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Subject: Biotech and Medical Sciences

  • Centre announces uniform norms for Fortified Rice

    Days after the Prime Minister’s announcement of a rice fortification plan, the Centre has issued “uniform” parameters for fortified rice kernels (FRK) for grade ‘A’ and common rice.

    Plan for fortified rice

    • The fortified rice is to be distributed under various government schemes, including the public distribution system (PDS) and midday meals in schools, by 2024.
    • The specifications for such rice have been issued by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.
    • Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD) under Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution for the first time issued uniform specifications for Fortified Rice Kernels (FRK).

    What are the norms announced?

    • Common Rice have in case of procurement of Fortified Rice Stocks, of which 1% of FRK (w/w) should be blended with normal rice stock.
    • These specifications as per standard practice have been issued in respect of Paddy, Rice and other coarse grains namely Jowar, Bajra, Maize, Ragi.

    What is Fortification?

    • FSSAI defines fortification as “deliberately increasing the content of essential micronutrients in a food so as to improve the nutritional quality of food and to provide public health benefit with minimal risk to health”.

    What is Fortified Rice?

    • Rice can be fortified by adding a micronutrient powder to the rice that adheres to the grains or spraying the surface of ordinary rice grains with a vitamin and mineral mix to form a protective coating.
    • Rice can also be extruded and shaped into partially precooked grain-like structures resembling rice grains, which can then be blended with natural polished rice.
    • Rice kernels can be fortified with several micronutrients, such as iron, folic acid, and other B-complex vitamins, vitamin A and zinc.
    • These fortified kernels are then mixed with normal rice in a 1:100 ratio, and distributed for consumption.

    Note: Biofortification is the process by which the nutritional quality of food crops is improved through agronomic practices, conventional plant breeding, or modern biotechnology. It differs from conventional fortification in that Biofortification aims to increase nutrient levels in crops during plant growth rather than through manual means during the processing of the crops.

    What is the plan announced by the PM?

    • Malnutrition and lack of essential nutrients in poor women and poor children pose major obstacles in their development.
    • In view of this, it has been decided that the government will fortify the rice given to the poor under its various schemes.
    • Be it the rice available at ration shops or the rice provided to children in their mid-day meals, the rice available through every scheme will be fortified by the year 2024.

    Why such a move?

    • The announcement is significant as the country has high levels of malnutrition among women and children.
    • According to the Food Ministry, every second woman in the country is anemic and every third child is stunted.
    • India ranks 94 out of 107 countries and is in the ‘serious hunger’ category on the Global Hunger Index (GHI).
    • Fortification of rice is a cost-effective and complementary strategy to increase vitamin and mineral content in diets.
    • According to the Food Ministry, seven countries have mandated rice fortification – the USA, Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, and the Solomon Islands.

    Advantages offered

    • Health: Fortified staple foods will contain natural or near-natural levels of micro-nutrients, which may not necessarily be the case with supplements.
    • Taste: It provides nutrition without any change in the characteristics of food or the course of our meals.
    • Nutrition: If consumed on a regular and frequent basis, fortified foods will maintain body stores of nutrients more efficiently and more effectively than will intermittently supplement.
    • Economy: The overall costs of fortification are extremely low; the price increase is approximately 1 to 2 percent of the total food value.
    • Society: It upholds everyone’s right to have access to safe and nutritious food, consistent with the right to adequate food and the fundamental right of everyone to be free from hunger

    Issues with fortified food

    • Against nature: Fortification and enrichment upset nature’s packaging. Our body does not absorb individual nutrients added to processed foods as efficiently compared to nutrients naturally occurring.
    • Bioavailability: Supplements added to foods are less bioavailable. Bioavailability refers to the proportion of a nutrient your body is able to absorb and use.
    • Immunity issues: They lack immune-boosting substances.
    • Over-nutrition: Fortified foods and supplements can pose specific risks for people who are taking prescription medications, including decreased absorption of other micro-nutrients, treatment failure, and increased mortality risk.

    Adhering to FSSAI standard

    The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) sets standards for food items in the country.

    • According to FSSAI norms, 1 kg fortified rice will contain iron (28 mg-42.5 mg), folic acid (75-125 microgram), and Vitamin B-12 (0.75-1.25 microgram).
    • In addition, rice may also be fortified with micronutrients, singly or in combination, with zinc(10 mg-15 mg), Vitamin A (500-750 microgram RE), Vitamin B1 (1 mg-1.5 mg), Vitamin B2 (1.25 mg-1.75 mg), Vitamin B3 (12.5 mg-20 mg) and Vitamin B6 (1.5 mg-2.5 mg) per kg.

