25 Apr 2023: PIB Summary for UPSC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. National Health Accounts (NHA) Estimates for India (2019-20)
2. Bio-Electronic Uric Acid Detecting Device
3. Stolen Structure of Lord Hanuman Retrieved

1. National Health Accounts (NHA) Estimates for India (2019-20)

Syllabus – GS2, Health – Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health.

Prelims – National Health Accounts Estimates for India (2019-20)

Context – The Health Ministry released the National Health Accounts Estimates for India, 2019-2020.

Details –

• NHA provides a systemic description of the financial flows in India’s health system.

Key Highlights of the Report –

• Out-of-pocket expenditure –
  • The Health Ministry released the National Health Accounts Estimates for India (2019-20) and noted that the share of out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) in total health expenditure has declined from 62.6% in 2014-15 to 47.1% in 2019-20.
  • Reduction in OOPE going hand in hand with increased public spending in healthcare showcases the right trajectory towards achieving the milestones of universal health coverage.
• Increased Government Share in the Total GDP –
  • Government health expenditure’s share in the country’s total GDP increased from 1.13% (2014-15) to 1.35% (2019-20). NHA provides a systemic description of the financial flows in India’s health system.

Government Health Expenditure as % of GDP

Image source: PIB

• Increased Government Spending on Per-Capita Terms –
  • In per capita terms, in 2014-15, the government used to spend almost ₹1100 per capita and in 2019-20, it has increased to ₹2014, which is almost double. 
• Share of GHE –
  • In the Total Health Expenditure (THE) of the country between 2014-15 and 2019-20, the share of GHE (Government Health Expenditure) has increased from 29% to 41.4%.
• Share of primary health care –
  • The share of primary healthcare in Current Government Health Expenditure (CGHE) has increased from 51.3% in 2014-15 to 55.9% in 2019-20.

Share of Primary, Secondary & Tertiary Health Care in Current Government Health Expenditure

Image source: PIB

• The government’s investment in strengthening primary health care, where people are being provided free drugs and diagnostics and screening has a lot to contribute to reducing out-of-pocket expenditure in health care. The report shows the government’s efforts in the direction of achieving the target of increasing public health spending to 2.5% of the GDP by 2025.
• Social Security Expenditure (SSE)
  • The Social Security Expenditure (SSE), which includes the social health insurance program, government-financed health insurance schemes and medical reimbursements made to government employees, has increased significantly from 5% to 9.3%. This reduces the financial burden on an individual or family due to health issues. 

About National Health Accounts (NHA) Estimates

• The NHA Estimates for 2019-20 is the seventh consecutive NHA Estimates report. 
• This report was produced by the National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHSRC), designated as the National Health Accounts (NHA) Technical Secretariat in 2014 by the Health Ministry.
• The NHA estimates are prepared by using an accounting framework based on the internationally accepted System of Health Accounts 2011, provided by the World Health Organization (WHO).
• The NHA Estimates are comparable internationally and also help policymakers to monitor the progress in different health financing indicators of the country.

2. Bio-Electronic Uric Acid Detecting Device

Syllabus – GS3, Science & Technology: developing new technology.

Prelims – Bio-Electronic Uric Acid Detecting Device.

Context – A new flexible bio-electronic uric acid detecting device has been fabricated.

Details –

• A new flexible bio-electronic uric acid detecting device has been fabricated that can be used for various applications such as wearable sensors and point-of-care diagnostics.

About the device – 

• Researchers from the Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST), an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), fabricated this device made up of reduced phosphorene quantum dots, a new class of zero-dimensional functional nanostructures with distinct physicochemical and surface properties.
• The device developed is simple, portable, cost-effective, and easy to fabricate for detecting uric acid with a limit of about 0.809 µM.
• The device outperforms all currently available ones in terms of efficacy and cost as it does not need any enzymes.

Uric Acid – 

• The usual range of uric acid in blood ranges from 0.14 to 0.4 mmol dm-3, and for urine, 1.5 to 4.5 mmol dm-3.
• Uric acid is one of the most important antioxidants that maintain blood pressure stability and reduce oxidative stress in living beings.
• The fluctuation in the uric acid levels in the blood can result in gout disease, cardiovascular diseases, type-2 diabetics, renal disorders, hypertension and Lesch-Nyhan syndrome.

3. Stolen Structure of Lord Hanuman Retrieved

Syllabus – GS1, Indian Heritage & Culture.

Prelims – Retrieving Antiquities – Stolen Structure of Lord Hanuman Retrieved 

Context – Stolen Chola period Hanuman sculpture retrieved and handed over to the Idol Wing of Tamil Nadu.

Details –

• The sculpture of Lord Hanuman was stolen from a Vishnu Temple, Shri Varatharaja Perumal, Pottaveli Vellur, Ariyalur district.
• It dates to the late Chola period (14th-15th century).
• It was documented by the ‘French Institute of Pondicherry’ in 1961.
• The sculpture was handed over to the High Commissioner of India in Canberra and was brought back to India in February 2023.
• The GoI is working hard to retrieve antiquities which were unlawfully taken abroad in the past. So far, GoI has been successful in retrieving 251 antiquities from different countries.

Read the previous PIB articles here.

April 25th, 2023, PIB:- Download PDF Here