MAINS DAILY QUESTIONS & MODEL ANSWERS
Q1. What do you understand by the term disaster risk reduction (DRR)? Discuss how disaster risk financing helps us achieve the targets set forth in the Sendai Framework for 2030.
Paper & Topic: GS III – Disaster Management
Model Answer:
- According to the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), disaster risk reduction “aims at preventing new and reducing existing disaster risks and managing residual risk, all of which contribute to strengthening resilience and, therefore, to the achievement of sustainable development.” DRR aims to address both the socioeconomic susceptibility to disasters as well as the environmental and other factors that contribute to them. With the approval of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030, a concise, forward-looking, and action-oriented approach to disaster risk reduction was taken as a policy measure.
The objectives established in the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction can be attained by using disaster risk finance, as shown by the examples that follow:
- Managing financial vulnerabilities: There have been numerous calamity events in recent years that have had detrimental consequences on people, society, the economy, and finances. As a percentage of GDP, many low-income nations suffer significant annual catastrophic losses. Techniques for funding disaster risk must be developed to deal with these concerns.
- The Sendai framework’s third priority covers spending on catastrophe risk reduction for resilience. It takes both public and private investment in the prevention and mitigation of disaster risk through structural and non-structural methods to increase a nation’s resilience. Therefore, states need to get better at understanding risks and incorporating them into budgeting and planning processes.
- The role of the private sector in financing disaster risk: Partnerships with the private sector must be made viable in order to transfer sovereign risk to the capital markets. The cost of reaction, recovery, and restoration can also be financed with help from the business sector. The commercial sector might offer its expertise and resources for disaster management.
- One of the objectives of the Sendai framework is to limit the disruption of essential services and damage to critical infrastructure brought on by disasters. One method to achieve this is through investing in disaster-resistant infrastructure. This will require the use of a number of financial instruments, such as national contingency funds, contingent credit, insurance, reinsurance, and social safety nets. This is also important for enhancing catastrophe preparedness for swift responses and Building Back Better during recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction.
- establishing early detection systems By 2030, the Sendai framework seeks to greatly increase public access to risk assessments, information on catastrophe risk, and multi-hazard early warning systems. The fast accomplishment of these objectives will require a considerable amount of financing for catastrophic risk.
- The purpose of the financial services industry is: More than 300 potential risks that could have a significant impact on the financial services industry and hinder efforts to attain sustainable development goals have been identified by the UNDRR. Therefore, material disaster risk must be included in the sector’s investment decisions. Financial institutions and insurance companies can greatly lower the risk of disaster by facilitating access to cash and credit.
- The G20’s new Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group has highlighted the need to give financing for disaster risk a top priority. Due to its extensive experience dealing with natural disasters, India is able to increase knowledge of the financial repercussions of disasters. India might take the lead in this situation by creating a legal framework to enhance the capacity to finance disaster risk through its G20 chairmanship.
Q2. What do understand by the term ‘palliative care’? Discuss the problems with and reasons for the poor performance of palliative care in India.
Paper & Topic: GS II – Social issues
Model Answer:
- Palliative care is a strategy used to improve the quality of life for people with terminal illnesses such cancer, cardiovascular disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and their families, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Patients with such serious illnesses need not just medical care but also assistance on a physical, social, emotional, and spiritual level. Palliative care is a crucial part of comprehensive, patient-centered healthcare. However, just 1% to 2% of the population in India gets access to palliative care, compared to the global average of 14%.
Problems with palliative care in India and the reasons it is lagging:
- Insufficient healthcare infrastructure In India, a higher percentage of patients seek medical attention later in the course of their ailment than in the West. Once in tertiary care centers, many patients continue to receive treatment there. Large tertiary referral centers in India are overcrowded and frequently treating terminally ill patients from different states, which is an indication of the lack of basic palliative care resources in many parts of the country.
- insufficiently trained medical professionals Very few medical professionals choose to seek training in palliative care. The lack of proper national training resources may be to blame for this. The lack of knowledge regarding the prospective career prospects and employability of this stream may also be to blame. Last but not least, there is a stigma associated with palliative care since some people think the doctor is not attempting to heal the patient.
- Lack of support from politics and policies: The lack of understanding of palliative care and the benefits it might offer patients and healthcare systems among politicians, medical professionals, and the general public is impeding the development of palliative care in India. For instance, Kerala, Karnataka, and Maharashtra are the only three states in India that now have a palliative care policy.
- economic variables In India, the vast majority of patients come from low-income and disadvantaged backgrounds and are unable to afford palliative care services. In addition, persons who are in critical condition typically refrain from doing actions that may burden their families financially.
- Care for patients that is disease-specific: The predominant patient care philosophy in our healthcare system is disease-focused. A transition from a disease-focused to a patient-centered approach is necessary for palliative care, where the patient’s needs and patient/family goals are vital to treatment planning.
Moving forward:
- Implementing the lessons learned from Kerala’s palliative care model: The inclusive care infrastructure model from Kerala is a world standard. The community approach in Kerala covers more than 60% of the people in need of palliative care.
- giving training to healthcare professionals All medical staff members, including doctors, nurses, therapists, volunteers, and those in the field of mental health, should have basic training in palliative care and work closely with those in the field.
- expanding the availability of opioids for pain alleviation India is one of the top producers of opioid medications, but just 4% of its palliative care patients receive the required dose of morphine. To authorize the use of opioids as painkillers, the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act must be changed.
- cleaning services One of the major obstacles to making palliative care economically feasible for patients may be partially overcome by establishing the services at the level of a single home in both rural and urban settings.
- ASHA personnel and volunteers may obtain fundamental management training and education in how to decrease the agony of terminally ill patients at the local primary health clinics (PHCs).
- The absence of palliative care violates a person’s fundamental right to life with dignity as guaranteed by the Constitution. Palliative care should be made available to everyone because it is the cornerstone of all efficient medical care, regardless of age, disease kind, or income level.