Table of Contents
The Hindu Editorial Analysis
We understand the significance of reading The Hindu newspaper for enhancing reading skills, improving comprehension of passages, staying informed about current events, enhancing essay writing, and more, especially for banking aspirants who need to focus on editorials for vocabulary building. This article will explore today’s editorial points, along with practice questions and key vocabulary.
New TB Skin Test by Kerala Government Ensures Easy and Precise Diagnosis
- Kerala’s health department has started using a new skin test called Cy-TB to find and treat TB infection after deciding to focus on treating hidden TB under the National TB Elimination Programme.
- TB infection is not the same as active TB disease because a person with TB infection has the TB germs inside their body but the germs are sleeping, so they have no symptoms and don’t spread it to others.
- If TB infection is not treated, five to ten out of every hundred infected people can get active TB disease later when their body’s defence system becomes weak. This may occur within a few weeks of infection or might take several years to develop.
- A survey done among people in Thiruvananthapuram district in 2023 showed that 20.5% of adults had TB infection, which shows how common hidden TB is among the population in this area.
- The researchers checked the blood of 396 adults to find out if they had TB infection. They saw that the number of people with infection became higher as age increased, starting from 11.5% among those between 18 to 35 years and reaching 30.3% among people older than 58 years.
- From 2021 onwards, Kerala has been using a blood-based test called Interferon Gamma Release Assay to detect TB infection, but this test needed advanced laboratory facilities and people often had to wait for their test results.
- Cy-TB is a simple, exact, and easy skin test where 0.1 ml of TB-specific proteins are injected into the skin on the inner side of the forearm to find out if the person has hidden TB infection.
- If a raised area of five millimetres or more comes up on the skin within forty-eight to seventy-two hours after the injection, it means that the person has TB infection in their body.
- People can get the Cy-TB test done at district TB centres, taluk hospitals, certain block-level hospitals, and all dialysis centres, and it is also currently offered at many big private hospitals throughout Kerala.
Young girl kidnapped and burned in Odisha, condition still very serious
- In Puri district of Odisha, some unidentified people kidnapped a 15-year-old girl on Saturday and burned her alive. Police said she has severe second- and third-degree burns and is battling for her life.
- She is now being treated at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhubaneswar. This attack caused anger in Odisha, especially after another sad incident involving a college girl in Balasore recently.
- That college student had burned herself outside her Principal’s office last Saturday after her complaints of sexual harassment by a teacher were ignored, which made people across the State very upset.
- Reports say the 15-year-old girl was going to her uncle’s house in Balanga police station area when three men stopped her, kidnapped her, and took her to the banks of the Bhargavi river nearby.
- At that place, they attacked her physically, poured a flammable liquid over her body, and then lit her on fire. Her mother filed a police complaint saying that someone tried to kill her daughter in a cruel way.
- After being set on fire, the girl somehow managed to run away from the attackers while crying out in pain for help. A man living nearby saw her and quickly came forward to save her.
- He poured water on her to put out the fire. As local people gathered there, the attackers ran away to avoid getting caught. Police started investigating the matter with full seriousness.
- Puri’s Superintendent of Police in-charge, Pinak Mishra, said that when the girl was rescued, she could talk but was unable to tell who attacked her. Police are working hard to catch the culprits.
- Initial investigations revealed that the attack was pre-planned. Police recovered a half-used kerosene bottle, a matchbox, and the girl’s shoe from the scene. Forensic experts gathered evidence samples for examination.
- Senior officials, including Inspector-General (Central Range) Praveen Kumar, visited the location. Police have launched a search operation and have detained a few unidentified persons for questioning.
- Odisha’s Chief Minister Mohan Majhi said those behind this crime will be punished strictly. He also said the State government will send her to AIIMS Delhi for better treatment if Bhubaneswar doctors allow.
- Ashutosh Biswas, Executive Director of AIIMS Bhubaneswar, said she is mentally and physically very hurt with 70-75% burns, is on oxygen support but not on ventilator, and doctors are watching her heart closely.
- He said their main aim now is to keep her blood flow and breathing systems stable and they will watch her for the next forty-eight hours to know about her chances of getting better.
- Her family said they do not have any fight or problem with anyone which could have caused this cruel attack, leaving them completely shocked, broken, and asking for justice for their badly injured daughter.
Odisha Government Launches ‘Shaktishree’ Initiative for Girls’ Safety
- The Odisha Government has launched a new initiative named Shaktishree to ensure the safety of girl students studying in colleges and universities throughout the State in the near future.
- Chief Minister Mohan Majhi said they started this programme because of the rising crimes against female students in recent times in higher education institutions, to stop such crimes from happening.
- The plan is to keep girl students protected by starting Shaktishree in all sixteen universities and seven hundred thirty government and aided colleges under the Higher Education Department of Odisha.
- The State government said Shaktishree will work on eight different main points to make sure girl students feel safe in colleges and also get proper self-defence training to protect themselves confidently.
Important questions
- What is the name of the new skin test started by Kerala’s health department under the National TB Elimination Programme?
- According to the survey in Thiruvananthapuram district in 2023, what was the percentage of TB infection among adults above 58 years?
- In which district of Odisha did the horrifying event take place where unidentified persons abducted and burned a 15-year-old girl?
- What is the name of the Inspector-General (Central Range) who visited the crime scene after the brutal attack on the minor girl in Puri district, Odisha?
- What is the name of the new initiative launched by Odisha Government for girl students’ safety?
- Under which department will Shaktishree be implemented in all sixteen universities and seven hundred thirty colleges?
Important vocabulary
- Intradermal: Injected into the skin layers.
- Dormant: Inactive or sleeping state.
- Assay: A type of test or examination.
- Induration: A firm, swollen area formed on the skin.
- Critical: In an extremely serious or life-threatening state.
- Forensic: Related to scientific tests used in crime investigation.
- Ventilator: A device that assists someone in breathing.
- Assailants: People who attack someone.
- Initiative: A new plan or action to solve a problem.
- Ensure: To make sure something happens.
- Self-defence: Protecting oneself from harm.
- Launched: Started or introduced something officially.
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