CONTENTS
- Mission SAGAR and Samudra Setu
- Japanese Encephalitis
Mission SAGAR and Samudra Setu
Focus: GS II- International Relations
Why in News?
The President noted that during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Indian Navy has been providing aid to friendly nations by supplying medicines and evacuating stranded Indian citizens and foreign nationals in different parts of the world under ‘Mission SAGAR’ and ‘Samudra Setu’. He said that the prompt and effective deployment of the Indian Navy in the times of crisis has underscored India’s vision of being the ‘Preferred Security Partner’ and ‘First Responder’ in the Indian Ocean Region.
About Mission Sagar
- This deployment as ‘Mission Sagar’, is in line with India’s role as the first responder in the region and builds on the excellent relations existing between these countries to battle the COVID-19 pandemic and its resultant difficulties.
- The deployment is in consonance with the Prime Ministers vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region ‘SAGAR’ and highlights the importance accorded by India to relations with her neighbouring countries and further strengthens the existing bond.
What is SAGAR?
- In March 2015, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited three small but significant Indian Ocean island states — Seychelles, Mauritius, and Sri Lanka. During this tour, he unveiled India’s strategic vision for the Indian Ocean: Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR).
- SAGAR seeks to differentiate India’s leadership from the modus operandi of other regionally active major powers and to reassure littoral states as India’s maritime influence grows.
- India’s SAGAR vision is intended to be “consultative, democratic and equitable”.
- India’s recent admission as observer to the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) will put this vision to the test.
- Following a request from New Delhi, the IOC granted observer status to India on March 6 at the Commission’s 34th Council of Ministers.
Operation Samudra Setu
- The Indian Navy has launched ‘Operation Samudra Setu’ as a part of national effort to repatriate Indian citizens from overseas.
- This operation is being progressed in close coordination with Ministries of Defence, External Affairs, Home Affairs, Health and various other agencies of the Government of India and State governments.
- INS Jalashwa and INS Magar are being operated as part of efforts to repatriate Indian nationals from foreign shores.
- INS Jalashwa is the largest amphibious platform in the Navy.
Japanese Encephalitis
Focus: GS II- Health
Why in News?
Recently, the National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB), Hyderabad has developed an immunosensor to detect Non-Structural 1 (NS1) secretory protein which is a suitable biomarker for Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV) found circulating in the blood.
Details:
- Detection of the NS1 instead of antibody has an added advantage since the antigen is present from day 1 of the infection and hence facilitates early detection. On the other hand, antibodies appear only after Day 4/5 of the infection.
- NIAB is an Indian autonomous research establishment of the Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology.
Japanese Encephalitis
- Japanese encephalitis (JE) is one of the most common encephalitides worldwide. The disease is caused by a mosquito-borne flavivirus and is found across south and east areas of Asia.
- It is a zoonosis – an animal disease that can spread to humans.
- JE virus is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected Culex mosquitoes, which lay their eggs in irrigated rice paddies and other pools of stagnant water.
- Pigs and birds serve as amplifying vertebrate hosts. Humans are believed to be dead-end hosts. The disease outbreak usually occurs during the rainy season.
- Case-fatality rate in severe clinical cases is estimated to be 20–30%, with young children (< 10 years) having a greater risk of severe disease and death.
Vaccine
- Currently, three WHO-prequalified JE vaccines are available, all of which are safe and effective. WHO recommends use of JE vaccines in all countries where JE is recognized as a public health priority.
- India has also launched its first indigenously produced anti- Japanese encephalitis (JE) vaccine—JENVAC.
National Vector Borne Diseases Control Programme
- The National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) is a comprehensive programme for prevention and control of vector borne diseases namely Malaria, Filaria, Kala-azar, Japanese Encephalitis (JE), Dengue and Chikungunya which is covered under the overall umbrella of NRHM.
