India needs all hands on deck (Indian Express)

Mains Paper 2:Health
Prelims level:COVID-19
Mains level: Health preparedness infrastructure across the country

Context:

• World Health Organization (WHO) recognised the Pune-based National Institute of Virology (NIV) as one of the 15 laboratories that would provide reference testing support for the novel coronavirus.
• The number of COVID-19 cases remained constant at three for nearly a month in India, but now it is going up steadily. Anticipating such a scenario, more labs are screening COVID-19 samples now.
• Besides the 52 labs belonging to the Viral Research and Diagnostic Laboratories network of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), 10 labs under the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) have been included for testing COVID-19 samples.

Testing COVID-19 sample process:

• All the 52 labs were allowed to only screen samples; only NIV was authorised to confirm positive cases.
• With more suspected cases piling up, ................................................

CLICK HERE FOR FULL EDITORIAL (Only for Course Members)

Sequencing the genome:

• NIV is the only lab in India which has a bio-safety level-4 (BSL-4) facility to culture pathogenic, novel viruses, study the origin of such viruses and provide a comprehensive characterisation of them by sequencing the entire viral genome.
• NIV has sequenced the SARS-CoV-2 genome collected from two patients in Kerala.
• The entire genome is sequenced it helps researchers understand the arrangement of the four chemical entities or bases that make up the DNA or RNA.
• The differences in the arrangement of the bases make organisms different from one another.
• Sequencing the genome of SARS-CoV-2 will help us understand where the virus came from and how it spread.
• Many national laboratories have developed the expertise to sequence the entire genome of viruses and bacteria using the latest equipment (next-generation sequencing, or NGS).
• About a dozen labs have a BSL-3 facility to inactivate the virus and sequence the genome using advanced equipment. They also have the expertise to undertake such work.

Unutilised expertise in India

• Around 75,000 samples of H1N1 during the 2009-2010 outbreak. We have a BSL-3 facility and the latest sequencing equipment.
• During the 2018 Nipah virus outbreak in Kerala, .....................................................

CLICK HERE FOR FULL EDITORIAL (Only for Course Members)

How China built capacity?

• China was completely unprepared when the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) struck in 2002-2003.
• The outbreak infected over 8,000 people globally and killed nearly 800. The bird flu (H5N1) outbreak that followed in 2003 underscored the need for influenza detection and response in China.
• This led to a collaboration between the Chinese National Influenza Center and the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2004 to build capacity in influenza surveillance in China.

Way ahead:

• It led to developed human technical expertise in virology and epidemiology, a comprehensive influenza surveillance system, strengthened analysis, the dissemination of surveillance data, and improved early response to influenza viruses with pandemic potential.
• By 2014, the national influenza surveillance and response system included 408 labs and 554 sentinel hospitals.
• Today, there is a Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in each of the 31 provinces in mainland China.
• The infrastructure and capacity-building that was put in place by China for influenza surveillance stood in good stead when the H1N1 pandemic struck in 2009.

  Click here to Join IAS PRE Online Course

  General Studies Pre. Cum Mains Study Materials

Prelims Questions:

Q.1)With reference to the Direct Tax Vivad se Vishwas Bill, 2020, consider the following statements:
1. The Bill defines an appellant as the income tax authority, or the person, or both, whose appeal is pending before any appellate forum as on January 31, 2020.
2. Once a dispute is resolved, the designated authority cannot levy interest or penalty in relation to that dispute.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: C

CLICK HERE FOR FULL EDITORIAL (Only for Course Members)

Mains Questions:
Q.1)Combating coronavirus requires getting basics right, creating awareness, investing in public health infrastructure. Discuss