Child friendly TB drug launched
For the first time, child-friendly TB drugs for first-line medication in a fixed-dose combination was launched by TB Alliance, UNITAID and WHO at the 46th Union World Conference on Lung Health in Cape Town, South Africa, on Wednesday. These drugs, which meet the WHO’s revised dosage guidelines of 2010, are meant for children weighing less than 25 kg.
The Mumbai-based Macleods Pharmaceuticals is the only company manufacturing the child-friendly drugs. The medicines will cost $15.54 for the six-month course of treatment. The availability of child-friendly TB drugs of correct dosages will increase drug adherence and thereby reduce acquired drug resistance. According to the WHO, each year, at least 1 million children become ill with TB.
Since the fixed-dose combinations come in a dissolvable form, tablets no longer need to be crushed. Instead, the required number of paediatric tablets can be dissolved in water. The tablets are flavoured, thus making it easier for children.
In the absence of fixed-dose combination drugs of correct dosages, children were typically treated with multiple pills intended for adults. The adult drugs had to be crushed or split to achieve an appropriate dose for a child. Crushing medicines often led to imprecise dosing. Crushing also makes the drugs bitter to taste, making it all the more difficult to administer to young children.
Tuberculosis:
Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack the lungs, but TB bacteria can attack any part of the body such as the kidney, spine, and brain. If not treated properly, TB disease can be fatal.
How TB Spreads?
TB is spread through the air from one person to another. The TB bacteria are put into the air when a person with TB disease of the lungs or throat coughs, sneezes, speaks, or sings. People nearby may breathe in these bacteria and become infected.
TB is NOT spread by
Treatment for TB Disease
TB disease can be treated by taking several drugs for 6 to 9 months. It is very important that people who have TB disease finish the medicine, taking the drugs exactly as prescribed. If they stop taking the drugs too soon, they can become sick again; if they do not take the drugs correctly, the bacteria that are still alive may become resistant to those drugs. TB that is resistant to drugs is harder and more expensive to treat.
WHO recommends Directly Observed Treatment Short course (DOTS) strategy that emphasizes the use of the most effective standardized, short-course regimen, and of fixed-dose drug combinations (FDCs) under observation to facilitate adherence to treatment and to reduce the risk of the development of drug resistance
What is DOT?
DOT means that a trained health care worker or other designated individual (excluding a family member) provides the prescribed TB drugs and watches the patient swallow every dose.
Recommended Regimens
There are 10 drugs currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating TB. Of the approved drugs, the first-line anti-TB agents that form the core of treatment regimens include:
For the first time, child-friendly TB drugs for first-line medication in a fixed-dose combination was launched by TB Alliance, UNITAID and WHO at the 46th Union World Conference on Lung Health in Cape Town, South Africa, on Wednesday. These drugs, which meet the WHO’s revised dosage guidelines of 2010, are meant for children weighing less than 25 kg.
The Mumbai-based Macleods Pharmaceuticals is the only company manufacturing the child-friendly drugs. The medicines will cost $15.54 for the six-month course of treatment. The availability of child-friendly TB drugs of correct dosages will increase drug adherence and thereby reduce acquired drug resistance. According to the WHO, each year, at least 1 million children become ill with TB.
Since the fixed-dose combinations come in a dissolvable form, tablets no longer need to be crushed. Instead, the required number of paediatric tablets can be dissolved in water. The tablets are flavoured, thus making it easier for children.
In the absence of fixed-dose combination drugs of correct dosages, children were typically treated with multiple pills intended for adults. The adult drugs had to be crushed or split to achieve an appropriate dose for a child. Crushing medicines often led to imprecise dosing. Crushing also makes the drugs bitter to taste, making it all the more difficult to administer to young children.
Tuberculosis:
Tuberculosis (TB) is caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack the lungs, but TB bacteria can attack any part of the body such as the kidney, spine, and brain. If not treated properly, TB disease can be fatal.
How TB Spreads?
TB is spread through the air from one person to another. The TB bacteria are put into the air when a person with TB disease of the lungs or throat coughs, sneezes, speaks, or sings. People nearby may breathe in these bacteria and become infected.
TB is NOT spread by
- shaking someone's hand
- sharing food or drink
- touching bed linens or toilet seats
- sharing toothbrushes
- kissing
Treatment for TB Disease
TB disease can be treated by taking several drugs for 6 to 9 months. It is very important that people who have TB disease finish the medicine, taking the drugs exactly as prescribed. If they stop taking the drugs too soon, they can become sick again; if they do not take the drugs correctly, the bacteria that are still alive may become resistant to those drugs. TB that is resistant to drugs is harder and more expensive to treat.
WHO recommends Directly Observed Treatment Short course (DOTS) strategy that emphasizes the use of the most effective standardized, short-course regimen, and of fixed-dose drug combinations (FDCs) under observation to facilitate adherence to treatment and to reduce the risk of the development of drug resistance
What is DOT?
