-downward-trajectory-of-second-wave\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Prudent Approach towards the Downward Trajectory of Second Wave<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><b>Source<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/opinion\/columns\/covid-cases-drop-vaccinating-children-msme-secrtor-crisis-health-infrastructure-7348542\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Indian Express<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Syllabus<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: GS 2 &#8211;\u00a0 Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector\/Services relating to Health<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Synopsis<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India has witnessed a decline in Covid-19 cases since the last month, thereby indicating a downward trajectory of the second wave. It presents an opportunity to effectively prepare for the upcoming third wave through <a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/universal-vaccination-in-india-challenges-and-way-forward-explained-pointwise\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">universal vaccination<\/a> and accommodative reforms.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Background<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The second wave of pandemic left a more brutal impact on India than the first wave, with cases touching the 4 lakh\/day mark. Rural India was hurt significantly and many districts reported higher fatality rates than the national average.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, the cumulative Covid-19 cases have now declined by 72 % from the peak in May.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Understanding the Downward Trajectory of Second Wave<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The decline is<strong> mainly caused by a decrease in urban cases<\/strong> while the <a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/tackling-pandemic-in-rural-india\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">rural cases are still on the rise<\/a> as shown by the 14-day moving average of the top 20 districts.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The percentage of daily new cases from rural areas is still at 52.8 percent. A high prevalence of cases in the rural area indicates that:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <strong>GDP loss<\/strong> due to the current wave will be much lower than that in the first wave. This is because these <strong>rural districts account for a lower share of economic activity<\/strong>.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is also a subtle change in India\u2019s vaccination policy. Now India is <strong>prioritising people receiving the first dose<\/strong>.\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This would <strong>bring down the magnitude of serious cases<\/strong> in the country and ensure better preparation for the 3rd wave.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Suggestions to capitalise the downward Trajectory of Second Wave<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The government should <\/span><b>step up the vaccination drive<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as currently, around 16% of people have received the first dose and only 3% have been fully vaccinated. For the US, these numbers are 89.4 and 44.1 respectively.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India <strong>must opt for an advanced procurement strategy<\/strong> like that adopted by developed nations to inoculate its remaining population, especially the 12-17 age bracket.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There should be a <\/span><b><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/challenges-in-vaccine-procurement-in-india\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">centralised vaccine procurement<\/a> along with a centralised pricing strategy.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The rollout of a <\/span><b>compassionate fiscal policy<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> at both the central and state levels is also desired for reducing the stress of the common man and businesses. This would include rationalisation of fuel prices, tax holidays, electricity rebates for MSMEs etc.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There should be <\/span><b>prudent adoption of the best administrative practices <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">at state and local level. The Centre should now<\/span><b> collect and collate such systems <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and make them available to state governments to strengthen the health infrastructure. This includes:<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c<\/span><b>Mumbai model<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d of oxygen distribution under the able administrator, Iqbal Chahal.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c<\/span><b>Ernakulam\u2019s war room model<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d that oversees the entire city and allows for resources to be shifted swiftly between hotspots.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Telephone-based triaging systems <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Triage systems are methods for systematic prioritizing of patients&#8217; treatment according to how urgent they need care.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>operations of local bodies should be digitalised <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to ensure better resource allocation and greater accountability.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/why-foster-care-in-india-needs-to-be-expanded\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Why foster care in India needs to be expanded?