{"id":8962,"date":"2017-09-27T11:54:47","date_gmt":"2017-09-27T06:24:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.forumias.com\/?p=8962"},"modified":"2017-09-22T14:11:53","modified_gmt":"2017-09-22T08:41:53","slug":"answers-mains-marathon-upsc-mains-current-affairs-questions-september-26","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/answers-mains-marathon-upsc-mains-current-affairs-questions-september-26\/","title":{"rendered":"Answers: Mains Marathon \u2013 UPSC Mains Current Affairs Questions \u2013 September 26"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/blog.forumias.com\/mains-marathon\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Archives<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Q1) At 0.83% of gross domestic product (GDP), India is among the countries with the lowest investment in scientific research especially in the medical sector. What are the challenges faced by India\u2019s pharmaceutical research and development? What are steps can be taken by the government? <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GS 3<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Challenges faced by India\u2019s research and development<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One of the biggest obstacles to scientific research is the lack of sufficient funding and inadequate allocations by the government.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At 0.83% of gross domestic product (GDP), India is among the countries with the lowest investment in scientific research.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">New medicines, devices,diagnostics, patient aids and monitoring tools are mostly imported, often coming to India several years after they are available to patients in the developed world<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Intellectual property protection<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Indian patent (Amendment) act 2005 formed as per the requirements of TRIPS.The patent application process for the pharmaceutical products in India is interpreted as targeted to create burdensome for foreign applicants. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Market Access barriers <\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The contribution from the government in the areas of health care is not satisfactory, which is only 1.2 percent of the GDP and healthcare infrastructure development not up to the expectation in India. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Other challenges<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India needs mere structured and matured regulations on clinical trial policies. <\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More expectations are from pharmaceutical companies, as a compensation, for the person injured during clinical trials<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>What steps can be taken by the government?<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In order to support consistent innovation, investment has to increase substantially before any tangible outcomes can be envisioned.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Indian pharmaceutical companies need to be supported with more financial and social capital if we are to see meaningful drug research that can address the healthcare needs of India.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A strong patent system and robust intellectual property rights environment is required to encourage<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">research and to enable foreign pharma companies to bring new products to the market.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Short-term populist measures like imposing price ceilings do not contribute to improving patients\u2019 access to innovative life-saving medicines and devices; a more holistic approach is needed.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Q2. Life expectancy in India on the rise, but the quality of health care services is inadequate.Discuss <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GS 1<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Life expectancy in India has increased by more than 10 years in the past two decades, while globally children born in 2015 were expected on an average to live till 71.4 years, a new UN report revealed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2015, life expectancy at birth was 68.3 years in India which breaks down to 66.9 years for men and 69.9 for women, the WHO\u2019s World Statistics Report 2016 found.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 1990, Indians were expected to live on an average till 58 years. This rose to 66 years in 2013.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>What are the problems associated with increasing life expectancy?<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is a rapid rise in the share of the old i.e. 60 years or more and associated morbidities, especially sharply rising <\/span>non-communicable diseases (NCDs<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) and disabilities.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Though life expectancy is increasing, but also the rate of chronic disease is increasing in older community.<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The findings of <\/span>Indian Human Development Survey<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(<\/span>IHDS)<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> pointed out the following figures:<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1-<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0\u00a0<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The prevalence of \u00a0high blood pressure among the old almost doubled over the period 2005-12; that of heart disease rose 1.7 times; the prevalence of cancer rose 1.2 times; that of diabetes more than doubled, as also that of asthma; other NCDs rose more rapidly (i.e. by two and a half times).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2-<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0\u00a0<\/span> Multi-morbidities<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> i.e., co-occurrence of two or more Non-Communicable Disease (NCDs) rose recently for like two and a half times<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3-<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0\u00a0<\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The prevalence of high blood pressure and heart disease rose more than twice while that of high blood pressure and diabetes nearly doubled.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Global comparison:<\/b><\/p>\n<p>The WHO\u2019s World Health Statistics,<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> annual publication since 2005 containing data from 194 countries reporting on the status of health of the world\u2019s people depicts the following picture:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India has now moved considerably in the epidemiological transition or health transition where non-communicable diseases now have also become a very important cause of death,\u201d <\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India is presented as country with particular challenges with maternal mortality and infectious diseases, but now it is grappling with newer challenges of heart strokes, obesity, cancer and diabetes.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2012, 68 percent of the deaths globally \u2013 38 million deaths \u2013 were due to NCDs of which 52 percent were premature deaths \u2014 that are deaths of less than 70-year-olds. Over three quarters of these premature deaths were due to cardio vascular diseases, cancer, diabetes or chronic respiratory diseases.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India\u2019s MMR in 2015 was 174.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nepal was the highest in the SEAR group with a high of 258 deaths, while Sierra Leone topped the global list with an extremely high ratio of 1,360 mothers dying per 1,00,000 live children born<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A related statistic shows that between 2006 and 2014, 74 percent of the Indian children were born through skilled personnel while the same percentage for Thailand is 100, while it is as high as 99 percent for Sri Lanka.