DOT means that a trained health care worker or other designated individual (excluding a family member) provides the prescribed TB drugs and watches the patient swallow every dose.
Recommended Regimens
There are 10 drugs currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating TB. Of the approved drugs, the first-line anti-TB agents that form the core of treatment regimens include:
- Isoniazid
- Rifampin
- Ethambutol
- Pyrazinamide
- Streptomycin
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The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations. At its heart are the WTO agreements, negotiated and signed by the bulk of the world’s trading nations and ratified in their parliaments. The goal is to help producers of goods and services, exporters, and importers conduct their business.
WTO talks to begin on Dec 15 at Nairobi
The WTO meeting will be held at the Kenyan capital during December 15-18.
At the coming Nairobi ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), India is likely to oppose efforts by rich countries to dilute the ‘development’ dimension of the Doha Round negotiations, which are aimed at reaching an agreement to liberalise global trade.
The WTO does not define ‘developing’ or ‘developed’ countries. Members can apply the principle of ‘self-election’ and themselves decide if they are to be labelled as ‘developing’ countries.
Other members can question any member about its decision to label itself as ‘developing’ with an aim to take advantage of provisions available to developing countries. However, the WTO recognises the least developed countries as designated by the United Nations.
WTO :
The World Trade Organization (WTO) is the only global international organization dealing with the rules of trade between nations. At its heart are the WTO agreements, negotiated and signed by the bulk of the world’s trading nations and ratified in their parliaments. The goal is to help producers of goods and services, exporters, and importers conduct their business.
- The WTO officially commenced on 1 January 1995 under the Marrakesh Agreement, signed by 123 nations on 15 April 1994, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which commenced in 1948.
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RBI to inject Rs. 10,000 Crore to ease liquidity crunch
The Reserve Bank of India on Monday, will infuse Rs 10,000 crore to ease a liquidity crunch in the money markets by buying government securities, and hold a repo auction for Rs 25,000 crore on Friday.
These operations are being conducted based on the current assessment of prevailing and evolving liquidity conditions, according to the central bank.Festival related demand for cash in addition to slower government spending has tightened liquidity in the money market during the last two months.
Open Market Operations:
The buying and selling of government securities in the open market in order to expand or contract the amount of money in the banking system. Purchases inject money into the banking system and stimulate growth while sales of securities do the opposite.
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India Israel MoU - Water Resources
Union Cabinet has given its approval for signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Israel in the field of water resources management and development cooperation.
The bilateral cooperation will benefit both the countries in strengthening the techniques in efficient use of water, micro-irrigation, recycling/re-use of waste water, desalination, aquifer recharge and in-situ water conservation techniques. A Joint Working Group shall be formed to monitor the activities to be carried out in fulfilment of the MoU.
India has already entered into agreements with Australia, Rwanda, Cambodia, Iran, Iraq, Fiji, China and Bahrain in the field of water resources management and development cooperation.
Background:
The Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has been envisaging bilateral cooperation with other countries in water resources development and management through sharing of policy and technical expertise, conducting of training courses, workshops, scientific and technical symposia, exchange of experts and study tours.
Keeping in view the success of Israel in water use efficiency, micro-irrigation, reuse of waste water, desalination, aquifer recharge, etc., it has been decided to have an agreement with Israel to benefit from their experience and expertise.
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Union Cabinet has approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which has been signed in October, 2015, between Indian and Germany, to expand bilateral development cooperation in the field of Solar Energy by increasing use of solar energy in India through technical as well as financial cooperation.
The MoU will help in strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
Under the agreement, Germany would provide concessional loans in the range of one billion Euros over the next five years through Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau (KfW). The funds of KfW will also be utilized for providing soft loans to the end-users through partner banks.
Possible outcome:
The Union Cabinet, has approved setting up of six new Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) in Andhra Pradesh, Chhatisgarh, Goa, Jammu, Kerala and Karnataka. The Cabinet further gave its approval for operationalisation of these IITs initially by forming of Societies under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 in order to give a legal status to them till the amendment for their incorporation in The Institutes of Technology Act, 1961 is enacted.
Background:
The present approval for the establishment of the six new IITs to be registered as Societies under the Societies under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 to create new legal IIT entities, as passing the Bill for amendment of the IT Act, 1961 for incorporation of the six new IITs in the Parliament will take some time.
The Institutes of Technology Act, 1961, contains no provision to enable establishment of new IITs. Every new IIT commenced since its enactment has required an amendment to the Act itself. In light of this, it would be appropriate to establish the new IITs through the formation of Societies as it has not been possible to amend the Institutes of Technology Act, 1961 to make provision for establishment of new IITs, before the admissions to academic session 2015-16 in these new IITs.
