Vector borne diseases

Q.  According to WHO, Vector-borne diseases are adding to the vicious cycle of poverty and have a significant impact of socio-economic status of communities.  Which are those diseases? How do they exacerbate poverty? Comment.

Vector borne diseases have been one of the major causes for morbidity and mortality in India. It has a negative impact on socio economic status of community. It pushes people into a vicious cycle of poverty.

India is vulnerable to various vector borne diseases like Kala azar, Filaria, Dengue and malaria. It has been a major public health issue in India. Lack of hygiene, sanitation, malnutrition, lack of access to healthcare are major reasons for prevalence of vector borne diseases in India.

India has launched National vector borne disease control program to tackle this problem comprehensively. However progress has been slow.Much of India;s halth infrastructure is focussed on curative care. Preventive healthcare is largely neglected. All these have a detrimental impact on economic status of people.

Much of health expenditure in India is out of pocket. The very nature of vector borne disease puts heavy economic burden on effected families. Further, recovery period is long. This leads to prolonged morbidity , impacting earning capacity of household.

Government needs to mobilise its machinery towards effectively tackling this problem. We have success defeated polio through holistic effort by various stakeholders. Vector borne diseases are preventable. We need to ensure that Indian citizens are protected from the wrath of vector borne diseases.

Srilankan Tamils issue

Critically comment on Sri Lanka’s policies towards its Tamil population post – 2009 victory over LTTE.

 

The emphatic victory of srilankan military  over LTTE in 2009 raised hopes of reconciliation of tamil minority in srilanka. In the past 5 years, much progress has been made in this regard in past 5 years. But a lot more needs to be done.

                Srilankan government setup a lessons learnt and reconciliation commission[LLRC] . It found fault with both srilankan government and LTTE for human rights violation during last stages of war. The LTTE movement arose mainly due to perceived feeling of alienation among Srilankan tamils. Srilankan government has taken several steps towards addressing this feeling of alienation. It has successfully conducted elections for northern provincial council.  This is a step towards decentralisation of power to tamil dominated areas in North.

                It has in collaboration with Indian government undertaken several rehabilitation projects for tamils. This includes housing projects, post development , railway lines etc. It has introduced a 3 language policy to promote use of tamil in Srilanka.

           However a lot is left to be done. The government has still not acted on recommendations of LLRC. It has not agreed to demands of tamils to demilitarise the area. Even though it has successfully conducted elections, It has not devolved crucial powers relating to land, police to provincial councils as envisaged under 13^th amendment.

                Srilankan government needs to take all steps towards addressing human rights issues that arose during 2009 conflict. It needs to be more accommodative in addressing concerns of srilankan tamils

Nuclear security summit

 

Q. Critically assess some of recent decisions taken at the Hague Nuclear Security Summit with a special note on India and its nuclear security.

Hague nuclear summit took stock of progress made in nuclear safety and security. It focused on various issues related to nuclear security like

1. Strengthening of IAEA

2. Protection of nuclear and radiological materials

3. Restrict use of highly enriched uranium

4. Information security

5. Nuclear transportation

 

At the summit various countries made voluntary  pledges towards strengthening nuclear security and safety.However the summit failed to break new ground . It couldnt push nations towards making greater commitments towards nuclear security. 

   India has been an active participant in nuclear security summits. It has delivered on its pledge of setting up a global centre for nuclear energy partnership. It has developed a advanced reactor based on low enriched uranium. It has taken steps towards strengthening nuclear security. It has proposed to setup an independent nuclear safety regulatory authority. It has made financial contributions towards strengthening IAEA

     Nuclear security is an issue of deep concern to India. It faces threats from terrorism. Lack of adequate safeguards may lead to nuclear weapons falling into hands of terrorists. India has been a strong supporter of global nuclear disarmament which is the best way to protect world from nuclear threats.