19 Oct 2022: UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis

B. GS 2 Related

Category: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

1. Gambia child deaths and cough syrups

Syllabus: Bilateral agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

Prelims: About diethylene glycol (DEG) and ethylene glycol 

Mains: The Gambia Cough Syrup Scandal and its implications for India

Context

A number of child deaths in the Gambia were linked to the use of contaminated cough syrups made and exported by an Indian manufacturer.

Background

• In September 2022, health authorities of Gambia initiated various investigations to examine if there is any link between the use of syrup for treating fever, cough, and cold and the deaths of several children due to acute kidney failures.
• Children reportedly fell sick within three to five days of consumption of the syrup and experienced fever, inability to pass urine, and vomiting, followed by kidney failure.
• Gambia started coordinating with the World Health Organization (WHO) to investigate the incident and WHO issued a medical alert about four substandard cough syrup variants which were manufactured by a Haryana-based pharma company named Maiden Pharmaceuticals Limited.
• According to WHO, these cough syrup variants may have been contaminated with diethylene glycol (DEG) and ethylene glycol which could have caused acute kidney injuries.

What are diethylene glycol (DEG) and ethylene glycol and why are they used?

• As per WHO, diethylene glycol (DEG) and ethylene glycol are fatal to humans. 
• WHO has listed the toxic effects of the consumption of these two chemicals which include vomiting, diarrhoea, difficulty passing urine, headache, altered mental state, and acute kidney failure/injury which can cause death.
• Diethylene glycol (DEG) and ethylene glycol are illegal adulterants that are used as solvents in liquid medications. 
• Usually, common solvents like glycerine and propylene glycol are used in liquid medications to provide a liquid base for non-water-soluble paracetamol or acetaminophen.
  • These solvents also perform the role of preservatives, thickeners, sweeteners, and antimicrobial agents.
  • However, compounds or chemicals such as DEG and ethylene glycol are used as solvents to reduce expenses as they are comparatively cheaper.

Similar incidents in the past

• Such instances of contamination-linked deaths have been reported in India, the U.S., Bangladesh, Panama, and Nigeria earlier as well.
• Cough syrup was held responsible for the death of 12 children in the Udhampur district of Jammu in 2019 and 2020 and high levels of DEG were found in the cough syrup. 
• Much before in 1973, a similar incident was reported at the Children’s Hospital, Egmore in Chennai that led to the deaths of 14 children. 
• In 1986, a similar incident took place at J.J. Hospital in Mumbai which led to the deaths of 14 patients.
• In 1998, 33 children died in two hospitals located in New Delhi due to similar poisoning.

Response by India

• The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) in collaboration with the State Drugs Controller of Haryana has initiated an investigation to find out the facts and details of the issue.
  • The CDSCO has also said that the importing country conducts quality tests and checks on the products before authorising their usage, as a practice.
• According to reports, the pharma company has so far exported these four cough syrups only to The Gambia and the Indian authorities are waiting for the WHO to share the “one-to-one causal relation of death” and the details of the product labels which help identify the source of the manufacturing of the products.
• Further, none of these four cough syrups is sold in India as Maiden Pharmaceutical Limited has no presence in the Indian domestic market and is only involved in exports. 

To read more about the topic refer to the following article:

UPSC Exam Comprehensive News Analysis dated 15 Oct 2022

Nut graf: The Gambia cough syrup tragedy can have serious implications on the Indian pharmaceutical industry and threatens India’s reputation of being the“pharmacy of the world”. This incident should act as a wake-up call for establishing strict quality controls in the country.

E. Editorials

Category: HISTORY

1. The dire need to talk about 1962

Syllabus: GS1, History, Post-independence history of India.

Prelims: India-China war 1962.

Mains: India-China war 1962.

Context: 60th observance of the 1962 India-China war. The war began on October 20, 1962. 

Details:

• India as a nation commemorated the golden jubilee of the 1965 India-Pakistan war. And the celebration of the golden jubilee of the 1971 war was commemorated with all-India debates, discussions, seminars, symposia, and exhibitions. These events were celebrated and commemorated publicly as they brought joy or a sense of accomplishment that enriched an individual or a group.
• However, the 60th anniversary of the 1962 India-China war will not be observed as it was a dark moment in the history of  India. According to one report, India lost nearly 1,383 soldiers who were killed, around 1,047 were wounded, 1,696 went missing, and about 400 were taken as prisoners of war by China.

For more on the India-China war, read here: Sino-Indian War Started. October 20, 1962 – This Day in History

Major issues of the war:

• Though the then Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was a great leader and highly respected in Asia, Africa, and Western countries, the misguided confidence in the short-term moral superiority and peaceful intentions of China resulted in a weakened Army. The Indian army was both ill-prepared and ill-equipped to face the realities of hard power.
• The strength of the Indian Air Force (IAF) was underestimated. Thus, its offensive fleet was not used. It has been suggested in various writings that the utilization of fighter aircraft would have been a game changer in the war as the Air force of China was at a severe operational disadvantage because of the high altitude of the airfields.
• There was a lop-sided power equation between the political, bureaucratic, and military leadership which was responsible for many ills. The top brass of the army could not go against political interference, despite the fact that the affairs were purely military in nature.
• The contribution of Indian Jawans on the front is praiseworthy and legendary but the unheralded, unsung, and back-breaking work of the transport and helicopter aircrew of the Indian Air Force is often overlooked. The pilots and co-pilots worked tirelessly flying troops round-the-clock.
• It is also argued that the frontline warfighter lived up to his credo but the senior military leadership could not deliver much in the field as per their rank and position. 

Future course of action:

• The hindsight analysis should be channelized into knowledge and wisdom, which is required to be imparted to young civil and military mid-level and field grade officers. 
• Politicians should also participate. The Government should open the documents that are still classified including the Henderson Brooks-Bhagat report. 
• The war colleges of the three services namely the Defence Services Staff College (Wellington, Tamil Nadu) and the National Defence College (Delhi) should deeply examine the fateful period. 
• The media should debate the issue more. 

Also read: India-China Conflict – Galwan Valley Clash

Nut Graf: It is good to celebrate and rejoice in India’s victories. But a deeper analysis of the dark phase of 1962 in Indian history should also be adequately discussed and lessons should be learned. Honest and open conversations can help us learn from misadventures and come out stronger.

I. UPSC Mains Practice Questions

1. Unless a robust financing route is put into place, any project of the International Solar Alliance would fail to fulfil its objective. Critically analyze. (250 words; 15 marks) (GS III – Science & Tech)
2. Cyber threats have emerged as the biggest threats by non-state actors in recent times. How is the Indian government dealing with such issues? (250 words; 15 marks) (GS III – Internal Security)

Read the previous CNA here.