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India - Japan Tax protocol
The Union Cabinet approved signing and ratification of Protocol between India and Japan for amending the Double Taxation Avoidance Convention (DTAC) signed between the two countries in 1989 for avoidance of double taxation and for prevention of fiscal evasion, through a protocol.
The Protocol will facilitate exchange of information, as per accepted international standards, on tax matters including bank information and information without domestic tax interest. There is a further provision in the Protocol for sharing any information received from Japan, with authorization of the competent authority in Japan and vice versa, in respect of a resident of India, with other law enforcement agencies.
The Protocol also has a provision for India and Japan to lend assistance to each other in collection of revenue claims, as well as for exemption of interest income from taxation in the source country, with respect to debt-claims insured by the Government or Government-owned financial institutions.
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RBI to inject Rs. 10,000 Crore to ease liquidity crunch
The Reserve Bank of India on Monday, will infuse Rs 10,000 crore to ease a liquidity crunch in the money markets by buying government securities, and hold a repo auction for Rs 25,000 crore on Friday.
These operations are being conducted based on the current assessment of prevailing and evolving liquidity conditions, according to the central bank.Festival related demand for cash in addition to slower government spending has tightened liquidity in the money market during the last two months.
Open Market Operations:
The buying and selling of government securities in the open market in order to expand or contract the amount of money in the banking system. Purchases inject money into the banking system and stimulate growth while sales of securities do the opposite.
#-----------------------------------------------#
Union Cabinet has given its approval for signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Israel in the field of water resources management and development cooperation.
The bilateral cooperation will benefit both the countries in strengthening the techniques in efficient use of water, micro-irrigation, recycling/re-use of waste water, desalination, aquifer recharge and in-situ water conservation techniques. A Joint Working Group shall be formed to monitor the activities to be carried out in fulfilment of the MoU.
India has already entered into agreements with Australia, Rwanda, Cambodia, Iran, Iraq, Fiji, China and Bahrain in the field of water resources management and development cooperation.
Background:
The Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation has been envisaging bilateral cooperation with other countries in water resources development and management through sharing of policy and technical expertise, conducting of training courses, workshops, scientific and technical symposia, exchange of experts and study tours.
Keeping in view the success of Israel in water use efficiency, micro-irrigation, reuse of waste water, desalination, aquifer recharge, etc., it has been decided to have an agreement with Israel to benefit from their experience and expertise.
#-----------------------------------------------#
India Germany MoU - Solar Energy
Union Cabinet has approved a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which has been signed in October, 2015, between Indian and Germany, to expand bilateral development cooperation in the field of Solar Energy by increasing use of solar energy in India through technical as well as financial cooperation.
The MoU will help in strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
Under the agreement, Germany would provide concessional loans in the range of one billion Euros over the next five years through Kreditanstalt fur Wiederaufbau (KfW). The funds of KfW will also be utilized for providing soft loans to the end-users through partner banks.
Possible outcome:
- Cooperation in the field of solar rooftops
- The development of solar parks or solar zones (if possible in close proximity to the Green Energy Corridors financed by KfW under Indo-German Financial Cooperation)
- Solar off-grid applications to improve the access to clean and sustainable energy.
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The Union Cabinet, has approved setting up of six new Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) in Andhra Pradesh, Chhatisgarh, Goa, Jammu, Kerala and Karnataka. The Cabinet further gave its approval for operationalisation of these IITs initially by forming of Societies under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 in order to give a legal status to them till the amendment for their incorporation in The Institutes of Technology Act, 1961 is enacted.
Background:
The present approval for the establishment of the six new IITs to be registered as Societies under the Societies under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 to create new legal IIT entities, as passing the Bill for amendment of the IT Act, 1961 for incorporation of the six new IITs in the Parliament will take some time.
The Institutes of Technology Act, 1961, contains no provision to enable establishment of new IITs. Every new IIT commenced since its enactment has required an amendment to the Act itself. In light of this, it would be appropriate to establish the new IITs through the formation of Societies as it has not been possible to amend the Institutes of Technology Act, 1961 to make provision for establishment of new IITs, before the admissions to academic session 2015-16 in these new IITs.
#-----------------------------------------------#
India - Japan Tax protocol
The Union Cabinet approved signing and ratification of Protocol between India and Japan for amending the Double Taxation Avoidance Convention (DTAC) signed between the two countries in 1989 for avoidance of double taxation and for prevention of fiscal evasion, through a protocol.
The Protocol will facilitate exchange of information, as per accepted international standards, on tax matters including bank information and information without domestic tax interest. There is a further provision in the Protocol for sharing any information received from Japan, with authorization of the competent authority in Japan and vice versa, in respect of a resident of India, with other law enforcement agencies.
The Protocol also has a provision for India and Japan to lend assistance to each other in collection of revenue claims, as well as for exemption of interest income from taxation in the source country, with respect to debt-claims insured by the Government or Government-owned financial institutions.