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  • What is Serotype 2 Dengue?

    The Union Health Ministry has flagged the emerging challenge in 11 States across India of serotype 2 dengue, which it said is associated with “more cases and more complications” than other forms of the disease.

    Try this PYQ from CSP 2015:

    Q. Consider the following statements:

    1. In tropical regions, Zika virus disease is transmitted by the same mosquito that transmits dengue.
    2. Sexual transmission of Zika virus disease is possible.

    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

     

    [wpdiscuz-feedback id=”f66l7r4swb” question=”Please leave a feedback on this” opened=”1″]Post your answers here![/wpdiscuz-feedback]

    What is Dengue?

    • Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral infection, found in tropical and sub-tropical climates worldwide, mostly in urban and semi-urban areas.
    • It is transmitted by female mosquitoes mainly of the species Aedes aegypti and, to a lesser extent, Ae. albopictus.
    • These mosquitoes are also vectors of chikungunya, yellow fever and Zika viruses.
    • Dengue is widespread throughout the tropics, with local variations in risk influenced by rainfall, temperature, relative humidity and unplanned rapid urbanization.

    Its transmission

    • The virus is transmitted to humans through the bites of infected female mosquitoes, primarily the Aedes aegypti
    • Other species within the Aedes genus can also act as vectors, but their contribution is secondary to Aedes aegypti.
    • Mosquitoes can become infected from people who are viremic with dengue.

    Various serotypes

    • Dengue is caused by a virus of the Flaviviridae family and there are four distinct, but closely related, serotypes of the virus that cause dengue (DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3 and DENV-4).
    • Recovery from infection is believed to provide lifelong immunity against that serotype.
    • However, cross-immunity to the other serotypes after recovery is only partial and temporary.
    • Subsequent infections (secondary infection) by other serotypes increase the risk of developing severe dengue.

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  • [pib] What is Pollen Calendar?

    Chandigarh now has its first pollen calendar, which can identify potential allergy triggers and provide a clear understanding for clinicians as well as allergy sufferers about their causes to help limit their exposure during high pollen loads.

    What is a Pollen Calendar?

    • Pollen calendars represent the time dynamics of airborne pollen present in a particular geographical area.
    • They yield readily accessible visual details about various airborne pollen present throughout the year in a single picture.

    Is this a new concept in India? Where else in the west has this calendar been used?

    • Though the concept is not essentially new, this is one of the major environmental concerns that had not been addressed for the Indian cities.
    • Such calendars are location-specific, as pollen concentrations are closely related to locally distributed flora.
    • Europe, UK and the US are using regional pollen calendars in a big way to prevent and diagnose allergic rhinitis/hay fever and predict the timing and severity of the pollen season.

    Why is it important to study pollen?

    • Pollen grains are male biological structures with the primary role of fertilization, but when inhaled by humans, they may strain the respiratory system and cause allergies.
    • Pollen found suspended in air can cause widespread upper respiratory tract and naso-bronchial allergy with manifestations like asthma, seasonal rhinitis, and bronchial irritation.
    • About 20-30 percent of the population suffers from allergic rhinitis/hay fever in India, and approximately 15 percent develop asthma.
    • Pollen is considered a major outdoor airborne allergen responsible for allergic rhinitis, asthma, and atopic dermatitis in humans.

    What were the key findings?

    • The study highlights the variability of crucial pollen types in different seasons.
    • Spring and autumn are two seasons when airborne pollen dominate.
    • The findings will enhance the understanding of pollen seasons, which will in turn help minimize pollen allergies.

    How will a pollen calendar benefit people, especially those who have respiratory issues?

    • A pollen calendar provides a clear understanding for clinicians, as well as people with allergies to identify the potential allergy triggers and help to limit their exposure during high pollen load season.
    • The early advisories can be prepared and disseminated through media channels to the citizens so that they can use protective gear during the period when the concentration of allergic pollen will be high.

    Does the study infer that gardens and parks in the city contribute to the pollen and thus there must be proper scientific tree plantation?

    • It is important to involve experts while designing parks.
    • We should try to plant trees/shrubs that release no or little pollen.
    • Trees such as palms, nettle, safeda, white mulberry (shahtoot), congress grass, pine, have a high incidence of pollen.