<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><b>Source: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/opinion\/columns\/india-foster-care-children-death-covid-second-wave-7348473\/\"><b>click here<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<p><b>Syllabus: GS 1<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>Synopsis: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Foster care is a feasible, suitable substitute to adoption and institutional care in light of the trouble being faced by <a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/orphaned-children-in-india\/\">Covid-19 orphans<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Introduction\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Orphaned children in the second wave of Covid-19 are being sent to local shelter homes. But, is it the optimum solution?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>The negative impact of institutional care<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Every child has a right to be raised in a family and that\u2019s why there is a push for non-institutionalized (foster) care solutions for <a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/how-govts-can-support-covid-orphans\/\">orphaned children<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A research highlighted that physical and mental development in overcrowded and under-resourced shelter homes is delayed. This also increases the likelihood of social and behavioural problems.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>What is foster care?<br \/>\n<\/strong>Foster care is an arrangement whereby a child lives, usually on a temporary basis, with unrelated family members. While placing a child in foster care, preference shall be given to those families that share similar cultural, tribal and \/or community connection.<\/p>\n<p><b>What is the difference between foster care and institutionalized care?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The state of <a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/why-safeguards-for-child-adoptions-needs-to-be-followed-strictly\/\">orphaned children<\/a> in the country has brought the focus back to the issue of foster care versus institutional care.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Fostering has yet to gain credibility as a recognized method of child protection in India<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Under this system, foster parents have custody rights only. Foster parents are responsible for raising the child in a secure and personalized family setup.\u00a0<\/span>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>The family has no control over the child\u2019s assets, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">nor is it compulsory to share inheritance rights over its own assets to the foster child.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whereas, <\/span><b>the adopted child becomes a legal member of the family in the adoption system and is entitled to property rights.<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>What is the state of adoptions in India?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India has almost 30 million orphaned and abandoned children. The legal adoption of these children is a challenge. Adoption processes are very lengthy; this results in just a fraction of kids finding a home.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Firstly,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> the yearly adoptions enabled by the <\/span><b><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/cara-celebrates-5th-annual-day\/\">Central Adoption Resource Authority<\/a> (CARA) are just 3,000-4,000.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Secondly, there is a reluctance to adopt<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> because in foster care there is a life-long commitment and adopted children have enforceable legal rights.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Thirdly, foster care comparatively offers a more flexible ecosystem<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Regular follow-ups can be done to check on the well-being of the child. In legal adoption, there is little or no follow-up.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Problems that need resolution<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>No legal framework: <\/b>A legal framework to encourage foster care in India<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> was presented by the central government through the enactment of the<a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/amendments-to-juvenile-justice-act-explained-pointwise\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act.<\/a> But the Act left it to the states to make rules for purposes of carrying out the scheme. This resulted in uneven implementation.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Lack of awareness of legal provisions: <\/b>Many Child Welfare Committees (CWCs) are not aware of the applicable legal provisions.<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Many <\/span><b>avoid the duty of choosing foster families, approving childcare plans<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and conducting compulsory monthly reviews to help check misuse of the foster system for abuse and exploitation.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Measures to improve the foster care system<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">State governments should <\/span><b>promote foster care where association care is unavailable.\u00a0<\/b><\/li>\n<li>States should go beyond the declaration of aid packages. They should ensure that the district child protection machinery is promoted to chart the <b style=\"font-family: var(--list--font-family); background-color: var(--global--color-background); color: var(--global--color-primary); font-size: var(--global--font-size-base);\">promising territory of foster care<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Foster parents should be <strong>financially supported<\/strong> by the state for child care. This model is followed in many countries. <strong>Foster<\/strong><\/span><b> parents can provide a socio-cultural environment similar to when the child was born<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In India, district agencies get annual funds to support foster care, but they go unutilised. These funds should be utilized in an optimum manner.