April 14 is observed as World Chagas Disease Day.

Chagas disease:

• April 14 is observed as World Chagas Disease Day, because the first diagnosis of the disease was done by a Brazilian physician, Carlos Chagas on 14 April 1909.
• It is also known as American trypanosomiasis, is a potentially life-threatening illness caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma Cruzi.
• About 6–7 million people worldwide, mostly in Latin America, are estimated to be infected with Trypanosoma cruzi.

Transmission & Stages:

• It is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected triatomine bugs, also known as “kissing bugs”.
• However, it can also be transmitted through blood transfusions, organ transplantation, congenital transmission from mother to child, and consumption of contaminated food or beverages.

 Disease progresses through two main stages: acute and chronic.

• Acute stage: The acute stage typically occurs shortly after infection and may exhibit mild or no symptoms at all, making it difficult to diagnose.
• Common symptoms include fever, fatigue, body aches, headache, rash, loss of appetite, vomiting, and swelling at the site of infection (chagoma).
• Chronic Stage: If left untreated, the infection progresses to the chronic stage, which can manifest years or even decades after the initial infection
• Chronic Chagas disease can lead to severe complications, including cardiac issues such as cardiomyopathy, arrhythmias, heart failure, and gastrointestinal problems such as megaesophagus and megacolon.

Diagnosis of Chagas disease:

• Asymptomatic Chronic Stage: Diagnosing Chagas disease can be challenging due to its often asymptomatic or nonspecific symptoms, especially in the chronic stage.
• Serological Tests: Diagnosis typically involves a combination of serological tests to detect antibodies against T. cruzi and molecular techniques to identify the parasite’s DNA.
• Early detection is crucial for preventing the progression of the disease and reducing the risk of complications.

Treatment:

• The primary medication used to treat Chagas disease is benznidazole or nifurtimox, both of which are antiparasitic drugs that work by killing the parasite.
• Treatment aims to reduce the parasite’s burden, alleviate symptoms, and prevent the development of complications.

Geographical Spread of Disease:

• Endemic Regions: Chagas disease is endemic to Latin America, primarily in rural areas of Mexico, Central America, and South America.
• Global Spread: However, due to increased migration and globalization, Chagas disease has become a growing concern in non-endemic regions, including North America, Europe, and the Western Pacific.

Chagas a.k.a “silent and silenced disease”:

• Asymptomatic Onset: Chagas disease typically begins with either no symptoms or mild, nonspecific ones, making it easily confused with other common illnesses. Consequently, many individuals do not realize they are infected until serious complications develop much later.
• Limited Recognition and Funding: Historically, Chagas disease has not received as much attention or funding as other infectious diseases, despite its substantial health impact and risk of severe complications.
• Gaps in Healthcare Provision: The insufficient awareness and funding have resulted in significant gaps in surveillance, diagnosis, and treatment, especially in areas where the disease is endemic and healthcare access is constrained.

Prevention and Control:

• Vector Control Measures: Preventing Chagas disease primarily involves vector control measures to reduce the risk of triatomine bug bites and interrupt transmission.
• This includes improving housing conditions to minimize insect infestations, using insecticide-treated bed nets, and implementing community-based vector surveillance and control programs.
• Other Preventive Measures: Includes screening blood donors and implementing measures to reduce the risk of vertical transmission from mother to child.

NOAA’s Coral Reef Watch (CRW), ICRI confirm fourth global mass coral bleaching event in 2023-2024.

Coral Bleaching:

• Coral bleaching occurs when the coral Polyp expels the marine algae ie. zooxanthellae from its   tissue and breaks the symbiotic relation. This results in them loosing their colour and source of nutrients and energy.
• Stress Response: The bleaching event indicates a stress response enabling them to recover, depending on the intensity of heat stress and its duration.
• Corals can recover back to their original health if other stressors such as marine pollution and ocean acidification are kept under check and certain adaptation measures taken.

Global Coral Bleaching Event:

• Extent of Bleaching: Coral Reef Watch (CRW) and International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) have recorded bleaching of corals in 53 countries, territories and local economies across five different ocean/sea basins between February 2023 and April 2024.
• Affected Region: The Report confirms widespread bleaching across parts of the Indian Ocean, including Tanzania, Mauritius, the Seychelles, Tromelin, Mayotte, and off the western coast of Indonesia.
• Frequency of Events: The earlier event (3rd global bleaching) had lasted from 2014 to 2017 making the present occurrence second such event in the last 10 years.
• Previous events of global bleaching occurred first in 1998, then in 2010, and between 2014-2017.
• Future Projection: Climate models suggest that bleaching events may become an annual occurrence for most reefs somewhere around 2040-2050.
• CRW Declaration: The CRW declares a global mass coral bleaching event only when it records or gets inputs from all ocean basins of coral bleaching.