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">India has about 24 skilled health personnel to serve 10,000 people. This rate is globally comparable only with Latin American countries like Peru and Nicaragua.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Life expectancy for children born in 2015 was 71.4 years<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> globally.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Health life expectancy stands at 63.1 years globally.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Q3)The National Health Policy, 2017, was approved by the Union Cabinet which will replace the previous policy adopted in 2002. \u00a0Critically analyse the key features of this policy \u00a0and also suggest measures. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">GS 2<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ans:The National Health Policy, 2017, was approved by the Union Cabinet which will replace the previous policy adopted in 2002.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>What are the key highlights of National Health Policy?<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The broad principles of the Policy are centered on professionalism, integrity and ethics, equity, affordability, universality, patient centered and quality of care, accountability and pluralism.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It aims to achieve universal access to good quality health care services without anyone having to face financial hardship as a consequence.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It intends on gradually increasing public health expenditure to 2.5% of the GDP.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It proposes free drugs, free diagnostics and free emergency and essential healthcare services in public hospitals.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The policy advocates allocating two-thirds (of resources to primary care.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It proposes two beds per 1,000 of the population to enable access within the first 60 minutes after a traumatic injury.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To reduce morbidity and preventable mortality of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by advocating pre-screening.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It highlights AYUSH as a tool for effective prevention and therapy that is safe and cost-effective.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It proposes introducing Yoga in more schools and offices to promote good health.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It also proposed reforming medical education.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The policy also lists quantitative targets regarding life expectancy, mortality and reduction of disease prevalence in line with the objectives of the policy<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>What are the key targets?<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Increase Life Expectancy at birth from 67.5 to 70 by 2025.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reduce Fertility Rate to 2.1 by 2025.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reduce Infant Mortality Rate to 28 by 2019.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reduce under Five Mortality to 23 by 2025.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Achieve the global 2020 HIV target (also termed 90:90:90 global targets).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To reduce premature mortality from cardiovascular diseases, cancer,<\/span>diabetes or chronic respiratory diseases by 25 per cent by 2025.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reducing the prevalence of blindness to 0.25 per 1000 persons by 2025.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The disease burden to be reduced by one third from the current levels.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Elimination of leprosy by 2018, kala-azar by 2017 and lymphatic filariasis in endemic pockets by 2017.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>What are the positive aspects of this policy?<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The policy seeks to promote universal access to good quality healthcare services and a wide array of free drugs and diagnostics.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The proposed steps such as a health card for every family will certainly help improve health outcomes in India.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The recommended grading of clinical establishments and active promotion and adoption of standard treatment guidelines can also help improve the quality of healthcare delivery in India.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>What are the loopholes?<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The policy duplicates portions of the Health section of Finance Minister\u2019s 2017 Budget speech, reiterates health spend targets set by the erstwhile Planning Commission for the 12th Five Year Plan.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It fails to make health a justiciable right in the way the Right to Education 2005 did for school education. A health cess was a path breaking idea that was proposed in the draft policy but it was dropped.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether Health should continue to be in the State List or in the Concurrent List is not answered in the policy.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lack of capacity to use higher levels of public funding for health.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>What should be done?<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More health professionals need to be deployed for primary care in rural areas.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contracting of health services from the private sector may be inevitable in the short term.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No more time should be lost in forming regulatory and accreditation agencies for healthcare providers at the national and State levels.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Without oversight, unethical commercial entities would have easy backdoor access to public funds in the form of state-backed insurance. For the new policy to start on a firm footing, the Centre has to get robust health data.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u00a0<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To reduce high out-of-pocket spending, early deadlines should be set for public institutions to offer essential medicines and diagnostic tests free to everyone.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Archives\u00a0 Q1) At 0.83% of gross domestic product (GDP), India is among the countries with the lowest investment in scientific research especially in the medical sector. What are the challenges faced by India\u2019s pharmaceutical research and development? What are steps can be taken by the government? GS 3 Challenges faced by India\u2019s research and development&hellip; <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/answers-mains-marathon-upsc-mains-current-affairs-questions-september-26\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Answers: Mains Marathon \u2013 UPSC Mains Current Affairs Questions \u2013 September 26<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":61,"featured_media":2292,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[25,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8962","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mains-marathon-answers","category-public","entry"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/06\/pen-paper-laptop.jpg?fit=1000%2C500&ssl=1","views":{"total":0,"cached_at":"","cached_date":1704823796},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8962","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=8962"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8962\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2292"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8962"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8962"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/forumias.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8962"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}