    What kind of trees must be grown alongside our roads or in parks?

    • Plant monoecious plants (male and female flowers on the same plant).
    • Hibiscus, lilies, and holly that are grown widely in Chandigarh are examples of such plants.
    • Cucumbers and squashes are also monoecious. Select plants with low to moderate pollen production.
    • Non-allergic or entomophilous plant species should be chosen to provide an allergen-free atmosphere.
    • Examples of such plants include rose, jasmine, salvia, Bougainvillea, Raat Rani, and sunflower.

    With inputs from:

    Indian Express

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  • West Nile Virus outbreak in Russia

    Russia warned of a possible increase in West Nile virus infections this autumn as mild temperatures and heavy precipitation create favorable conditions for the mosquitos that carry it.

    West Nile virus (WNV)

    • WNV is mainly transmitted through mosquito bites and can lead to fatal neurological diseases in humans, although most people infected never develop any symptoms.
    • Cases of WNV occur during mosquito season, which starts in the summer and continues through fall.

    Its origin

    • Originally from Africa, the WNV has spread to Europe, Asia, and North America.
    • It was first isolated in a woman in the West Nile district of Uganda in 1937.
    • It was identified in birds in the Nile delta region in 1953.
    • Before 1997, WNV was not considered pathogenic for birds.
    • Human infections attributable to WNV have been reported in many countries for over 50 years.

    Symptoms

    • Infected persons usually have no symptoms or mild symptoms.
    • Some of the symptoms include fever, headache, body aches, skin rash, and swollen lymph glands.
    • They can last a few days to several weeks and usually, go away on their own.
    • Prolonged illness may cause inflammation of the brain, called encephalitis, or inflammation of the tissue that surrounds the brain and spinal cord, called meningitis.

    Treatment

    • There is no vaccine against the virus in humans although one exists for horses, the WHO says.

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  • BCG vaccine: 100 years and counting

    The first use of BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guerin), the vaccine against tuberculosis (TB) in humans have been completed for 100 years.

    What is TB?

    • TB is a very ancient disease and has been documented to have existed in Egypt as early as 3000 BC.
    • It is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis, belonging to the Mycobacteriaceae family consisting of about 200 members.
    • Some of these cause diseases like TB and leprosy in humans and others infect a wide range of animals. Mycobacteria are also widely dispersed in the environment.
    • In humans, TB most commonly affects the lungs (pulmonary TB), but it can also affect other organs (extra-pulmonary TB).

    Yet not eliminated

    • Other historically dreaded diseases like smallpox, leprosy, plague, and cholera have been either eradicated or controlled to a large extent due to advances in science and technology.
    • However, TB continues to be a major public health problem in the world.
    • According to the WHO’s Global TB Report, 10 million people developed TB in 2019 with 1.4 million deaths. India accounts for 27% of these cases.

    BCG Vaccine for TB

    • BCG was developed by two Frenchmen, Albert Calmette and Camille Guerin, by modifying a strain of Mycobacterium Bovis (that causes TB in cattle) till it lost its capacity to cause disease while retaining its property to stimulate the immune system.
    • It was first used in humans in 1921.
    • Currently, BCG is the only licensed vaccine available for the prevention of TB.
    • It is the world’s most widely used vaccine with about 120 million doses every year and has an excellent safety record.

    BCG in India

    • In India, BCG was first introduced on a limited scale in 1948 and became a part of the National TB Control Programme in 1962.
    • India is committed to eliminating TB as a public health problem by 2025.

    Effectiveness of BCG

    • One intriguing fact about BCG is that it works well in some geographic locations and not so well in others.
    • Generally, the farther a country is from the equator, the higher is the efficacy.
    • In children, BCG provides strong protection against severe forms of TB.
    • This protective effect appears to wane with age and is far more variable in adolescents and adults, ranging from 0–80%.
    • In addition to its primary use as a vaccine against TB, BCG also protects against respiratory and bacterial infections of newborns and other mycobacterial diseases like leprosy and Buruli’s ulcer.
    • It is also used as an immunotherapy agent in cancer of the urinary bladder and malignant melanoma.