Causes of Coral Bleaching:

• Temperature: The corals can survive only in a specific temperature range and global sea surface temperature is rising because of global warming stressing the corals.
• Extensive Marine Heatwaves: During a marine heatwave, temperatures in vast areas of sea and ocean surfaces increase and remain high for elongated periods of time.
• World Meteorological Organization (WMO)’s State of the Global Climate 2023 Report said that 2023 was the hottest on record for the atmosphere and the oceans with nearly one-third of the global ocean gripped by it any day.
• Subaerial Exposure: Low tides, sea level drops and tectonic uplift can result in sudden exposure of coral to the atmosphere. Subaerial exposure often results in bleaching and consequent coral death due to sudden changes in atmospheric conditions.
• El Nino: Ocean Heating and mass coral bleaching are closely tied to the occurrence of El Nino events since 1997, each of these pairs of El Nino years has also witnessed mass bleaching of corals.
• General Ocean Warming: Ocean warming will pose a serious threat to coral reef ecosystems around the planet, as bleaching events will increase in severity, frequency, and magnitude.
• Example- Localised coral bleaching events have also been witnessed in recent La Nina years in the Great Barrier Reef, off the coast of Australia, in 2020 and 2022.
• Sedimentation: Human Activities such as coastal construction and mining can result in high rates of erosion, increasing sediment content in water and disrupting the natural process of photosynthesis.
• Inorganic Nutrients: Increases in inorganic nutrients such as ammonia and nitrate cause zooxanthellae to multiply by 2-3 times which can cause secondary adverse effects such as lower coral resistance and increased disease susceptibility.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Coral Reef Watch (CRW):

• It offers the world’s only global early-warning system of coral reef ecosystem environmental changes.

           Function:

• To remotely monitors conditions that can cause coral bleaching, disease, and death
• To delivers information and early warnings in near real-time
• To use operational climate forecasts to provide outlooks of stressful environmental conditions on coral reefs worldwide.
• It uses remote sensing, modeled, and in situ data to operate a decision support system.

International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI):

• About: It  is a global partnership between Nations and organizations striving  to preserve coral reefs and related ecosystems around the world.
• Founded: It was founded in 1994 by eight governments, namely  Australia, France, Japan, Jamaica, the Philippines, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.
• It was announced at the First Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity in December 1994.
• Membership:  ICRI now counts over 100 members including India
• Foundational documents: ICRI adopted a ‘Call to Action’ and a ‘Framework for Action’ as its foundational documents  setting  the four cornerstones of ICRI: Integrated Management; Science; Capacity Building and Review.

Corals:

• Corals are colonial marine invertebrates of the phylum Cnidaria.
• Polyp: An individual coral is known as a polyp. A polyp is a sac-like animal and they excretes an exoskeleton near the base. Polyps form a symbiotic relationship with plant like cells called zooxanthellae (unicellular dinoflagellates).
• Symbiotic Relationship: Coral Polyp can ingest tiny organisms called plankton & other small creatures but still majority of their energy and nutrients they get from the zooxanthellae living within their tissues which also is responsible for giving the corals its color.
• In return corals provide the zooxanthellae with shelter and protection.

Conditions for Survival:

• Shallow Water: Corals require sunlight and clear shallow water for their growth. They are found typically in water above 165 feet (50 meters).
• Clear Water: That lets sunlight through. They don’t thrive well when the water is opaque.
• Warm Water: Reef-building corals require warm water conditions to survive. Different corals living in different regions can withstand water temperatures in the range of  20–32° C.
• Pollution-free water: Corals are sensitive to pollution and sediments. Wastewater discharged into the ocean near the reef can contain too many nutrients that cause seaweeds to overgrow the reef
• Salinity: Corals need saltwater (salinity almost 27 ppt) to survive and require a certain balance in the ratio of salt to water. This is why corals don’t live in areas where rivers drain fresh water into the ocean ie. Estuaries.

Acidification may strip Indian soils of 3.3 billion tonnes of essential carbon, affecting crop growth, sequestration: Study

Soil Acidification:

• Soil acidification: It refers to the process by which soil becomes more acidic, typically due to natural factors like rainfall and biological processes, as well as human activities such as industrial emissions and the extensive use of nitrogen-based fertilizers.
• This process leads to a decrease in soil pH, which can adversely affect plant growth, nutrient availability, and soil biology.

Geographical Spread of Soil Acidification in India:

• Soil acidification is already a concern in the country, affecting about 48 million hectares (mha) out of 142 mha of arable land.
• Acidic soils in India are widespread in the humid southwestern, northeastern and Himalayan regions. The northeastern region, in particular, has recorded acidity in approximately 95 per cent of the soils.

