Haryana

• 03 Dec 2024

COP-16 Conference

Why in News? 

Recently, the Haryana Environment, Forest, and Wildlife Minister led a delegation from New Delhi to attend the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) – COP 16 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 2nd to 13th December 2024.

Key Points

• Platform for Collaboration: 
  • The event will serve as an effective platform for Green Zone businesses, scientists, financial institutions, Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs), and affected communities. 
  • It aims to facilitate collaboration and develop sustainable solutions for land restoration and drought management. 
• International Participation: 
  • COP-16 will bring together representatives from various countries across the globe. 
  • The conference is expected to foster global discussions on combating desertification and addressing related challenges.

United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) 

• Established in 1994, it is the sole legally binding international agreement linking environment and development to sustainable land management. 
• It addresses specifically the arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas, known as the drylands, where some of the most vulnerable ecosystems and peoples can be found. 
• The Convention’s 197 parties work together to improve the living conditions for people in drylands, to maintain and restore land and soil productivity, and to mitigate the effects of drought. 
• The UNCCD works with the other two Rio Conventions to address the interlinked challenges of land, climate and biodiversity: 
  • The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) 
  • The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

Polio Immunisation Drive

Why in News? 

The Indian Expert Advisory Group (IEAG) has decided to include six Haryana districts in the Sub-National Immunisation Day (SNID) round for polio, scheduled to begin on 8th December 2024. These districts are Kaithal, Jhajjar, Gurugram, Faridabad, Sonipat, and Nuh. 

• The IEAG is a group of experts that advises the Government of India on polio eradication and provides strategic guidance. 

Key Points 

• Polio SNID Round: 
  • The Director of Maternal and Child Health (MCH), chaired the State Task Force meeting to review the preparations for the upcoming SNID round. 
  • Attendees included the State Immunisation Officer, officers from the state headquarters, District Immunisation Officers, and representatives from key stakeholder departments such as Women and Child Development, Education, Labour, Urban Local Bodies, Panchayati Raj, Public Relations, Ayush, Medical Education and Research, Indian Medical Association, and Indian Academy of Paediatrics. 
• Polio-Free Status and the Need for Vigilance: 
  • It was highlighted that Haryana and India have remained polio-free since 2011, a significant achievement due to consistent efforts. 
  • He emphasized the importance of covering all eligible children aged 0-5 years in the upcoming SNID round, especially in light of polio virus cases reported in Malawi and Mozambique with links to Pakistan. 
• Focus on High-Risk Areas: 
  • Officials were directed to ensure comprehensive enlisting and micro-planning to achieve 100% coverage of vulnerable populations in high-risk areas such as: 
    • Urban slums 
    • Nomadic sites 
    • Construction sites 
    • Brick kilns 
    • Poultry farms 
    • Factories 
    • Sugarcane crushers 
    • Stone-crushing zones 
• Training and Supervision: 
  • All vaccinators will undergo training to ensure effective immunisation delivery. 
  • State headquarters officials will supervise and monitor activities at the district level. 
    • A district-level supervision plan will be prepared for real-time feedback and to implement multi-tier supervision across all districts.

Polio

• About: 
  • Polio is a crippling and potentially deadly viral infectious disease that affects the nervous system. 
  • There are three individual and immunologically distinct wild poliovirus strains: 
    • Wild Poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) 
    • Wild Poliovirus type 2 (WPV2) 
    • Wild Poliovirus type 3 (WPV3) 
  • Symptomatically, all three strains are identical, in that they cause irreversible paralysis or even death. However, there are genetic and virological differences, which make these three strains separate viruses which must each be eradicated individually. 
• Spread: 
  • The virus is transmitted person-to-person mainly through the faecal-oral route or, less frequently, by a common vehicle (for example, through contaminated water or food). 
  • It largely affects children under 5 years of age. The virus multiplies in the intestine, from where it can invade the nervous system and can cause paralysis. 
• Symptoms: 
  • Most people with polio do not feel sick. Some people have only minor symptoms, such as fever, tiredness, nausea, headache, pain in the arms and legs, etc. 
  • In rare cases, polio infection causes permanent loss of muscle function (paralysis). 
  • Polio can be fatal if the muscles used for breathing are paralysed or if there is an infection of the brain. 
• Prevention and Cure: 
  • There is no cure, but it can be prevented through Immunisation. 
• Vaccines: 
  • Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) is given orally as a birth dose for institutional deliveries, then primary three doses at 6, 10 and 14 weeks and one booster dose at 16-24 months of age. 
  • Injectable Polio Vaccine (IPV) is introduced as an additional dose along with the 3rd dose of DPT (Diphtheria, Pertussis and Tetanus) under the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP).