BRICS, WHO - Current Affairs Questions and Answers

ANSWER: Child sex abuse

Explanation:
In a first, the World Health Organisation has formulated clinical guidelines on responding to children and adolescents who have been sexually abused.

The guidelines put forward recommendations for the frontline health care providers - general practitioners, gynaecologists, paediatricians, nurses and others - who may directly receive a victim of sexual abuse or may identify sexual abuse during the course of diagnosis and treatment.

While Indian doctors have welcomed the new guidelines, they feel that there is more than just guidelines required in the country.

In 2010, the IAP released similar guidelines on 'recommendations on recognition and response to child abuse and neglect in the Indian setting.

Like the IAP guidelines, the new WHO guidelines too focus on the recommendations and good practice suggestions in terms of disclosure made by the child, obtaining medical history, conducting physical examinations and forensic investigations, documenting findings, offering preventive treatment for HIV post exposure, pregnancy prevention, and other sexually transmitted diseases, psychological and mental health interventions among others.

The guidelines highlight that child sexual abuse has a short-term as well as long-term mental health impact like lifetime diagnosis of post-traumatic stress, anxiety, depression, externalising symptoms, eating disorders, problems with relationships, sleep disorders and suicidal and self-harm ideation and behaviours.

Health consequences of the abuse include the risk of pregnancy, gynaecological disorders such as chronic non-cyclical pelvic pain, menstrual irregularities, painful periods, infections and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.

One of the most commonly seen mistakes in handling child sexual abuse cases is re-traumatising the child as well as his parents with questions. Such mistakes can be avoided if those dealing with such cases are well trained.

ANSWER: National

Explanation:
Five banks of the Brics Bank Cooperation Mechanism have agreed to establish credit lines in the national currencies and cooperate on credit ratings.

The agreement was signed ahead of the Brics (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) summit in China’s Xiamen city on Sept 2, 2017 in which leaders of the five countries, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi are scheduled to take part.

Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES), Vnesheconombank, Export-Import Bank of India, China Development Bank and Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA) have signed an agreement to establish credit lines in the national currencies, as well as a memorandum of cooperation on credit ratings.

Ahead of the Brics summit, the New Development Bank (NDB) of the five nations has approved $1.4 billion loans for sustainable development projects in China, India and Russia.

The Board of Directors of the bank have approved four infrastructure and sustainable development projects in the three countries, the NDB had said.

For India, the bank has approved $470 million loan for Madhya Pradesh’s Multi-Village Rural Drinking Water Supply Scheme Project.

ANSWER: Xiamen declaration

Explanation:
In a significant move forward from the Goa BRICS declaration, Beijing has signed off on New Delhi’s initiative to name two Pakistan-based terrorist groups, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad, in the Xiamen declaration.

China has been expressing “concern” on the security situation in the region and violence caused by these outfits.

This is the first time that a BRICS declaration has named these terrorist groups, although the Heart of Asia declaration in Amritsar, a grouping which includes China and Pakistan, also named them in December 2016.

But there has been no visible change in China’s policy on the ground so far.

Along with the Haqqani network, Taliban and Islamic State, the Xiamen declaration also named the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement, a Muslim separatist group founded by militant Uighurs, members of the Turkic-speaking ethnic group in northwest China’s Xinjiang province.

The Xiamen declaration also deplored all terrorist attacks worldwide, including attacks in BRICS countries, and condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations wherever committed, by whomsoever.

It underlined that there could be no justification whatsoever for any act of terrorism.

ANSWER: Agriculture Research Platform

Explanation:
The Union cabinet on Aug 2 gave ex-post facto approval for a MoU between India and BRICS countries to set up a BRICS-Agriculture Research Platform (BRICS-ARP).

During the 7th BRICS summit held on July 9, 2015 at Ufa in Russia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had proposed to establish BRICS-ARP.

The centre will promote sustainable agricultural development and poverty alleviation through strategic cooperation in agriculture to provide food security in the BRICS member countries.

In order to further intensify cooperation among BRICS countries in agricultural research policy, science and technology, innovation and capacity building, including technologies for small¬holder farming in the BRICS countries, an MoU on establishment of the Agricultural Research Platform was signed by the Foreign Ministers of BRICS countries in the 8th BRICS Summit held on October 16, 2016 in Goa.