    Try answering this PYQ:

    What is the importance of using pneumococcal conjugate vaccines in India? (CSP 2020)

    1. These vaccines are effective against pneumonia as well as meningitis and sepsis.
    2. Dependence on antibiotics that are not effective against drug-resistant bacteria can be reduced.
    3. These vaccines have no side effects and cause no allergic reactions

    Select the correct answer using the given code below:

    (a) 1 only

    (b) 1 and 2 only

    (c) 3 only

    (d) 1, 2 and 3

     

    [wpdiscuz-feedback id=”0nhdmcqe70″ question=”Please leave a feedback on this” opened=”1″]Post your answers here.[/wpdiscuz-feedback]

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  • Experts raise concerns over mandatory food fortification

    In a pushback against the Centre’s plan to mandatorily fortify rice and edible oils with vitamins and minerals, a group of scientists and activists have warned of the adverse impacts on health and livelihoods.

    Food Fortification

    • Food fortification is defined as the practice of adding vitamins and minerals to commonly consumed foods during processing to increase their nutritional value.
    • It is a proven, safe and cost-effective strategy for improving diets and for the prevention and control of micronutrient deficiencies.

    Types of food fortification

    Food fortification can also be categorized according to the stage of addition:

    1. Commercial and industrial fortification (wheat flour, cornmeal, cooking oils)
    2. Biofortification (breeding crops to increase their nutritional value, which can include both conventional selective breeding, and genetic engineering)
    3. Home fortification (example: vitamin D drops)

    Advantages offered

    • Health: Fortified staple foods will contain natural or near-natural levels of micro-nutrients, which may not necessarily be the case with supplements.
    • Taste: It provides nutrition without any change in the characteristics of food or the course of our meals.
    • Nutrition: If consumed on a regular and frequent basis, fortified foods will maintain body stores of nutrients more efficiently and more effectively than will intermittently supplement.
    • Economy: The overall costs of fortification are extremely low; the price increase is approximately 1 to 2 percent of the total food value.
    • Society: It upholds everyone’s right to have access to safe and nutritious food, consistent with the right to adequate food and the fundamental right of everyone to be free from hunger

    Issues with fortified food

    • Against nature: Fortification and enrichment upset nature’s packaging. Our body does not absorb individual nutrients added to processed foods as efficiently compared to nutrients naturally occurring.
    • Bioavailability: Supplements added to foods are less bioavailable. Bioavailability refers to the proportion of a nutrient your body is able to absorb and use.
    • Immunity issues: They lack immune-boosting substances.
    • Over-nutrition: Fortified foods and supplements can pose specific risks for people who are taking prescription medications, including decreased absorption of other micro-nutrients, treatment failure, and increased mortality risk.

  • What is Monkey B virus?

    China has reported the first human death case with the Monkey B virus (BV).

    What is Monkey B virus?

    • The virus, initially isolated in 1932, is an alphaherpesvirus enzootic in macaques of the genus Macaca.
    • B virus is the only identified old-world-monkey herpes virus that displays severe pathogenicity in humans.

    Answer this question from our AWE initiative:

    There is been an increase in occurance of zoonotic human infectious diseases are zoonotic . Give reasons for this. Also suggest ways to contain and decrease the frequency of such events.(250 Words)

    How is it transmitted?

    • The infection can be transmitted via direct contact and exchange of bodily secretions of monkeys and has a fatality rate of 70 per cent to 80 per cent.
    • According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Macaque monkeys commonly have this virus, and it can be found in their saliva, feces, urine, or brain or spinal cord tissue.
    • The virus may also be found in cells coming from an infected monkey in a lab. B virus can survive for hours on surfaces, particularly when moist.

    When can a human get infected with B virus?

    • Humans can get infected if they are bitten or scratched by an infected monkey.

    Symptoms

    • Symptoms typically start within one month of being exposed to B virus but could appear in as little as three to seven days.
    • The first indications of B virus infection are typically flu-like symptoms such as fever and chills, muscle ache, fatigue and headache.
    • Following this, a person may develop small blisters in the wound or area on the body that came in contact with the monkey.
    • Some other symptoms of the infection include shortness of breath, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain and hiccups.
    • As the disease progresses, the virus spreads to and causes inflammation (swelling) of the brain and spinal cord, leading to neurologic and inflammatory symptoms.

    Is there a vaccine against B virus?

    • Currently, there are no vaccines that can protect against B virus infection.

    Who are at higher risk for infection?

    • The virus might pose a potential threat to laboratory workers, veterinarians, and others who may be exposed to monkeys or their specimens.
    • To date, only one case has been documented of an infected person spreading the B virus to another person.

