Comprehensive News Analysis - 20 May 2017

In news:

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for an “evergreen revolution”.
• Evergreen revolution enables the country to meet the challenge faced by the agriculture sector.

We shall move from the concept of ’food security’ to ‘nutrition security’, via scientific and technological intervention.

Study: Global Burden of Disease (GBD)

Highlights:

• Newborns in India have a lesser chance of survival than babies born in Afghanistan and Somalia.
• India ranks 154 out of 195 countries in the GBD ranking for health access and quality (HAQ). Last year, India was ranked 143 among 188 countries.

• The HAQ Index is based on death rates from 32 ailments that could be avoided by timely medical intervention.
• India’s healthcare index of 44.8 is the lowest among the sub-continental countries, as Sri Lanka (72.8), Bangladesh (51.7), Bhutan (52.7), and Nepal (50.8) all fared better.
• The top-ranked nation was Andorra with an overall score of 95 and the lowest-ranked nation was Central African Republic at 29. 

Areas need to be focused on:

• India has failed to achieve health care targets, especially those concerning neonatal disorders, maternal health, tuberculosis, and rheumatic heart disease

C. GS3 Related

Category: ECONOMY

1. Kidnap insurance may help recoup cyberattack losses 

In news:

• Companies without cyber insurance are dusting off policies covering kidnap, ransom and extortion in the world’s political hotspots to recoup losses caused by ransomware viruses such as “WannaCry”.
• Cyber insurance can be expensive to buy and is not widely used outside the U.S
• The kidnap policies, known as K&R coverage, are typically used by multinational companies looking to protect their staff in areas where violence related to oil and mining operations is common, such as parts of Africa and Latin America.

2. Fugitive economic offenders bill out in public domain, feedback sought 

3. Cabinet approves Industry-Academia Collaborative Mission for accelerating discovery research to early development for biopharmaceuticals 

About the Mission:

• Aims to accelerate discovery research to early development for biopharmaceuticals
• The Mission will be implemented by Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) – a Public Sector Undertaking of Department of Biotechnology (DBT)
• The Mission Program would be a Pan-India program

Key Focus areas:

• The key focus areas of the program would aid in preparing India’s technological and product development capabilities in the biopharmaceutical sector
• Aims to transform the health standards of India’s population through affordable product development

Funding:

• Total project cost to be funded by Government of India is Rs. 1500 crore for five years
• 50% cost for the Mission Programme will be arranged through the World Bank loan

Agencies involved:

• For the implementation, a Programme Management Unit will be set up at BIRAC
• This will work as an operational and functional arm that oversees and monitors program implementation and progress

Focus of the Mission:

• The Mission will focus on Development of specific products – vaccines, bio therapeutics, medical devices and diagnostics
• There will be establishment of shared infrastructure and facilities; building and strengthening domain specific knowledge and management skills
• Focus is on creating and enhancing technology transfer capabilities in public and private sector

Category: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

1. Scientists bring ‘limitless’ blood supply closer to reality

Category: ETHICS, INTEGRITY AND APTITUDE

1. Ex-Coal Secretary Gupta convicted

Question 1: Recently government announced Industry-Academia Collaborative Mission, the main focus 
area of this mission is

Question 2: A Stem cell is having a property to make cells from all three basic body layers, so 
they can potentially produce any cell or tissue the body needs to repair itself. Which Stem 
cell is having this property?

Question 3: Global Burden of Disease report is published by

Question 4: Consider the following statement regarding National Investment 
Infrastructure Fund (NIIF):