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The <keyword id="6364555" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="indian-council-of-medical-research" source="Orion">Indian Council of Medical Research</keyword> (<keyword id="6364396" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="icmr" source="Orion">ICMR</keyword>) has sought proposals in <keyword id="619017" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="stillbirths" source="Orion">stillbirths</keyword> under the <keyword id="15545302" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="icmr-task-force-programme" source="Orion">ICMR Task Force Programme</keyword> for research funding. The concept proposals with specific objectives and scientific questions should be submitted online by December 30, 2022, by 5 pm, it said. "<keyword id="113952" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="stillbirth" source="Orion">Stillbirth</keyword>s are a hidden tragedy that impacts millions of women and families across the globe daily. The stillbirth rate may be one of the indicators of the quality of a country's medical system. Stillbirth has multifactorial etiologies. Early identification of risk factors for stillbirth and appropriate antenatal management may reduce preventable stillbirths and improve the pregnancy outcomes," the ICMR said in a release. The ICMR Call for Proposals in Stillbirths, under the ICMR Task Force Programme, further states that the initiative is in line with the government's aim of bringing the number of stillbirths in the country down to single digits by 2030. "The INAP by the Government of India now plans to bring down stillbirths to single digits by 2030. There is a need for research into the causes of stillbirth and effective prevention and treatment of these causes identifying research challenges. The ICMR expert group on Still Births has identified three key thematic areas to prioritise and articulate research challenges," the ICMR said. "The concept proposal can be submitted for financial support through online mode only by scientists/ professionals, who have regular employment in medical institutes/research institutes/ universities/colleges/recognised research and development laboratories/government and semi-government organisations and NGOs (documentary evidence of their recognition including DSIR certificate should be enclosed with the proposal)," the ICMR release further stated. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/cervical-cancer-4th-most-common-among-women-policymakers-should-urgently-move-to-eliminate-who/articleshow/95580233.cms">Cervical cancer 4th most common among women, policymakers should urgently move to eliminate: WHO</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/covid-19-infection-may-reactivate-several-latent-viruses-in-body-study/articleshow/95581176.cms">Covid-19 can reactivate latent viruses lurking in the body's cells</a>