Highlights of the study:

• Globally, soils contain more than three times the carbon found in vegetation and twice that in the atmosphere.
• By 2100, changes in global warming and soil pH could reduce SIC by 1.35 to 5.83 gigatonnes under various warming scenarios.
• India and China are likely to experience the most significant SIC losses, primarily due to vast SIC reserves and widespread soil acidification from nitrogen additions.
• Annually, 1.13 billion tonnes of inorganic carbon are transferred from soils to inland waters, highlighting a significant cycle of carbon among land, atmosphere, freshwater, and oceans.
• The study underscores the importance of SIC in maintaining soil health, supporting ecosystem services, and aiding in climate change mitigation, recommending its consideration in carbon storage enhancement strategies.

About Soil Carbon:

• Carbon in Soil: It can be stored in the form of Soil Inorganic Carbon (SIC) or Soil Organic Carbon (SOC).

Global Stocks of SIC and SOC:

• The global stock of SOC is estimated to be 2,376-2,456 petagram (Pg = 10^15 g) at a depth of 2 meters.
• However, new research has revealed that the global soils store 2,305 (± 636) billion tonnes (1 petagram is a billion tonnes) of carbon as SIC over the top 2 meter depth.
• Soil Inorganic Carbon: It  includes mineral forms of carbon like calcium carbonate produced by weathering parent material in soil or from the reaction of soil minerals with atmospheric carbon dioxide.
• SIC is important for soil health, ecosystem services and functions along with carbon sequestration.
• Soil Organic Carbon: It plays a role in nutrient cycling and is the main component of soil organic matter such as plant and animal waste, microbes and microbial byproducts.
• India is likely to be most affected by SIC losses due to relatively large stocks of SIC and the magnitude of soil acidification associated with nitrogen additions.
• Climate Change causing SIC loss: Globally, future global warming and soil pH changes will deplete SIC in the top 0.3 m of soil by 1.35, 3.45 and 5.83 gigatonnes of carbon (GtC) under different scenarios, where temperatures could likely reach around 1.8°C, 2.7°C and 4.4°C warming by 2100, respectively.
• Loss of SIC to inland waters: Further, every year, approximately 1.13 billion tonnes of inorganic carbon are lost from soils to inland waters.

Remidiation:

• Soil pH Monitoring and Management: Soil Health Cards provide the status of nutrients and pH of soil which can be used for regular monitoring of soil quality. Furthermore, soil can be treated with calcium carbonate to neutralize acidity and raise the pH.
• Optimized Fertilizer Use: Reduce dependency on synthetic fertilizers by integrating organic fertilizers such as compost and manure.
• Crop Rotation and Diverse Cropping: Rotating crops and including legumes or deep-rooted plants in rotations can enhance soil structure, increase biodiversity, and improve nutrient cycling, which helps maintain a healthy pH balance.
• Controlled Water Management: Implement water management practices that optimize moisture levels without leading to waterlogging or excessive dryness, which can exacerbate acidification.
• Soil Organic Matter Management: Promote conservation tillage and cover cropping practices among farmers to build up organic matter and improve soil structure.

Ayushman Bharat to cover all above 70 years, says BJP in its Election Manifesto.

Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY):

• It is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW).
• It is an umbrella scheme of two major health initiatives, namely
• Health and Wellness Centers ( Ayushman Arogya Mandir)
• These centers provide comprehensive health care, including for non-communicable diseases and maternal and child health services.

National Health Protection Mission (AB-PMJAY):

• It provides a defined benefit cover of Rs. 5 lakh per family per year.
• This cover will take care of almost all secondary care and most of tertiary care procedures. To ensure that nobody is left out (especially women, children and elderly) there will be no cap on family size and age in the scheme.
• The benefit cover will include pre and post-hospitalisation expenses.
• All pre-existing conditions will be covered from day one of the policy.
• A defined transport allowance per hospitalization will be paid to the beneficiary.

Beneficiaries:

• The families covered under this scheme have been included on the basis of occupational criteria of Socio-Economic Caste Census 2011(SECC 2011).
• PM-JAY also included the beneficiaries of the then existing Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana, which were not present in the SECC 2011 database.

Objective:

• To alleviate the burden of out-of-pocket expenditure on the impoverished.
• To provide the poor with access to critical medical treatments and emergency care that were previously financially unattainable.
• It aims to achieve universal health coverage.

Out-of-pocket expenditure:

• It is the money paid directly by households, at the point of receiving health care. This occurs when services are neither provided free of cost through a government health facility, nor is the individual covered under any public or private insurance or social protection scheme.

Universal health coverage (UHC):

• It means that all people have access to the full range of quality health services they need, when and where they need them, without financial hardship. It covers the full continuum of essential health services, from health promotion to prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care.

