Fighting against malaria

The WHO’s approval of anti-malarial vaccine ‘Mosquirix’ developed by British drug maker GSK has marked a momentous development in humanity’s long-drawn battle against a lethal pathogen that continues to kill millions of people across the globe.

More than eight lakh children in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi have been inoculated with Mosquirix leading to 30 per cent reduction in severe malaria. Unlike coronavirus which has only 12 genes, the pathogen causing malaria has more than 6,000 genes and thus making it adept at disabling the human immune system in numerous ways. While the use of insecticide-treated beds and improvements in treatment protocols have helped in reducing the rate of mortality among the malaria affected people in the last two decades, still it continues to kill more than 4 lakh people every year, most of them in Sub-Saharan Africa. No stone should be left unturned to hasten up the process of Mosquirix vaccine production and ensure it reaches all the people.

M Jeyaram

Sholavandan (TN)

Oxygen plants

With reference to the news report ‘Modi dedicates 35 oxygen plants set up under PM CARES to nation’ (October 8), the PM is right in saying that there should be at least one medical college in each district. The need of the hour is opening up of more medical colleges where affordable medical education can be given to deserving students . The rising cost of medical education is turning away many aspiring doctors to other professions. Secondly providing good infrastructure in rural areas will attract young doctors to start hospitals and provide medical facilities in rural areas. The pathetic working conditions of hospitals in rural areas are one of the main reasons that is turning young doctors away from rural practice. The country is in need of good hospitals, affordable healthcare and more government-run medical colleges.

Veena Shenoy

Thane

The news report ‘Maharashtra unveils mission for 15 lakh vaccinations daily’ (October 8) needs to be read by other trailing States. The sad fact is that Maharashtra’s extraordinary efforts in taming the pandemic did not get the global attention they deserved.

The Universal Pass introduced by Maharashtra is unique. While people having multiple beneficiary IDs for first and second doses struggle to merge them, the Maharashtra government’s Universal Pass can be generated within no time using mobile number and an OTP. It even has the facility to upload the holder's photograph . Genuineness of the certificate can be verified by scanning the QR code . Also the Universal Pass can be downloaded for anyone hailing from anywhere and for vaccination done at any corner of the country.

The algorithm used by the Maharashtra government, with due customisation for name of vaccine, aadhaar or passport number, date of birth etc, should be replicated at national level for issue of vaccination certificate including for international travel

PD Sankaranarayanan

Kumaramputhur PO (Kerala)

Challenges in coffee

Apropos ‘Coffee research body launches challenge for start-ups’ (October 8) — although is a belated move, the concern once again lies in its accessibility to the core Coffee Growing sector, which has been reeling under a slew of agrarian issues including financial stress.

Under the context, what remains elusive is whether the initiatives launched by the AIC-CCRI would reach the growers or get cornered by the affluent farmers, since it is the actual growers who need to be supported by the Indian Coffee Board, which is the apex body to ensure the overall welfare of the planter’s community, regardless of their land holding.

Rajiv Magal

Halekere Village (Karnataka)

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