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Clear, crisp rules <\/b>and visibly managed budgets for fostering<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Committed and sensitive citizens<\/strong> can be expected to come forward to open their homes and hearts to children in need.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/mental-healthcare-in-india-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How can India address its mental healthcare problem?<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/epaper.thehindu.com\/Home\/ShareArticle?OrgId=GIK8LA0KP.1&amp;imageview=0\">The Hindu<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Syllabus<\/strong>: <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #333333;\"><strong>GS2 &#8211; Issues Relating to Development and Management of Social Sector\/Services relating to Health<\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis: <\/strong>Evaluation of India\u2019s state of <a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/naomi-osaka-episode-and-mental-health-in-india\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">mental health care<\/a> and suggestions to improve them<strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Background<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Recent reports published in <strong>Lancet <\/strong>revealed that <strong>one in seven people in India<\/strong> had a mental disorder ranging from mild to severe in 2017.\n<ul>\n<li>Mental illnesses include anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders, mood disorders, substance use disorders, personality disorders and eating disorders.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Despite having the necessary components to address the <a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/mental-healthcare-in-india\/\">mental healthcare<\/a> issues, more needs to be done in the context of COVID-19 that has exacerbated mental illnesses.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>The mental healthcare situation in India<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>The situation is <strong>bad especially in the southern states<\/strong> as compared to the northern states due to the nature of development, modernization, urbanization etc.,<\/li>\n<li><strong>Sharp gender divide: <\/strong>Depressive disorders are more prevalent among females than males due to sexual abuse, gender discrimination, stress due to antenatal and postnatal issues etc<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Why mental healthcare situation is bad in India?<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Inadequate public spending on Mental Health: <\/strong>India spends around 1.3% of total health expenditure on mental health, whereas, in developed countries, it ranges from 3% to 15%.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Inadequate infrastructure for Mental Health: <\/strong>For Instance, the share of mental hospitals per 1,00,000 population is as low as 0.01 according to the WHO.<\/li>\n<li>Similarly, India fares poorly in the distribution of mental health units, mental health outpatient facilities, community residential facilities etc.,<\/li>\n<li><strong>Inadequate Mental health resources<\/strong>: Nurses, social workers and psychologists working in the mental health sector in India are way less compared to other countries. For instance, leading countries have 222.6 psychologists per 1,00,000 population whereas India has only 0.069, per 1,00,000 population.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Why Mental Health needs to be given priority?<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>One, Causative factor for suicides. <\/strong>The majority of suicides in the world are related to psychiatric problems or mental illnesses. India\u2019s suicide rate was 16.3 per 1,00,000 in 2016 that is very high compared to the Global suicide rate of 10.6 per 1,00,000 population.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Two, a significant contributor to the total disease burden in India.<\/strong> For instance, the proportional contribution of mental disorders to the total disease burden had doubled between 1990 and 2017.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Three reduces longevity.<\/strong> According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there is a 10-25-year life expectancy reduction in patients with severe mental disorders<strong>.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Government measures on mental health care<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>India has rightly enacted the following policies to cater to the needs of the population suffering from Mental illness:\n<ul>\n<li>The National Mental Health Policy (NMHP) in 2014,<\/li>\n<li>Rights-based Mental Healthcare Act in 2017,<\/li>\n<li>National Adolescent Health Programme<\/li>\n<li>Ayushman Bharat<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>More needs to be done.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What more steps can be taken?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In order to further address mental health issues and promote mental healthcare, India needs to do the following,<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>One, reduce the treatment gap for mental disorders. For instance,<strong> Telemedicine<\/strong>\u00a0can be promoted to reduce the gap.<\/li>\n<li>Two, <strong>increase the number of personnel<\/strong> in the mental healthcare sector.<\/li>\n<li>Three, <strong>remove stigmatization<\/strong> by reducing discriminatory attitudes.<\/li>\n<li>Four, devise an <strong>integrated approach<\/strong> for detecting, treating, and managing patient needs.<\/li>\n<li>Five, <strong>increase counselling facilities<\/strong>, especially in rural areas, with special support for women through the provision of women doctors.<\/li>\n<li>Six, leverage the benefits of<strong> technology.<\/strong> The application of big data and crowdsourcing ideas can help to make informed decision-making.<\/li>\n<li>Seven, focus on <strong>community-based programmes<\/strong>. For Instance, School-based programmes on mental health can improve the mental health of children.