Stillbirths are a hidden tragedy says ICMR as it seeks research funding

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Drone warfare is changing fast and demands battalions of specialists to fully exploit its potential.</li><li>The group would fly support drones to increase the effectiveness of its attack and spy drones.</li></ul>Experience in Ukraine suggests that armies should concentrate drones in special battalions that have the skills pilots to fly them and the programmers to rapidly adapt to constant jamming, according to British defense experts.Ukrainian data shows "the efficiency of [Unmanned Aerial Vehicle] operations when conducted by a dedicated formation has risen from 10 percent up to 70 percent for some mission sets," according to a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.rusi.org/explore-our-research/publications/occasional-papers/mass-precision-strike-designing-uav-complexes-land-forces">report</a> by the Royal United Services Institute, a British think tank. The report did not provide any more specifics on the data, other than a footnote that said it was based on Ukrainian General Staff "datasets of mission performance between different formations" that RUSI accessed in Ukraine in February 2024.The RUSI report advocates the creation of "mass precision strike complex" units that launch integrated swarms of drones comprised of different types of reconnaissance and combat UAVs. The concept seems similar to "strike packages" of manned combat jets, which combine attack, escort and electronic warfare planes on a mission. To be clear, the report isn't calling for infantry platoons to be stripped of their <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/top-us-marine-kamikaze-drones-going-to-ukraine-are-powerful-2022-3">backpack-carried drones</a>, which have proven indispensable in Ukraine and the Middle East. But it does argue that for some tasks, such as long-range surveillance and strike, it's more efficient and economical to achieve this through dedicated units."UAVs may be distributed to provide units with situational awareness, but mass precision strike should be managed by a specialist formation," the report concluded. In addition to better mission planning by personnel trained and experienced in drone operations, "experience from contemporary theatres shows that almost all UAV capabilities are highly susceptible to hard counters as the adversary learns how the UAV functions; capabilities must therefore be continuously adapted and their supporting mission data files updated. This requires scarce skills such as UAV design and programming and the accumulation of data centrally."RUSI envisions each drone battalion being equipped with everything needed to conduct a variety of UAV operations. The units would comprise "airframes and their payloads, and the launch crews, command links, planning tools, intelligence support and design teams required to field the capability," wrote RUSI researchers Jack Watling and Justin Bronk.Drone battalions would have five types of UAVs whose capabilities range from spying enemy advances to blasting critical rear sites with explosives. This would include "situational awareness UAVs optimized for tactical reconnaissance; tactical strike UAVs; ISR [reconnaissance] UAVs able to penetrate into operational depth; operational strike UAVs; and platform-launched effects designed specifically to synchronize with and enable other weapons systems."The idea is to have self-contained formations that can identify and destroy targets across the battlefield and beyond. To support friendly ground troops in contact with the enemy, flocks of expendable reconnaissance drones would operate up to 5 miles beyond the enemy front line. They would locate <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amid-ukraine-war-us-army-seeking-new-tank-killing-drone-2023-8">targets</a>, such as armored vehicles and infantry trenches, that could be quickly hit by the battalion's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-war-top-tanks-taken-out-by-cheap-hobby-drones-2023-8">cheap attack drones</a>.Meanwhile, longer-range reconnaissance drones would stalk up to 60 miles into the enemy's rear, searching for artillery pieces, air defense batteries and command posts that could be hit by missiles and other guided weapons. The drone battalion would also launch long-range strike weapons — with a range out to 300 miles — that could destroy fixed sites, such as supply depots, bridges and ammunition dumps. "By offering a persistent threat of precision strike against logistical infrastructure and command and control elements, these capabilities would add significant friction to the enemy's ability to resupply and coordinate forces, and therefore to achieve concentration," the report said. "These capabilities also represent a concern for air and naval forces insofar as they threaten infrastructure and basing."<div type="image" title="ukraine drone" height="1000" width="1500" msid="109838236" hostid="261" sizebytes="59916"></div>To maximize the effectiveness of reconnaissance and strike drones — and to keep them from being knocked down by enemy air defenses — the battalion would also have a variety of support UAVs. This would include long-endurance airborne communications drones to relay datalinks between the combat UAVs and ground operations, electronic warfare drones to jam radars and communications systems, and decoy drones to confuse enemy air defenses.The Ukraine conflict demonstrates how warfare has become a cat-and-mouse game where drones must constantly evolve to survive enemy jamming of their control links. "As of mid-2023, the average period of peak effectiveness for a newly deployed UAV navigation and/ or control system on the battlefield was around two weeks, with degrading effectiveness over four more weeks," the report noted. "Between six and 12 weeks, the adversary would have gathered sufficient data on the waveforms and techniques being used to start effectively jamming and/or spoofing the system across the front."Non-drone units lack the capability to identify and develop the software and communications challenges to respond to enemy countermeasures. "It therefore makes sense to concentrate UAV operation if UAVs are parts of a mass precision strike complex," the report concluded.The issue of whether to concentrate or disperse assets is an old one. Until World War II, tanks were dispersed in small packets among infantry divisions, while aircraft were assigned to the ground forces. But experience proved that tanks were most effective when massed in tank divisions, and aircraft were best assigned to an independent air force that specialized in aerial operations (some still <a target="_blank" href="https://affiliate.insider.com?h=1717df10855529f8276cc8af6ed08ac535f5c82b0c7ef140ed76bf7c411d64ac&amp;postID=663506bb2c3267408d063313&amp;postSlug=armies-need-their-own-drone-air-force-flown-by-specialists-study-says-2024-5&amp;site=bi&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FGrounded-Abolishing-Studies-Conflict-Diplomacy%2Fdp%2F0813165571">question</a> the wisdom of the latter).Drone operations may very well be more efficient in the hands of specialized battalions. But regular units will inevitably want their own drones that are available when needed, rather than having to request support from others. The issue is unlikely to be settled quickly or easily.Michael Peck is a defense writer whose work has appeared in Forbes, Defense News, Foreign Policy magazine, and other publications. He holds an MA in political science from Rutgers Univ. Follow him on <a target="_blank" href="https://www.twitter.com/@mipeck1">Twitter</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mipeck/">LinkedIn</a>.