BRICS-ARP will be the natural global platform for science-led agriculture-based sustainable development for addressing the issues of world hunger, under-nutrition, poverty and inequality and enhancing agricultural trade, bio-security and climate resilient agriculture.

ANSWER: Shanghai

Explanation:
The 7th Meeting of BRICS Trade Ministers was held in Shanghai from 1-2 August.

A six-member delegation led by Commerce and Industry Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, along with Ambassador J.S. Deepak, participated in the meetings.

Mr. Zhong Shan, Minister of Commerce from China, presided over the meetings.

The other delegations were represented by Mr. Rob Davies, Minister of Trade and Industry (South Africa), Mr. Marcelo Maia Tavares de Araujo, Secretary of Commerce and Services of Ministry of Industry (Brazil) and Mr Maxim Oreshkin, Minister of Economic Development (Russia).

A collective courtesy call on Vice Premier Wang Yang was also organized for the BRICS Trade Ministers.

Separately, a bilateral meeting between Commerce and Industry Minister (CIM) and Chinese Commerce Minister was also held.

• The Ministers adopted the following documents at the conclusion of the meeting:
• 7th BRICS Trade Ministers’ Joint Statement
• BRICS Trade in Services Cooperation Roadmap
• BRICS E-Commerce Cooperation Initiative
• BRICS IPR Cooperation Guidelines
• Framework on strengthening the Economic and Technical Cooperation of BRICS Countries
• Terms of Reference (ToR) of BRICS Model E-Port Network
• Outlines for BRICS Investment Facilitation

ANSWER: China

Explanation:
BRICS countries-Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa have agreed to work together to ensure stable employment and better quality of life for their people.

Decision in this regard was taken at the 2017 Labour and Employment Ministers’ meeting held in Chongqing, China.

The meeting comes ahead of 2017 BRICS Summit to be held in Xiamen, China in September 2017.

Labour and Employment Ministers from BRICS counters discussed topics ranging from skills-driven development to a universally sustainable social security system.

They passed BRICS Labour and Employment Ministerial Declaration. It covers a variety of areas that are of critical importance to all BRICS countries including India and called upon strengthening collaboration and cooperation on these through appropriate institutionalisation.

These areas covered under the declaration consist of Governance in the Future of Work, Universal and sustainable social security systems, Skills for development in BRICS, BRICS Social Security Cooperation Framework, BRICS Network of Labour Research Institutions and BRICS entrepreneurship research.

They also presented four documents, including one on common ground in labour market governance and an action plan on skills-driven poverty alleviation.

They also held that they should work together to boost employment and inclusive growth, enhancing the skills of professionals to alleviate poverty.

ANSWER: BRICS

Explanation:
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given the approval for the signing of Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC) in respect of tax matters between India and the Revenue administrations of BRICS countries.

The BRICS countries are Brazil, Russian Federation, China and South Africa

The MoC aims to further promote cooperation amongst the BRICS Revenue administrations in international forum on common areas of interest in tax matters and in the area of capacity building and knowledge sharing.

It envisages regular interaction amongst the heads of Revenue administration of BRICS countries to continue discussion on common areas of interest and strive towards convergence of views and meeting of the Experts on tax matters to discuss the contemporary issues in areas of international tax.

In addition, the MoC accords confidentiality and protection to information exchanged under this MoC.

The MoC will stimulate effective cooperation in tax matters.

The collective stand of BRICS countries can prove to be beneficial not only to these countries but also to other developing countries in the long run in tax matters being steered by the G20.

Need for MOC

• The Heads of Revenue of the BRICS countries have been meeting regularly to discuss the potential areas of cooperation in tax matters and to exchange opinions.
• They also discuss views based on the existing commitment to openness, solidarity, equality, mutual understanding, inclusiveness and mutually beneficial cooperation, as stated in the Goa Declaration issued on October 16, 2016.
• The BRICS countries have identified four areas of mutual interest on which understanding and cooperation can be further strengthened.
• The heads of Revenue of BRICS countries in their meeting held on the sidelines of FTA plenary at Beijing, China in May, 2016 decided to sign a MoC outlining these areas of cooperation.