  • What is the Human Genome Project?

    Since the release of the draft human genome sequence in 2001, sections were left unsequenced, and some sequence information was incorrect. Now, two decades later, we have a much more complete version.

    What is the human genome sequence?

    • The human genome sequence is contained in our DNA and is made up of long chains of “base pairs” that form our 23 chromosomes.
    • Along our chromosomes are the base pair sequences that form our 30,000 genes.
    • All humans share a great degree of similarity in their genome sequences – the same genes are ordered in the same manner across the same chromosomes.
    • Each of us is unique (except for identical twins) in terms of the exact base pair sequence that makes up our genes and thus our DNA/chromosomes.
    • It is this similarity that, in a genetic sense, defines us as “human” and the specific variation that defines us as individuals.

    The Human Genome Project

    • As early as the 1980s, momentum was gathering behind activities that supported, and would eventually define, the Human Genome Project.
    • Conversations had turned into workshops that likened characterization of the human genome to characterization of the human anatomy that had centuries earlier revolutionized the practice of medicine.
    • In 1990, with continued support from the US and widespread international collaboration and cooperation, the $3 billion dollar Human Genome Project was launched.
    • The project aimed to determine the sequence of the human genome within 15 years.
    • By 2000 (well ahead of schedule) a working draft of the human genome was announced.
    • This was followed by regular updates and refinements and today we all have access to a human “reference genome sequence”.

    Why did it take 20 years?

    • Much of the newly sequenced material is the “heterochromatic” part of the genome.
    • This is more “tightly packed” than the euchromatic genome and contains many highly repetitive sequences that are very challenging to read accurately.
    • These regions were once thought not to contain any important genetic information but they are now known to contain genes that are involved in fundamentally important processes such as the formation of organs during embryonic development.
    • Among the 200 million newly sequenced base pairs are an estimated 115 genes predicted to be involved in producing proteins.

    Two key factors made the completion of the human genome possible:

    1. Choosing a very special cell type
    • The new sequence was created using human cells derived from a very rare type of tissue called a complete hydatidiform mole, which occurs when a fertilized egg loses all the genetic material contributed to it by the mother.
    • Most cells contain two copies of each chromosome, one from each parent and each parent’s chromosome contributing a different DNA sequence.
    • A cell from a complete hydatidiform mole has two copies of the father’s chromosomes only, and the genetic sequence of each pair of chromosomes is identical.
    • This makes the full genome sequence much easier to piece together.
    1. Advances in sequencing technology
    • A new method called “shotgun sequencing”, involved breaking the genome into very small fragments of about 200 base pairs, cloning them inside bacteria, deciphering their sequences, and then piecing them back together like a giant jigsaw.
    • This was the main reason the original draft covered only the euchromatic regions of the genome — only these regions could be reliably sequenced using this method.
    • The latest sequence was deduced using two complementary new DNA-sequencing technologies.

    Is the genome now completely sequenced?

    • Well, no. An obvious omission is the Y chromosome, because the complete hydatidiform mole cells used to compile this sequence contained two identical copies of the X chromosome.
    • However, this work is underway and the researchers anticipate their method can also accurately sequence the Y chromosome, despite it having highly repetitive sequences.
    • Even though sequencing the (almost) complete genome of a human cell is an extremely impressive landmark, it is just one of several crucial steps towards fully understanding humans’ genetic diversity.

    What’s next?

    • The next job will be to study the genomes of diverse populations (the complete hydatidiform mole cells were European).
    • Once the new technology has matured it will be better positioned to make a more significant impact on our understanding of human history, biology and health.
    • Both care and technological development are needed to ensure this research is conducted with a full understanding of the diversity of the human genome to prevent health disparities.

    Answer this PYQ in the comment box:

    Q.With reference to the recent developments in science, which one of the following statements is not correct?

    (a) Functional chromosomes can be created by joining segments of DNA taken from cells of different species.

    (b) Pieces of artificial functional DNA can be created in laboratories.

    (c) A piece of DNA taken out from an animal cell can be made to replicate outside a living cell in a laboratory.

    (d) Cells taken out from plants and animals can be made to undergo cell division in laboratory petri dishes.

  • Covid-19 Delta-plus Variant

    The Maharashtra government has tightened the Covid-19 unlocking process in the wake of a rise in cases of the Delta Plus variant.

    What is Delta Plus?