Armies need their own drone air force flown by specialist soldiers, study says 

<ul><li>Finance Minister <keyword id="129243" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nirmala-sitharaman" source="Orion">Nirmala Sitharaman</keyword> announced that the government will set up an Animation, Visual Effects, <keyword id="6357332" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="gaming" source="Orion">Gaming</keyword> and Comics (<keyword id="1920258" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="avgc" source="Orion">AVGC</keyword>) promotion task force for boosting talent in the animation and gaming sector.</li><li>We speak to experts from the industry to understand the larger implications of the move and how it will help the industry.</li></ul>During her Union Budget speech yesterday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the government will set up an Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) promotion task force for boosting talent in the animation and gaming sector. Sitharaman said the AVGC sector will provide a huge opportunity for young professionals and also create new job opportunities for the youth. “The AVGC sector offers immense potential to employ youth. An AVGC Promotion taskforce with all stakeholders will be set up to recommend ways to realize this and build domestic capacity for serving our markets and the global demand,” Sitharaman said during her speech. The move is expected to attract new talent and give them the required support to take the AVGC sector global. The AVGC sectors, and especially the gaming industry has been witnessing a healthy growth. Most industry reports have predicted that the next few years will contribute to immense growth for the industry. A recent report by Sequoia India and BCG had said that while the gaming industry in India is currently smaller than that of the US and China and is 1% of the global gaming market, it is generating $1.5 billion revenue and is expected to triple to over $5 billion by 2025 on the back of the ‘mobile first’ phenomenon. So the government’s move comes at an opportune time. To understand the larger implications of the move, we spoke to experts from the gaming industry and here’s how they thought the government's move will give a boost to the segment: <keyword id="2388996" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sai-srinivas" source="Orion">Sai Srinivas</keyword>, Co-Founder and CEO, Mobile Premier League It is very encouraging to see that the Union Budget has taken into consideration some of the long-pending suggestions for the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics (AVGC) sector, while noting the strong potential this industry holds for employment-generation as well as taking ‘Made in India’ game titles global. We welcome the Hon’ble Finance Minister's announcement to set up an AVGC Promotion Task Force to provide a much-needed boost to the sector. This announcement highlights the need to build capacity to serve both domestic and global markets, and is a strong indicator of the impetus that the government is willing to provide for its growth. It is also heartening to see the government's commitment to work with the industry, allowing for a balanced approach that accommodates the needs of all stakeholders and strengthens the ecosystem holistically. A progressive tax regime, predictable regulatory framework and supportive funding policies will allow the industry to compete on the world stage and fulfil the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision for the Indian digital gaming sector to be a global powerhouse. Moreover, it will also help develop a workforce of young and employable AVGC professionals to usher in the next tech revolution from within India. With a renewed focus on the AVGC sector, blended financing for deep tech and IT, hardware and electronics manufacturing combined with deployment of 5G and affordable internet in underserved areas, it is clear that the government is committed to take the Indian startup ecosystem to the next level. We are hopeful that with the positive support of the government, the coming years will see online gaming, VFX and esports startups leading the charge in the global economy. By developing deep tech intellectual property and exporting services, they can help cement India’s position as a world leader in the sector. Rajan Navani, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, JetSynthesys I strongly welcome the formation of a AVGC task force for promotion, something that we as an industry have been pushing for a long time. It is high time that animation, visual effects and gaming are recognised as an industry because of the sheer potential that they carry. Skyrocketing further owing to the pandemic, these industries have the power to create large employment as well as give Indian gaming companies an opportunity to become globally competitive and play an increasingly larger role at a global level. Building a task force that will address the needs of this industry across various ministries would be a very proactive approach towards strengthening this industry, in my opinion. The aim to rollout 5G services in FY 2022-23 along with affordable broadband services and efficient connectivity to allow equal access to e-services in remote and urban areas has also been long due. The focus of Hon FM on new emerging technologies particularly like Blockchain and AI, a word which was repeated several times during the speech is again a very positive move to show that digitalisation is truly the future, and a strong focus area for government. Digitalisation was applied across agriculture, healthcare, skills, education and appeared in various shapes and forms throughout the budget speech. Additionally, the national tele-mental health programme is a great initiative by the government as the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the mental health of people to an unfathomable extent. Various channels and platforms like ThinkRight.me by JetSynthesys and others in the space can together help tackle India's mental health issues. In all, we’re truly excited about the future of digital India and what this means to JetSynthesys which is here to play a key role in the daily digital lives of a billion Indians. As a country, we hope to move forward with jet speed and transform our country into an atmanirbhar, technologically and digitally forward nation. Vishwalok Nath, Director, World Esports Cup We welcome the steps by the Finance Minister of India as part of Budget 2022-2023 including the creation of the AVGC task force. We hope that this task force can help promote the creation of a robust infrastructure for game development with gradual benefits to the esports