77th World Health Assembly: What’s standing in the way of a Pandemic Agreement?

In September 2022, India launched an ambitious project to restart a self-sustaining, cheetah population in the country by importing African cheetahs. In all, about 20 adult cheetahs were translocated to Kuno National Park in Madhya Pradesh. Of these 20, 13 have survived, and with another 13 cubs born, there are now 26 cheetahs at Kuno. Obviously, Kuno is not big enough to accommodate this many animals in the wild. So Gandhi Sagar wildlife sanctuary – much smaller in area than Kuno, also located in MP -- is being prepared to become the second home of the imported cheetahs. According to the government, the preparations are almost done, and plans for importing more cheetahs from Africa to Gandhi Sagar will be finalised after the monsoons. While the government has said that the Gandhi Sagar wildlife sanctuary is a perfect home for the cheetahs, there are concerns about prey density, space, and adaptability. What preparations have been made to make Gandhi Sagar a suitable home for the African cheetah? Are these preparations, including large-scale relocation of prey animals from elsewhere, sound from a conservation viewpoint? How will the authorities ensure that the cheetahs don’t stray into human habitations? Guest: Ravi Chellam, Bengaluru-based wildlife biologist and conservation scientist. Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu Edited by Jude Francis Weston

The Supreme Court, in May this year, directed the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) to ensure that advertisers and ad agencies submit self-declarations for every ad they put out. In these self-declarations, the advertisers would have to certify that their ads contain no ‘misleading’ content and are in compliance with all applicable regulations. With the Ministry complying with the apex court directive, starting from June 18, no new ad campaigns can be released without this self-declaration. This mandate seems well-intentioned – the objective is to curb misleading ads and protect consumer interest. But it has not found favour with industry bodies. It is expected that for the next three weeks, there might even be a slowdown in the launch of new ads. So, what exactly triggered this new mandate? Why is the ad industry unhappy about it? And if this is not the best way to protect consumers from fake claims, what are the alternatives that India could explore? Guest: Gowree Gokhale, lawyer with Nishith Desai and Associates, who specialises in Technology, Advertising, Media and Entertainment, and Data Protection law. Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu Edited by Jude Francis Weston

The results of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) 2024 have sparked a major controversy. Students and experts have flagged plenty of irregularities. Petitions were filed in the Supreme Court over the award of grace marks to more than 1,563 students by the National Testing Agency (NTA), the body that conducts the exam. A concerned Supreme Court observed that the sanctity of the exam had been affected. The NTA informed the Court that the grace marks given to the 1.563 students would be cancelled and they would be given an option to take a retest, which would be held on June 23, with results declared on June 30. However, grace marks were not the only irregularity. For the first time in the history of NEET, 67 candidates topped with the maximum possible score, with eight of them from one centre, whereas there has never been a year where more than 3 students have scored maximum marks. There were also reports of question paper leaks, torn OMR sheets, and question papers in the wrong language being distributed. Even if we set aside NEET 2024as an aberration, experts have flagged systemic problems with NEET itself as a mode of selection. For instance, the Justice AK Rajan Committee, set up by The Tamil Nadu government to study the impact of NEET, had concluded in its report that NEET was anti-poor, anti-social justice and favoured students from affluent families, students from urban centres, and students who could afford to spend lakhs on coaching centres. So, what are the various problems with NEET 2024? Is an independent probe required? How do we ensure transparency and accountability in the functioning of NTA? Why are states like Tamil Nadu seeking an exemption from NEET? Guests: Professor Anita Rampal, former Dean, Faculty of Education, at Delhi University, and Dr G R Ravindranath, general secretary of the Doctor’s Association for Social quality, who also a Member of the Justice AK Rajan Committee constituted by the Tamil Nadu government to study the impact of NEET. Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu. Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian.

North India is enduring its hottest ever summer this year, with the number of heat wave days in May increasing by 125%. As per reports, extreme temperatures – in the range of 48-49 degrees - have caused the deaths of around 77 people across the country, including 33 who were on election duty. Not only have average temperatures been high, they have been consistently high across a vast region, and across a high number of days. How do we understand this trend? Is this primarily due to climate change? Or is this due to environmental degradation and rampant loss of green cover? What are the public health implications and what is the remedy? Guest: Raghu Murtugudde, Professor of Climate Studies at IIT, Bombay. Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu. Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian.

Avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu is back in the news again – at least four states in India: Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala and Jharkhand have already reported outbreaks among poultry. The Centre has asked all States to be vigilant, and said all necessary measures have to be taken to prevent its spread. It’s not just in India that bird flu is in the news though – the United States has been battling this problem as the infection has now spread to cattle herds in several states in that country. The World Health Organisation recently said that A (H5N1) strain of avian influenza has become "a global zoonotic animal pandemic" with thousands of animals infected across multiple countries. While so far there is no evidence that H5N1 virus is spreading from human to human, the risk remains for people who come into contact with infected animals. Two cases were in the headlines recently – one of a child who was diagnosed with H5N1 in Australia where she had just returned after a trip to Kolkata, and another case in Mexico, where a man died of a strain of bird flu called H5N2, which had never before been found in humans. What are the ramifications of bird flu in India? Who is vulnerable to the disease and how can its transmission be curtailed? How do we ensure the safety of eggs, chicken and other animal products? And does India need reforms in its poultry and animal food sector to ensure better safety of animal and human health? Guest: Dr Subramanian Swaminathan, Director Infectious diseases gleneagles hospitals. Vice president clinical infectious diseases society of India. Host: Zubeda Hamid Edited by Jude Francis Weston

A 73-member Union Council of Ministers led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi took oath on the 9th of June. A vast majority of BJP ministers have been retained even as about half a dozen Cabinet slots have been given to allied parties in the NDA government, the first since 2014 where the BJP doesn’t have a majority of its own.  So, what kind of government are we looking at? Will the BJP’s divisive plans of one nation, one election, a Uniform Civil Code or taking over mosques in Varanasi and Mathura be jettisoned? Or will the anti-Muslim speeches delivered by Prime Minister Modi during the election campaign be taken as the governing philosophy of the NDA government? Interestingly, not a single Muslim has found space in the 70-plus Council of Ministers.  Joining us to delve into these questions is author and journalist Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, an expert in BJP and Modi's politics. Guest: Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay, political journalist and author.  Host: Amit Baruah, Senior Associate Editor, The Hindu.  Edited by Jude Francis Weston

Barely a month after Israel rejected a three-phase peace plan brokered by Egypt and Qatar, President Joe Biden has announced another version of a three-phase peace plan. He has put himself on the line by publicly claiming that it is Israel that has come up with this proposal. But Israeli leaders are yet to own up to this plan, and keep repeating the old line that they will not accept any eventuality that leaves Hamas in power in Gaza. But the US has been circulating a draft resolution among the UN Security Council members asking them to support this ceasefire proposal. What prompted President Biden to publicise this plan? What does it propose? And how likely is Israel to accept it? Guest: Stanly Johny, The Hindu’s International Affairs Editor. Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu.  Edited by Jude Francis Weston

A lot has already been said and written about the results of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. But a lot more remains to be unpacked. While the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has secured a majority, its biggest constituent, the BJP itself, has fallen short of the 272 mark by 32 seats. Is there a message in this mandate? Or is the outcome an effect of several factors and concerns? Also, what went wrong for the BJP, whose performance has fallen way below its own projected expectations? What went right for the INDIA alliance? And does this verdict mark the beginning of a new coalition era in Indian politics? Guest: Rahul Verma, political analyst from the Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi. Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu. Edited by Sharmada Venkatasubramanian.

The World Health Assembly (WHA) is the forum through which the 194 member-states of the World Health Organisation (WHO) discuss and decide on policy matters. Every year, the WHA meets for a week in May. This year’s session, the 77th World Health Assembly, started May 27 and will conclude on June 1. There is a lot of interest in the WHA negotiations this year as the agenda items include an ambitious Pandemic Agreement, and amendments to the International Health Regulations. What progress has been made in the negotiations this year? What role can the World Health Assembly play in democratising the policy-setting space at the WHO? And where does the WHA figure in the WHO’s evolving funding scenario where it has to juggle the pressures from Big Pharma while staying true to its core mission of health equity and social justice? Guest: Professor T Sundararaman, a public health expert, who has served as Executive Director of National Health Systems Resource Centre and as Dean and Professor at the School of Health Systems Studies at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai. Host: G. Sampath, Social Affairs Editor, The Hindu.

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs has put out a draft Digital Competition Bill to regulate anti-competitive practices in the digital space. The Bill has provisions for identifying Systemically Significant Digital Enterprises (SSDEs) – basically large digital platforms. These would then be subject to certain restrictions aimed at preventing anti-competitive conduct. For instance, they would be forbidden from practices such as self-preferencing, anti-steering, etc. While the Bill seems well-intentioned, various stakeholders have expressed concerns that it is far too invasive and could stifle innovation, undermine the interests of Indian tech companies, including MSMEs, and make consumers more vulnerable to cyber fraud. Are these concerns valid? What has been the experience with the European Union’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), on which this Bill seems modelled? And what changes are needed to allay the concerns raised so far? G. Sampath is joined by Meghna Bal, Director, Esya Centre, New Delhi.