ANSWER: Saima Wazed Hossain

Explanation:
Saima Wazed Hossain was on 6 July 2017 appointed as the WHO’s Goodwill Ambassador for Autism in the South-East Asia region.

A globally renowned champion for the cause of autism spectrum disorder, Hossain has been appointed for a period of two years.

In the last one year while championing for the cause of autism for WHO, Hossain facilitated the ‘Thimphu Declaration’ on autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders at an international conference in Bhutan in April 2017.

As WHO Goodwill Ambassador, Hossain will be promoting the Thimphu declaration which emphasises on integrating the needs of autism affected people into national health and socioeconomic development plans.

Hossain was designated as WHO Regional Champion for Autism in May 2016.

Autism: Know More

• Autism is a life- long disability that affects brain functioning.
• When left without proper treatment and support, Autism can cause significant impairment in exercising of an individual’s human rights and fundamental freedoms.
  Globally, autism prevalence rates are estimated to be 160 cases in a population of 10000.
• In low and middle income countries, children with autism do not get the medical attention and care they need.

ANSWER: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

Explanation:
Former Ethiopian Health Minister Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has been elected as the new Director-General of the World Health Organisation.

This election has earned the distinction of being the first election which saw the participation of all WHO member states in the voting process.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus defeated the other two contendors to the post, namely, UK’s Dr David Nabarro and Pakistan’s Dr Sania Nishtar.

The head of the organization is the Director-General (DG), appointed by the World Health Assembly. Earlier stincts of Dr Tedros includes the post of Ethiopia’s Foreign Affairs Minister (2012-2016) and Health Minister (2005-2012).

He has also served as chair of the Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. Also as chair of the Roll Back Malaria (RBM) Partnership Board, as well as co-chair of the Board of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health.

During his tenure at the helm of WHO, Dr Tedros will have to tackle challenges like the spread of the Zika virus and Ebola, along with existing challenges posed by Malaria, Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, to name a few.

WHO is also at present facing the financial challenges as a result of the squeeze on donor funds. WHO The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health.

WHO: Know More

• Established on 7 April 1948, it succeeded the Health Organization, which was an agency of the League of Nations.
• It is a member of the United Nations Development Group and its headquarters are located at Geneva. WHO flag features the Rod of Asclepius as a symbol for healing

ANSWER: Founding of WHO in 1948

Explanation:
World Health Day is on the 7th of April each year. This day marks the anniversary of the World Health Organization which was founded in 1948.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is the leading global health authority within the United Nations System.

The work of WHO is varied and can mostly be summarized through their 6 point agenda.

• Promote Development
• Foster Health Security
• Strengthen Health Systems
• Harness information, research and evidence
• Enhance Partnerships
• Improve Performance

WHO uses the anniversary of their founding day not only as an opportunity to celebrate the organization and its work but also as an opportunity to highlight a current global health priority.

For each World Health Day, WHO designates a health challenge or theme. Previous years themes have included:

• Road Safety (2005)
• Shape The Future Of Life (2003)
• Protecting Health From Climate Change (2008)
• International Health Security (2007)
• Anti microbacterial Resistance: No Action Today No Cure Tomorrow (2011)
• Aging and Health (2012)

Each year is given a theme to highlight a different global health concern. This year’s (2017) is Depression: Let's Talk.

WHD 2017 is the highlight of a year-long campaign which seeks to raise awareness of depression and encourage those who are suffering with it to seek and get help.

Previous themes have included diabetes, vector-borne diseases, protecting health from climate change and road safety.

Depression: Know More

• Depression is the leading cause of ill health world wide, according to WHO.
• It is estimated that more than 300 million people are living with depression, an increase of more than 18 per cent between 2005 and 2015.
• Depression has strong links with other noncommunicable disorders and diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, and increases the risk of substance abuse.
• Depression is also an important risk factor in suicide, which claims hundreds of thousands of lives each year.
• Treatment usually involves psychotherapy, antidepressant medication or a combination of both.
• The so-called talking cure administered by general doctors, nurses, or health care workers can be just as effective.