community. We are also looking forward to the 5G spectrum auction this year. 5G can further promote the latest innovations and mass adoption of technologies like cloud gaming in the country. There is a huge scope of employment for the youth in the gaming industry. Esports/Video Games is a versatile industry and there is a huge scope for professional gamers as well as other jobs like casters, commentators, and other support staff appointed by the esports tournaments like producers, editors, analysts, product managers, game testers, referees, production crew members, event managers, social media managers, etc. Lokesh Suji, Director, Esports Federation of India &amp; Vice President, Asian Esports Federation It is encouraging to finally see the seriousness from our Government towards this sector which has been long neglected. This will definitely help in setting up the policies which would encourage and build our capacities and capabilities to export to the rest of the world; leading to more domestic video game development studios and more investments in the AVGC sector. Spectrum auctions for 5G is a welcome move for the gaming industry as well, 5G can disrupt the industry by enhancing the live streaming of games and cloud gaming as well. The task force should consist largely of people who have been part of the ‘Video Game’ industry and are playing an active role in shaping up the Indian video game industry. <keyword id="263906" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="jehil-thakkar" source="Orion">Jehil Thakkar</keyword>, Partner and Media and Entertainment Sector Leader, Deloitte India The setting up of the AVGC promotion task force announced in the Union Budget will help India achieve its potential of achieving 20 lakh jobs according to Deloitte projections. These are critical skills for growth of the metaverse and India is poised to take advantage of this ecosystem. Sagar Nair, Co-Founder &amp; CEO, Qlan It is this continued acceptance that will lead to the progress of the Indian gaming and esports industry. First was esports’ entry in the Asian Games as an official event followed by a government dedicated task force to work with the AVGC sector. I have no doubt that these initiatives as part of the national budget policy highlight the true potential of the Indian gaming &amp; esports segment not only in India but also on the global circuit. The statement clearly indicates the backing of homegrown game developers, tournament organizers, and esports companies and recommendations from the appointed task force will help build domestic capacity for serving out markets and the global demand as well. Sunil Yadav, CEO, PlayerzPot The AVGC sector is one of the fastest growing sectors in India, and attracts a huge interest from a large cross section of the population. The announcement of the new AVGC task force is a welcome one, as we expect it will help to build domestic capacity and also serve the global demand. The task force has come at the right time, for those pursuing a career in gaming as the sector is booming right now and needs more talented youngsters to grow. With the government introducing digital rupee and a visible trend in crypto adoption, NFT’s will grow significantly. 5G services auction within FY 22-23 across the country will play an important role in the growth by further penetrating in the markets and also enhancing the gaming experience. As the honorable minister mentioned in her budget presentation, the gaming sector has the potential to become the torchbearer of 'Create in India' &amp; 'Brand India', on the same lines we were hoping for transparent and progressive regulation that will help differentiate games of skill from those of chance, because this is a key area of concern for the industry as a whole. Dilsher Singh Malhi, Founder &amp; CEO, Zupee The creation of the AVGC promotion task force is a welcome move. The initiative with industry participation will help in establishing uniform, progressive policies that will promote growth and investments in the sector, which in turn, will lead to job creation, revenue generation, and engagement opportunities. This will be a crucial step towards bridging the digital divide and unlocking a fully connected and empowered digital India. We believe that this initiative will pave the way for the Indian gaming industry to establish itself on a global stage. Rahul Tewari, Chief Financial Officer, Games24x7 The gaming industry welcomes the decision to set up a task force for Animation, Visual Effect, Gaming and Comics. AVGC taskforce can provide the long-term policy impetus and bring together the various stakeholders to turbocharge the vibrant ecosystem in gaming and animation. India has a deep and very high-quality talent pool of developers and creative artists who will transform India into a global player in the interactive entertainment space in the coming years. We hope this paves way for regularity clarity for gaming, a sector that has contributed immensely to India’s start-up success in the last few years. Manish Agarwal, CEO, Nazara Technologies Ltd. The government’s announcement of an AVGC task force to seek recommendation to create the way forward is a welcome move. As we know, India presently commands around 10% of the global AVGC market and has the potential to reach 20-25% by 2027. This taskforce will facilitate employment for the youth, build domestic capacity to serve the Indian markets and also meet global demand. <keyword id="3471731" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="roland-landers" source="Orion">Roland Landers</keyword>, CEO, The All-India Gaming Federation I am pleased that the government has announced a progressive budget; stating the gaming industry as a sector that generates various job opportunities for the youth while boosting the economy of the country. The ideas proposed for the sector are very encouraging. We are thrilled and look forward to the AVGC task force that will give a major boost to the game development sector by building scale and adding to the overall online skill gaming industry’s momentum. AIGF and the skill games council of domain experts will be happy to assist, if need be, in playing a consultative role for the same Likewise, the tax extension to four years will benefit the entire start-up ecosystem in online gaming which is in the excess of 300 companies. Furthermore, the Hon’ble FM’s announcement of the digital rupee launch will increase purchases of virtual goods in games through microtransactions. Finally, 5G auctions when implemented will enhance the gamer experience dramatically as well as facilitate the adoption of new technologies in gaming. Overall, the budget has opened more avenues for the gaming industry.