    • A variant that has emerged as a new threat, especially in India, Delta Plus (B.1.617.2.1/(AY.1) is a new mutant strain of the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2.
    • It is technically the next generation of SARS-COV-2.
    • The Delta variant that was first detected in India eventually became a huge problem for the whole world.
    • However, the Delta Plus variant, at present, is limited to smaller areas in the country. This mutant of Delta was first detected in Europe in March 2021, but it came to light on June 13.
    • Although it is still under investigation, experts believe that the Delta Plus variant has increased transmissibility.

    What is known so far?

    • The new Delta plus variant has been formed due to a mutation in the Delta or B.1.617.2 variant.
    • Delta Plus (AY.1) is resistant to monoclonal antibodies cocktail.
    • Since it’s a new variant, its severity is still unknown.
    • 63 genomes of Delta (B.1.617.2) with the new K417N mutation have been identified by the GISAID (global science initiative) so far.
    • The mutation is in the spike protein of SARS-COV-2, which helps the virus enter and infect the human cells.
    • People reported symptoms like headaches, sore throats, runny noses, and fever.

    Are COVID-19 vaccines effective against the Delta Plus variant?

    • Medical experts say it is too early to predict the effectiveness of the existing vaccines on the new variant.
    • A detailed study would be required to establish any effect of the mutant on the immune system.
    • However, Union Health Ministry says that both Indian vaccines — Covishield and Covaxin are effective against the Delta variant.
    • There is fear that this new variant Delta Plus may spark the third wave of COVID-19, but there is a very low incidence of such cases, so there is no certainty.

  • A place for disruptive technology in India’s health sector

    The adoption of technologies such as AI and blockchain has the potential to transform the medical sector. 

    How new technologies can play important role in medical sector

    1) Blockchain technology

    • Blockchain technology can help in addressing the interoperability challenges that health information and technology systems face.
    • The health blockchain would contain a complete indexed history of all medical data, including formal medical records and health data from mobile applications and wearable sensors.
    • This can also be stored in a secure network and authenticated, besides helping in seamless medical attention.

    2) Big data analytics

    • Big data analytics can help improve patient-based services tremendously such as early disease detection.
    • AI and the Internet of Medical Things, or IoMT are shaping healthcare applications.
    • IoMT is defined as a connected infrastructure of medical devices, software applications, and health systems and services.

    3) Medical autonomous system

    • Medical autonomous systems can also improve health delivery to a great extent and their applications are focused on supporting medical care delivery in dispersed and complex environments with the help of futuristic technologies.
    • This system may also include autonomous critical care system, autonomous intubation, autonomous cricothyrotomy and other autonomous interventional procedures.

    4) Cloud computing

    • Cloud computing is another application facilitating collaboration and data exchanges between doctors, departments, and even institutions and medical providers to enable best treatment.

    Challenges

    • The possible constraints in this effort are standardisation of health data, organisational silos, data security and data privacy, and also high investments.

    Using technology for Universal Health Coverage

    • According to the World Health Organization, Universal health coverage (UHC) is a powerful social equalizer and the ultimate expression of fairness.
    • Studies by WHO show that weakly coordinated steps may lead to stand-alone information and communication technology solutions.
    • India needs to own its digital health strategy that works and leads towards universal health coverage and person-centred care.
    • Such a strategy should emphasise the ethical appropriateness of digital technologies, cross the digital divide, and ensure inclusion across the economy.
    • ‘Ayushman Bharat’ and tools such as Information and Communication Technology could be be fine-tuned with this strategy to promote ways to protect populations.
    • Online consultation should be a key part of such a strategy.

    Using local knowledge

    • In addition to effective national policies and robust health systems, an effective national response must also draw upon local knowledge.
    • Primary health centres in India could examine local/traditional knowledge and experience and then use it along with modern technology.

    Way forward

    • Initial efforts in this direction should involve synchronisation and integration, developing a template for sharing data, and reengineering many of the institutional and structural arrangements in the medical sector.
    • Big data applications in the health sector should help hospitals provide the best facilities and at less cost, provide a level playing field for all sectors, and foster competition.

    Consider the question “Examine the role technologies such as AI and data analytics could play in the medical sector. What are the challenges in the adoption of such technologies?”

    Conclusion

    The above-discussed aspects highlight the potential benefits of the adoption of disruptive technologies in the healthcare system. India should embrace it while addressing the concerns with such technologies.