Lesson 5.3: Health & Medicine – Vaccines, Disease Control, Medical Research
Health and medicine are critical for UPSC General Studies, focusing on disease prevention, vaccination, and medical research.
Vaccines:
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Definition: Biological preparation that provides immunity against diseases.
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Key Vaccines in India: Polio, Measles, Hepatitis B, COVID-19 (Covaxin, Covishield).
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Immunization Programs: Universal Immunization Program (UIP) aims to cover all children against preventable diseases.
Disease Control:
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Communicable Diseases: Tuberculosis, Malaria, Dengue, HIV/AIDS.
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Non-Communicable Diseases: Diabetes, Cancer, Cardiovascular diseases.
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Government Initiatives:
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National Health Mission (NHM)
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National Vector Borne Disease Control Program (NVBDCP)
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Ayushman Bharat Health Insurance Scheme
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Medical Research:
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Institutions: Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).
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Focus Areas: Vaccine development, public health, drug research, biotechnology innovations.
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Recent Achievements: Development of indigenous vaccines, digital health records, telemedicine adoption.
Key Points for Revision:
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Major vaccines and immunization programs
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Disease control strategies for communicable & non-communicable diseases
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Medical research institutions and their contributions
Example Question (Prelims Practice):
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“Which program aims to provide free health insurance to economically weaker sections?” → Ayushman Bharat
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“Which organization is responsible for medical research in India?” → ICMR