The gaming industry lauds the government’s decision to set up an Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics promotion task force

Moscow's 'special' forces: An inside look at how Russia's famed Spetsnaz really operate

Experts of the <keyword id="6364396" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ICMR" source="Orion">ICMR</keyword>'s National Task Force on COVID-19 for the fourth time have unanimously rejected the inclusion of <keyword id="9385138" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="anti-viral-drug" source="Orion">anti-viral drug</keyword> <keyword id="10880838" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Molnupiravir" source="Orion">Molnupiravir</keyword> in the coronavirus treatment guidelines saying its "known and unknown harms far outweigh its claimed benefit". Responding to a question over Molnupiravir's inclusion in the treatment guidelines amid doctors prescribing it, ICMR Director General Dr Balram Bhargava said experts have had extensive debate and discussions and reviewed the data available from three trials on the drug on Monday. "We had extensive deliberation and the final conclusion was that Molnupiravir has certain risks that warrant caution in its use. Experts present in the meeting opined that there is a rampant and irrational use of Molnupiravir. Efforts should be made to restrict its use as known and unknown harms far outweigh its claimed benefit," he said on Wednesday. "The currently available synthesised evidence was reviewed and the members unanimously agreed that it does not merit the inclusion of Molnupuravir in the national treatment guidelines for COVID-19," Bhargava said. The emerging evidence will constantly be reviewed, he added. "And lastly it was further highlighted the current clinical window of application appears extremely narrow for Molnupiravir with relevance only to the following --elderly, unvaccinated, with other comorbidities. "There was no evidence of benefit in diabetes and those who were previously infected with COVID-19 or were vaccinated," he said. India's drug regulator on December 28 had approved the anti-Covid pill for restricted use in emergency situations. Molnupiravir is an antiviral that inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication by viral mutagenesis, the health ministry earlier had said in a statement. The UK MHRA on December 4 granted approval for Molnupiravir under special condition for treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in adults with a positive SARS-COV-2 diagnostic test and who have at least one risk factor for developing severe illness. The USFDA on December 23 granted Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) for Molnupiravir for treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults with positive results of direct SARS-CoV-2 viral testing, and who are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalisation or death, and for whom alternative <keyword id="8918466" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="COVID-19-treatment" source="Orion">COVID-19 treatment</keyword> options authorised by the FDA are not accessible or clinically appropriate. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/study-shows-booster-dose-of-covaxin-has-neutralising-effect-on-omicron-delta-variants-says-bharat-biotech/articleshow/88867266.cms">Study shows booster dose of Covaxin has neutralising effect on Omicron, Delta variants, says Bharat Biotech</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/enterprise/news/tcs-vs-infosys-vs-wipro-how-indias-three-it-giants-stack-up-against-each-other/slidelist/88860676.cms">TCS vs Infosys vs Wipro Q3 results – here’s how India’s three IT giants stack up against each other</a>