<\/li>\n<li>Eight, <strong>create mental health awareness<\/strong> through traditional media, government programmes, the education system, industry, and social media.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/china-warns-bangladesh-on-joining-quad\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">China warns Bangladesh on joining QUAD<\/a><\/h3>\n<p><strong>Source<\/strong>: <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/epaper.thehindu.com\/Home\/ShareArticle?OrgId=GIK8LA0KN.1&amp;imageview=0\">The Hindu<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Syllabus: <span style=\"text-decoration: underline; color: #333333;\">GS2 &#8211; Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and Agreements involving India and\/or affecting India\u2019s interests.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis<\/strong>: In the wake of the growing momentum of <a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/quad-and-india-challenges-and-opportunities\/\">Quad<\/a>, China\u2019s aggression is expected to grow in the Indo-Pacific and States are likely to push back Chinese <strong>\u201ccheque-book diplomacy\u201d.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Background<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Recently Chinese ambassador warned Bangladesh that there will be <strong>\u201csubstantial damage\u201d<\/strong> to bilateral relation if it joins the USA backed anti-China coalition \u201c<strong>Quad<\/strong>\u201d<\/li>\n<li>However, Bangladesh categorically replied that Bangladesh is an independent sovereign nation and practices an independent foreign policy.<\/li>\n<li>In this context, the USA said, it respects Bangladesh sovereignty and the <strong>right to make independent<\/strong> <strong>foreign policy.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>What is the significance of this episode?<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Firstly, it reveals the<strong> fault lines in South Asia and in the Indo-Pacific.<\/strong> It shows that major powers are changing their moves to change the power balance in the Indian Ocean.<\/li>\n<li>Secondly, it shows the growing <a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/indo-pacific-and-india\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">relevance of the Indo-Pacific<\/a>. \u201c<strong>Quad<\/strong>\u201d with all its weaknesses is becoming <strong>reality<\/strong> in the Indo-Pacific despite China\u2019s attempt to suppress it.<\/li>\n<li>Thirdly<strong>, <\/strong>it reveals that Quad\u2019s success can be challenging for <strong>China strong-arm tactics <\/strong><em>(use of threats and force)<\/em>. Quad can become an <strong>alternative for the regional states.<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Fourthly, it is clear China wants to send a clear message to regional states that they should remain away from joining Quad.<\/li>\n<li>It further signifies that as the relevance of Quad will grow, Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific will grow.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>What are the major limitations with Quad?<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Firstly, Quad members are not able to figure out <strong>any cohesive agenda<\/strong> or any plan of expansions in the region.<\/li>\n<li>Secondly, there <strong>is no credible platform<\/strong> to work with a like-minded nation such as China\u2019s Belt and Road initiative.<\/li>\n<li>Thirdly, no countries have shown any interest to join the coalition as China has called it <strong>\u201cAsian NATO\u201d.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>India and other regional states will have to come up with more clear-cut foreign policy choices to counter China\u2019s aggressive diplomacy.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Also read: <a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/about-quadrilateral-security-dialogue-quad\/\">Quadrilateral Security Dialogue<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"V4wQrNLmON\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/factly-news-articles-for-upsc-prelims-8-june-2021\/\">Factly :-News Articles For UPSC Prelims | 8 June, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);\" title=\"&#8220;Factly :-News Articles For UPSC Prelims | 8 June, 2021&#8221; &#8212; Free UPSC IAS Preparation For Aspirants\" src=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/factly-news-articles-for-upsc-prelims-8-june-2021\/embed\/#?secret=Ack2iTDwjh#?secret=V4wQrNLmON\" data-secret=\"V4wQrNLmON\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Good evening dear reader Here is our 9pm current affairs brief for you today Mitigating the third wave requires a focus on DOTS Source: The Hindu\u00a0 Syllabus: GS 2 &#8211; Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector\/Services relating to Health Synopsis: India is witnessing a softening of the second wave. Nonetheless, the anticipation&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/9-pm-daily-current-affairs-brief-june-8-2021\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">9 PM Daily Current Affairs Brief \u2013 June 8, 2021<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":61,"featured_media":80068,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"9pm-brief-template.php","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14,9],"tags":[8032,1542,8033],"class_list":["post-111329","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-9-pm-brief","category-public","tag-current-affairs-for-upsc","tag-daily-current-affairs-for-upsc","tag-upsc-current-affairs","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/9-PM-Brief-1-e1615452440806.png?fit=600%2C335&ssl=1","views":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111329","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/61"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=111329"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111329\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/80068"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=111329"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=111329"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=111329"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}