Need for Inclusion of All Senior Citizen under Health Insurance Scheme:

• Ageing Population: According to the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI), the population over the age of 60 years will nearly triple from 103 million (8.6%  of total population) in 2011 to 319 million i.e. expected to increase to 19.5% of total country’s population in 2050.
• Low Insurance Cover: According to the India Ageing Report 2023, Insurance coverage Just over 20% of people over the age of 60 years are covered under health schemes.
• Health challenges: The elderly are not only affected by chronic, non-communicable diseases and their complications, they are also more prone to infectious diseases because of a weakened immune system.
• Out-of-Pocket Expenditure: The out-of-pocket health expenditures account for more than 70% of health expenditures in India, leading to health vulnerabilities in the older population.

Significance of Expansion to All Senior Citizens:

• Healthcare Accessibility: Extending insurance coverage to all senior citizens promotes overall well-being and quality of life by enhancing accessibility to healthcare services.
• Financial Security & Economic Impact: It will help in reducing the financial burden of healthcare expenses as it covers costs associated with medical treatments, prescription drugs, and hospitalization.
• Social Inclusivity: It will ensure equality and dignity among the elderly population to actively participate in societal activities without worrying about healthcare expenses regardless of financial status.
• Reducing the Burden on Public Health Care Institutions: It will contribute to more efficient allocation of healthcare resources and improved healthcare delivery for all segments of the Society.

India Achieves Record Growth in Renewable Energy Capacity: Adds 18.48 GW in 2023-24, Aims for Ambitious 500 GW Target.

Record Renewable Energy Capacity Addition:

• India added a record renewable energy capacity of 18.48 GW in 2023-24, marking a remarkable increase of over 21% from the previous year.
• Solar installations accounted for the majority of the capacity addition, totaling 12.78 GW, followed by wind energy at 2.27 GW.

Current Installed Capacity and Targets:

• Currently, India''s installed renewable energy capacity stands at 143.64 GW, excluding large hydropower capacity (each plant is more than 25 GW or above).
• Including large hydro projects, the total renewable energy capacity reaches around 190 GW.
• To achieve the target of 500 GW of renewable energy by 2030, India needs to add approximately 310 GW in the next six years, averaging about 50 GW annually.

Renewable energy capacity distribution:

• India''s total solar installed capacity leads with 81.81 GW, followed by approximately 46 GW from wind energy.
• Biomass cogeneration contributes 9.43 GW, and small hydro projects (each with up to 25 MW capacity) add another 5 GW.

State-wise Distribution:

• Gujarat and Rajasthan lead in renewable energy capacities with approximately 27 GW each, followed by Tamil Nadu (22 GW), Karnataka (21 GW), and Maharashtra (17 GW).
• States like Himachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh have also made significant contributions, with installed capacities of about 11 GW each.

Renewable energy targets in India:

• India has set a target to reduce the carbon intensity of the nation’s economy by less than 45% by the end of the decade, achieve 50% cumulative electric power installed by 2030 from renewables, and achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2070.
• India aims for 500 GW of renewable energy installed capacity by 2030.
• India aims to produce 5 Mn Tonnes of green hydrogen by 2030.
• This will be supported by 125 GW of renewable energy capacity.

Steps taken to promote Renewable Energy (RE):

• National Green Hydrogen Mission: Launched to establish India as a global hub for the production, utilization, and export of Green Hydrogen and its derivatives.
• Schemes: Includes the Production Linked Incentive Scheme for High Efficiency Solar PV Modules, Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM), Solar Rooftop Phase II, and the 12000 MW CPSU Scheme Phase II.
• Infrastructure Development: Initiatives to set up Ultra Mega Renewable Energy Parks, providing land and transmission facilities to RE developers for large-scale project installations.
• Policy Support: Enacted the Green Energy Open Access Rules 2022 to promote renewable energy adoption.
• Investment Opportunities: Allows 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) under the automatic route in the renewable energy sector.

Challenges:

• Access to financing: Lack of institutions to deploy financing effectively in new low-carbon growth areas.
• Location-specific potential: Renewable energy is concentrated in areas sometimes away from consumers or the grid.
• Higher costs: The transition to renewables requires massive investments, which can burden poorer countries and affect their budgets for essential services.
• Energy storage: Solar PV & Wind turbines relies on environmental factors such as weather, seasons, and geographical locations and hence they require backup or storage solutions to provide stable power.
• Lack of infrastructure: Renewable energy sources require large amounts of land, and traditional energy sources like coal and oil have existing infrastructure.

Installed capacity for Renewables (accounting 41.4% Of India’s total energy mix):

• Renewable energy sources have a combined installed capacity of 150+ GW.
• As of Feb 2024, Renewable energy sources, including large hydropower, have a combined installed capacity of 183.49 GW.

The following is the installed capacity for Renewables:

• Wind power: 45.15 GW
• Solar Power: 75.57 GW
• Biomass/Co-generation: 10.2 GW
• Small Hydro Power: 4.99 GW
• Waste To Energy: 0.58 GW
• Large Hydro: 46.92 GW