ICMR experts reject inclusion of Molnupiravir in COVID-19 treatment guidelines for fourth time citing safety concerns

New Delhi, Feb 1 () Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said a task force will be set up to recommend marriageable age for women.
 Presenting the Budget for 2020-21, Sitharaman said Rs 9,500 crore has been provided for senior citizens and Divyangs, while Rs 35,600 crore has been allocated for nutrition related programme in FY21.
 The finance minister further said that Rs 85,000 crore has been allocated for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in the Budget.
 She also said the government proposes to set up a tribal museum in Ranchi, Jharkhand, while five archaeological sites in Haryana, UP, Assam, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu will be developed with on-site museums.
 The government has allocated Rs 3,150 crore for Ministry of Culture, and Rs 2,500 crore for Ministry of Tourism. TEAM MBI RKL ANZ RVK

Task force to be set up for recommending marriageable age for women: FM

The <keyword id="26362" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Government">government</keyword> on Monday revised the clinical guidance for COVID-19 treatment, dropping the off-label use of <keyword id="8956772" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="convalescent-plasma">convalescent plasma</keyword> as it was found not beneficial in reducing the progression to severe disease or death. The development came following a meeting of the ICMR-National Task Force for COVID-19 last week wherein all members were in favour of removing the use of convalescent plasma from the <keyword id="6379119" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="guidelines">guidelines</keyword> citing its ineffectiveness and inappropriate use in several cases. An Indian Council of Medical Research (<keyword id="6364396" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="ICMR">ICMR</keyword>) official said the task force "revised" the Clinical Guidance for Management of Adult COVID-19 Patients and "dropped convalescent plasma (off label)". The previous guidelines recommended off-label use of plasma therapy at the stage of early moderate disease, that is, within seven days of the onset of symptoms and if there is availability of a high titre donor plasma. The decision to remove it from the guidelines comes in the backdrop of some clinicians and scientists writing to Principal Scientific Advisor K VijayRaghavan cautioning against the "irrational and non-scientific use" of convalescent plasma for COVID-19 in the country. In the letter, which was also marked to ICMR chief Balram Bhargava and <keyword id="40458" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="AIIMS">AIIMS</keyword> Director Randeep Guleria, public health professionals alleged that the current guidelines on plasma therapy are not based on existing evidence and pointed out some very early evidence that indicates a possible association between emergence of variants with "lower susceptibility to neutralising antibodies in immunosuppressed" people given plasma therapy. This raises the possibility of more virulent strains developing due to irrational use of plasma therapy which can fuel the pandemic, according to the letter signed by vaccinologist Gagandeep Kang, surgeon Pramesh C S and others. "We are writing to you as concerned clinicians, public health professionals and scientists from <keyword id="3658" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> about the irrational and non- scientific use of convalescent plasma for COVID-19 in the country. "This has stemmed from guidelines issued by government agencies, and we request your urgent intervention to address the issue which can prevent harassment of COVID-19 patients, their families, their clinicians and COVID-19 survivors," said the letter. "The current research evidence unanimously indicates that there is no benefit offered by convalescent plasma for treatment of COVID-19. However, it continues to be prescribed rampantly in hospitals across India," the letter said. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/google-said-to-rival-apples-privacy-push-with-android-12-while-taking-care-of-its-advertising-business/articleshow/82729724.cms">Google said to rival Apple’s privacy push with Android 12 while taking care of its advertising business</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/facebooks-mark-zuckerberg-has-six-months-to-answer-these-five-questions/articleshow/82729482.cms">Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg has six months to answer these five questions</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/cryptocurrency/news/indian-cryptocurrency-exchange-wazirx-has-listed-shiba-inu-tokens-for-trading-in-indian-rupees/articleshow/82731429.cms">WazirX has listed Shiba Inu — here's everything you need to know about the said Dogecoin killer</a>

