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This week we cover the escalation between Israel and Palestine, firing in Afghanistan and declaration of cease fire, Taiwan’s healthcare model and India’s vaccine shortage.
Israel- Palestine Conflict
The violence that began in East Jerusalem in April 2021, has escalated to a two-way attack between Israel and Palestine. The clashes broke out between Palestinian, Arabs and Jews in Israel. The dynamic has a prolonged history and can be traced to 70BC. The first Palestinian Intifada (uprising) took place in 1987 and had continued for many years. The strained relationship has been backed by peace treaties like Oslo Peace Accord (1993) and Cairo Agreement.
Just to add, Uncle Sam (USA) under leadership Donald Trump recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in 2017, which added to distress and protests in Gaza and West Bank.
Despite the peace efforts, the region has been conflict-ridden and the current crisis is not an event of the present but an accumulation of many.
The Present Scenario-
The present conflict started in April itself, with Israel barricading Damascus Gate Plaza in East Jerusalem. The space is prominent as Palestinians gather there during the month of Ramadan. Adding to it, Israel put limitations on the number of people gathered in the holy mosque of Al-Aqsa.
These instances have led to the eruption among both groups as well as the regions, and the crisis cannot be ignored. Airstrikes have become common in the region, with Israel opting for it as a common weapon against Gaza. The fear of civil war cannot be sidelined at the moment.
Interestingly, the world leaders are set with the sides they want to take this time.
President of USA, Joe Biden has asserted Israel's “right to defend itself”.
Tor Wennesland, the United Nations envoy for the Middle East, said that the situation was “escalating towards a full-scale war.”
(Source: New York Times, Indian Express, CNN)
Cease Fire and Uncertainty in Afghanistan
There is a sense of grief and anxiety in Kabul, after the recent attacks on school girls. More than 80 were killed and 150 were injured in last week’s firing. Post this heart-wrenching incident, the Taliban announced they would cease-fire for 3 days for Eid-ul-Fitr. This action was to have peace in the country for the festival, however, the people find it fruitless and not so considerate. The people of Afghanistan deserve peace for more than those 3 days of the holy festival, which can protect the rights and lives of young girls, women and the citizens of the country. The firing incident would affect the enrollment rate of girls to schools and women’s rights could become a sidelined issue over time.
Meanwhile, the USA plans to extract its troops from Afghanistan by September 2021. The condition on which this action was based was that the Taliban would reduce the violence in the region, but now they are determined to leave the country irrespective of the situation.
The situation is complex, but the expectation for peace and normalcy is a basic right.
(Source: Reuters, NPR)
Shortage of Vaccination and the Fear of Virus
So, did you get your first dose and are wondering when would you get the second one? Well, it’s a question we all are living with.
Recently, Delhi, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh halted the vaccination drive for people of the 18-45 age group due to the shortage of vaccines.
The shortage of vaccines along with the lack of access to technology has highlighted the digital divide of the country. People without access to smartphones or Identity Proof do not deserve to be vaccinated? These questions have been highlighted by Judiciary, civil society groups and have asked the Government of India to rethink its vaccination strategy.
What is the Government doing about it?
The government has extended the gap between both doses of vaccines. For AstraZeneca, also known as Covershield, the gap has been increased by 12 weeks for the second dose, which can produce better efficacy (81.3%) as per The Lancet.
Moreover, the National Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (NTAGI) also recommended that those testing positive for COVID-19 should defer their vaccination for six months after recovery as they develop the antibodies to fight the disease.
What did the experts say?
US health expert Dr Anthony Fauci said that it is reasonable to increase the gap between two doses of vaccines when there’s a shortage.
Swapneil Parikh, an internal medicine doctor and scientist said that decision is supply-driven and it’s the right decision.
(Sources: Quint, India Today)
The Poster Child of Healthcare: Taiwan
The Government of Taiwan adopted a ‘National Health Insurance System’ in 1995 which is financed through government, employers, and out-of-pocket payments by users of services. It covers almost 99% of the population. Its health system works on a single payment system which means rather than paying monthly, the citizen pays all the amount at one time. Since it’s nationalised it has relatively low costs with qualitative healthcare benefits.
Its Covid model is now known and appreciated worldwide because of various reasons. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Joseph Wu in an interview by The Hindu, shed some light on how they managed the Covid-19 pandemic:
The country developed a Central Epidemic Command Center as soon as the first case of Covid-19 was reported.
Local manufacturers ramped up the production of suggested medical masks.
With the help of technology the administration traced travel history and traced the infected individuals.
They developed 160 testing facilities around the country. There were different facilities for the patients with different severity of Covid-19 cases.
How can India benefit from it?
Joseph Wu suggested to deal with the current crisis effectively, India should set up regular communications channels between medical agencies so there's no shortage of medicines along with working together to strengthen supply chains for pharmaceuticals, inputs and equipment.
(Sources: The Hindu, Indian Express)
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