Leprosy Transmission
Context: Central government approved a new three-drug regimen for Pauci-Bacillary (PB) cases instead of a two-drug regimen for six months to stop transmission by 2027.
About Leprosy
- Caused by Mycobacterium leprae and mainly affects the skin and peripheral nerves.
- Symptoms for diagnosis:
- Pale or reddish skin patches with loss of sensation.
- Thickened or enlarged nerves, leading to muscle weakness.
- Microscopic detection of bacteria in skin smears.
- Types of Leprosy Cases:
- Paucibacillary (PB) – Fewer bacteria, milder form.
- Multibacillary (MB) – More bacteria, severe form.
- Transmission and Treatment
- Spreads through droplets from the nose and mouth during close contact with untreated patients.
- Curable with Multidrug Therapy (MDT).
- High-leprosy Prevalence States: Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, and Odisha.
- India’s Global Leprosy Burden: India accounts for 52% of the world’s new leprosy cases.
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India’s Progress in Leprosy Elimination
- India achieved the elimination of leprosy as a public health problem in 2005.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) defines elimination as having fewer than 1 case per 10,000 people at the national level.
- Initiatives taken
- National Strategic Plan (NSP) and Roadmap (2023-27)
- Launched on January 30, 2023, to eliminate transmission by 2027 (three years ahead of the Sustainable Development Goal).
- Key focus areas:
- Raising awareness to eliminate stigma and discrimination.
- Promoting early detection of cases.
- Preventing transmission through post-exposure prophylaxis.
- Implementing Nikusth 2.0, a web-based portal for leprosy case reporting.
- National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP) Initiatives
- Focuses on early detection to prevent disabilities (Grade 2 Disabilities).
- Provides free treatment for leprosy patients.
INSV Tarini crosses Point Nemo
Context: Recently, INSV Tarini successfully passed Point Nemo, the most remote location on Earth.
About INSV Tarini
- INSV Tarini is a 56-foot sailing vessel built by Aquarius Shipyard Ltd.
- It is named after the Tara Tarini temple.
- It was inducted into the Indian Navy on February 18, 2017.
- Features
- INSV Tarini includes advanced features such as:
- Satellite communication systems.
- Raymarine navigation suite.
- Monitor windvane for emergency steering.
INSV Tarini’s Journey So Far
- INSV Tarini left Lyttelton Port, New Zealand, in early January for its third leg.
- This leg is the longest of the expedition, covering 5,600 nautical miles (10,400 km).
- The expedition was flagged off from Goa on October 2, 2024.
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About Point Nemo
- Point Nemo is an isolated area in the South Pacific Ocean, covering a space 34 times larger than France.
- It is also known as the Oceanic Pole of Inaccessibility.
- Due to its remoteness and weak ocean currents, it has very few nutrients, making it difficult for marine life to thrive.
- Larger and more developed marine species are almost absent in this region.
- The nearest humans to Point Nemo are not on boats but in the International Space Station (ISS), flying about 400 km above it.
- Space agencies use Point Nemo as a “spacecraft graveyard”, where decommissioned satellites and space stations are directed to crash safely.
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