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Posted 22 Aug 2024

Updated 27 Aug 2024

6 min read

Immunisation In India

WHO/UNICEF Estimates of National Immunization Coverage (WUENIC) 2023 released. 

Key findings 

Global:

  • Childhood immunization coverage stalled in 2023, leaving 2.7 million children either unvaccinated or under-vaccinated.
  • Over 50% of unvaccinated children live in the 31 conflict-affected countries.
Challenges faced in immunization are limited resources, lack of responsibility and lack of centralized record systems.

India:

  • In 2023, 1.6 million children missed crucial Diphtheria, pertussis, and tetanus (together called DPT) and measles vaccinations.
  • India lacks human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in national programs despite cervical cancer being second-highest cancer in women (18% of female cancers).
  • India accounted for 2 million zero-dose children.
    • Zero-dose children are those that lack access to or are never reached by routine immunization services.

Immunisation in India 

  • Universal Immunization Programme (UIP) has been operational in India since 1985.
  • Mission Indradhanush 2014 was launched as a special drive to vaccinate all unvaccinated and partially vaccinated children, pregnant women under UIP.   
    • So far 5.46 crore children and 1.32 crore pregnant women have been vaccinated.
  • Intensified Mission Indradhanush (IMI) 5.0, 2023 is a catch-up vaccination campaign for children up to 5 years of age and pregnant women, who were left out.
    • 12 diseases covered: Diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, tuberculosis, measles and hepatitis-B, pertussis, meningitis and pneumonia, Japanese encephalitis (JE) and measles-rubella (MR).
  • Tags :
  • UNICEF
  • World Health Organization (WHO)
  • Immunisation

WHO Tobacco Cessation Guideline

The World Health Organization (WHO) has released its first-ever clinical treatment guideline for tobacco cessation in adults.

  • It is expected to help more than 750 million tobacco users who want to quit all forms of tobacco but find it difficult to do so.
  • More than 60 per cent of the world’s 1.25 billion tobacco users want to quit, yet 70 per cent lack access to effective cessation services.
    • Reasons: inefficient health systems, lack of resources, etc.
  • Recommendations combine medication and behavioural interventions.
  • Tags :
  • WHO
  • Tobacco Cessation

State Of Food Security And Nutrition

The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World Report, 2024 released

  • The report has been prepared by five specialized agencies of the United Nations-FAO, IFAD, UNICEF, WFP, and WHO.
  • The theme of the report focuses on the financing to end hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition in all its forms. 
Status of Food Security and Nutrition. The world is far off track to achive SDG 2. 1 in 11 people faced hunger globally in 2023.

Need for the New Definition

  • Absence of a coherent picture of the financial resources spent on food security and nutrition. 
  • Existence of Multiple definitions creating problems like underfinanced areas, issue accountability of institutions, and tracking of progress. 

The report puts forward a new definition of financing for food security and nutrition

  • Refers to the public and private financial resources, both domestic and foreign, directed towards eradicating hunger, food insecurity and all forms of malnutrition. 
  • It aims at availability, access, utilization and stability of nutritious and safe foods, along with strengthening the resilience of agrifood systems

Current gaps in financing

  • Public spending on agriculture per capita is very low and not steadily growing in low-income countries (LICs) and lower-middle-income countries (LMICs)
  • Food security and nutrition take less than a quarter of official development assistance and other official flows and seem to have been less of a priority for donors.
  • Tags :
  • Food Security
  • State of Food Security and Nutrition

Operation Nanhe Farishtey

84,119 children were rescued by the Railway Protection Force under 'Operation Nanhe Farishtey' in the last 7 years. 

About 'Operation Nanhe Farishtey’

  • It is a mission dedicated to rescuing children in need of care and protection across various Indian Railway Zones.
  • Tags :
  • Operation Nanhe Farishtey
  • Railway Protection Force
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