National road safety and Ebola outbreak

“National road safety authority is proposed to be set up”

The Road Transport and Safety Bill, 2014 envisions proposes to set up the Motor Vehicle Regulation & Road Safety Authority of India, an independent agency for vehicle regulation and road safety which would be legally empowered and accountable to Parliament to providing a framework for safer, faster, cost-effective and inclusive movement of passengers and freight in India. The proposed bill empowers the Union government to set up a National Road Safety and Vehicle Regulation Authority of India as "a body corporate". The authority would not just advise the state and central government on road safety, vehicle design and testing matters, but will also have the power to enforce the provisions of the new Act. It also gives centre the power to increase the fine, period of imprisonment, suspension of driving license, etc., without the Parliament nod. bill aims to reduce fatalities in road accidents by two lakh in the first five years. According to government estimates, over 4,90,383 accidents occur every year in India, of which 25% are fatal. The ministry is also trying to formulate a policy alongside to address the issue of pollution by older vehicles.

The National  Road safety authority shall provide  technical  advice  and  assistance  to  the Central Government,  and advise  the  Central  Government  and  the  State  Governments  on administration of the provisions relating to safety as contained in this Act. It advise  the  State  Government,  urban  local  bodies, municipalities, panchayati  raj  institutions  on matters  relating  to  or  arising  out  of  traffic management on  roads  and  the use of motor vehicles  for  the purposes of ensuring road safety. Issue guidelines for establishing and operating  trauma facilities and Para- medical  facilities  for  dealing  with  traffic  related  injuries  on  roads  and highways.

The National Authority regulates to provide the  standards  for  the  design,  construction,  operation  and maintenance  of motor  vehicles,  its  parts,  trailers,  semi-trailers,  mobile  machinery. These  standards  for  the  design  and  construction  of  passenger  transport vehicles  for  promoting  the  safety  and  comfort  of  the  passengers  and drivers of such vehicles, including for bus body. The road safety authority will also monitor the enforcement of fuel efficiency norms. In consultation with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, it will issue regulations for necessary improvements in engine efficiency. It might also regulate, recommend and monitor issues related to the manufacture, maintenance, registration, licensing and working of drivers, maintenance and standards of road safety, control of traffic, public-private partnership schemes and promotion of new technologies.  

“World health organization declared an end to Ebola out break”

The most widespread epidemic of Ebola virus disease (commonly known as "Ebola") in history began in Guinea on December 2013 and continued with significant loss of life for over two years. Ebola virus disease was first described in 1976 in two simultaneous outbreaks in South Sudan and Democratic Republic of the Congo; this is the first Ebola outbreak to occur in the West African subcontinent. The outbreak began in Guinea in December 2013 and then spread to Liberia and Sierra Leone. Small outbreaks occurred in Nigeria and Mal, and isolated cases occurred in Senegal, the United Kingdom and Sardinia. The World Health Organization (WHO) and respective governments have reported a total of 28,638 suspected cases and 11,315 deaths, though the WHO believes that this substantially understates the magnitude of the outbreak. The WHO has also cautioned that further small outbreaks of the disease may occur in the future, and vigilance should be maintained.

This is the first Ebola outbreak to reach epidemic proportions; past outbreaks were brought under control within a few weeks. Extreme poverty, a dysfunctional healthcare system, a mistrust of government officials after years of armed conflict, and the delay in responding to the outbreak for several months all contributed to the failure to control the epidemic. Other factors included local burial customs of washing the body after death and the spread to densely populated cities. A study published in December 2014 found that transmission of the Ebola virus occurs principally within families, in hospitals and at funerals. The data showed that the third person in any transmission chain often knew both the first and second person. The authors estimated that between 17 percent and 70 percent of cases in West Africa were unreported – far fewer than had been estimated in prior projections. The study concluded that the epidemic would not be as difficult to control as feared if rapid, vigorous contact tracing and quarantines were employed.

The WHO announced "an extremely promising development" in the search for an effective vaccine for Ebola disease. While the vaccine has shown 100% efficacy in individuals, more conclusive evidence is needed on its capacity to protect populations through herd immunity. After substantial progress in reducing the scale of the epidemic, the WHO held a meeting to work out a "Comprehensive care plan for Ebola survivors" and identify research needed to optimize clinical care and social well-being. Saying "the Ebola outbreak has decimated families, health systems, economies, and social structures", the WHO called the aftermath "an emergency within an emergency." Of special concern is recent research that shows some Ebola survivors experience so-called Post-Ebola Syndrome, with symptoms so severe that survivors may require medical care for months and even years.