Indian government drops plasma therapy from guidelines for COVID-19 management

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Afghan staff at the World Food Programme say they are committed to helping out vulnerable groups.</li><li>The organization estimates at least half of <keyword id="11892774" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="afghanistan" source="Orion">Afghanistan</keyword>'s population is food insecure. </li><li>With dwindling supplies, it needs $200 million in funding from the <keyword id="6356001" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="international" source="Orion">international</keyword> community.</li></ul>Many of the Afghan staff at the World Food Programme weren't alive during the last <keyword id="11892778" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="taliban" source="Orion">Taliban</keyword> rule and had only heard stories about the brutally oppressive regime. That changed with the blitz-style Taliban takeover of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/taliban-victory-in-afghanistan-interim-government-planned-reports-2021-8">Afghanistan</a> just two weeks ago, according to Andrew Patterson, the WFP's deputy director in the country. As anxiety and unease settles among staff, Patterson says the organization is certain of one thing: They'll continue to serve the vulnerable people of a country shaped by decades of terror and heartbreak."Our staff feel great pride in being able to help their own countrymen and women, girls, children, other marginalized communities," Patterson told Insider in a video interview from <keyword id="11892912" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="kabul" source="Orion">Kabul</keyword>. "They really want to be able to stay and deliver."Patterson said that it hasn't been easy to quell staffers' fears. "We ourselves don't know what the future is for Afghanistan and its people," Patterson said. "What we do tell them is that we're staying here with them. Myself, my country director, our security staff, our program staff. As many as we were allowed to keep in country, we're keeping in country. And we don't want to leave, we don't want to abandon our people. And the Afghan people need us." The Taliban's sweep to power has left Afghans questioning what life will be like when western forces complete their evacuations. The country's vulnerable populations are a medley of those who are food insecure and displaced, along with the women, girls, and people with disabilities who are marginalized by the Taliban.Patterson estimates that since the Taliban takeover, there are around 550,000 internally displaced people in need of assistance. He also estimates that at least half the country's population is food insecure.The WFP faces a daunting task as in-country supply stocks dwindle. It needs to get 54,000 metric tonnes of food into Afghanistan before the end of the year, according to Patterson, racing against inbound harsh winter months that limit mobility.To achieve this goal, the organization needs $200 million in funding. A majority of WFP's funding comes voluntarily from various countries as well as some private donors, Patterson said. Traditionally, the US is the largest supporter. "We make an appeal to the international community," Patterson said of funding. Normally, the WFP could provide Afghans with around $80 a month in cash that they can use at local markets to get food. Since the country now faces a liquidity crisis following the closure of banks and ATMs, the organization can only give vulnerable individuals food bundles, which includes wheat flour, veggie oil, salt, and high-energy biscuits. Despite the chaos that ensued since the fall of Kabul earlier in August, the WFP's six regional offices continue to supply food in both rural and urban environments.Patterson said the organization's resources are kept away from government and military entities. The WFP transports food by road, though the chaos at the Kabul airport has denied the organization the opportunity to move people across the country. Internally displaced people and vulnerable groups in Afghanistan don't yet know if the Taliban will target them. But Patterson said he expects the organization to be able to work as scheduled and deliver aid to those in need. "We don't consider ourselves a target," Patterson said. "The Taliban have told us and the humanitarian community that they want us to stay and to be able to deliver what they know is required by the population. Them taking over doesn't grow more food for this country, doesn't reduce the food insecurity for the vulnerable."<a href="https://www.wfp.org/support-us">The World Food Programme's mission in Afghanistan.</a>

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