15 October 2026
The World Health Organization's Syrian Arab Republic Health Emergency Appeal 2026 states that 16.5 million people will require humanitarian assistance in 2026.
The appeal says fourteen years of conflict and underinvestment have left Syria's health system severely weakened amid economic collapse, displacement and repeated shocks.
Drought, disease outbreaks and damaged infrastructure continue to limit access to care.
Cholera, measles and other epidemic-prone diseases persist alongside growing chronic health needs.
WHO says it is delivering life-saving health services and sustaining disease surveillance during the transition period.
People needing humanitarian assistance in 2026:
16.5 million
Years of conflict and underinvestment:
Fourteen
Diseases named:
Cholera, measles
Why it matters for exams: Humanitarian caseload figures from a UN agency appeal are standard material for reports-and-indices questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
WHO World Health Organization — The UN's specialised agency for international public health, based in Geneva.
15 October 2026
The World Health Organization published 'WHO Academy quality standards: leading lifelong learning for a healthier world' on 14 October 2026. The document sets out the quality standards for the WHO Academy's learning offer. According to WHO, the standards ensure that the WHO Academy's learning offer upholds WHO values, principles and evidence-based approaches. They cover course design and delivery, including inclusive and accessible content, instructional design, and assessment and award mechanisms. The document runs to 24 pages and carries the WHO reference number B09490.
Published:
14 October 2026
Length:
24 pages
WHO reference number:
B09490
Why it matters for exams: The WHO Academy is a newer WHO institution and questions on its mandate and standards are likely in health and international organisation sections.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
WHO Academy WHO Academy — The World Health Organization's lifelong learning institution for health workers.
14 October 2026
The World Health Organization announced a new artificial-intelligence-powered hub for health professionals on Wednesday, 14 October 2026.
The hub aims to help identify alcohol-related risks and start discussions with patients, including the link between drinking and cancer.
Carina Ferreira-Borges, the WHO Europe regional adviser on alcohol, said screening and brief interventions work only if health professionals feel able to use them.
She said a doctor or nurse can ask the hub's AI assistant how to raise alcohol consumption and get an answer based on WHO evidence.
Only 15 per cent of people surveyed in 14 European Union countries know that alcohol can cause breast cancer, WHO said.
Alcohol causes at least seven types of cancer as well as cardiovascular and liver disease.
Awareness of alcohol-breast cancer link:
15 per cent in 14 EU countries
Cancers caused by alcohol:
At least seven types
Why it matters for exams: Public health statistics on alcohol and the use of artificial intelligence in health systems are current exam themes.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Brief intervention Brief intervention — A short, structured conversation by a health worker to reduce risky behaviour such as harmful drinking.
14 October 2026
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, that the UN and partners are stepping up preparations in Gaza for the approaching cold and rainy season.
Over the preceding two days, partners recorded multiple airstrikes as well as shelling, demolition blasts, naval fire and shooting across all of Gaza's governorates.
Humanitarians brought in additional fuel, plastic tarpaulins, winter clothing, medicines and medical supplies, but OCHA said these were insufficient.
Deliveries remain constrained by underfunding and Israeli restrictions, including restricted access to more than 64 per cent of Gaza's land.
The UN human rights office condemned an Israeli raid on premises in Al Bira, Ramallah, said to be offices of Addameer and the Union of Palestinian Women's Committee.
Separately, UN peacekeepers from MINUSCA's Zambian contingent and Central African Armed Forces stepped up joint patrols in the Vakaga prefecture around Birao.
Gaza land with restricted access:
More than 64 per cent
Peacekeeping mission in Central African Republic:
MINUSCA
Prefecture patrolled:
Vakaga, around Birao
Why it matters for exams: UN humanitarian coordination bodies, access figures and peacekeeping mission names are recurring exam facts.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
OCHA Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs — The UN body that coordinates international humanitarian response in emergencies.
MINUSCA United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic — The UN peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic.
14 October 2026
World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus addressed the WHO regional committee meeting in Cairo, Egypt, on Wednesday, 14 October 2026.
The Eastern Mediterranean region spans 22 countries and territories.
He said the region remains the epicentre of global humanitarian need, with more than 117 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.
Noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes account for roughly two thirds of all deaths in the region, with more than 2.8 million lives lost every year.
He said attacks on healthcare continue at an appalling number and climate-related shocks are adding pressure on fragile health systems.
Tedros urged governments to reduce tobacco use, ensure all children are vaccinated and invest in health workers.
Countries and territories in the region:
22
People needing humanitarian assistance:
More than 117 million
Annual deaths from noncommunicable diseases:
More than 2.8 million
Meeting venue:
Cairo, Egypt
Why it matters for exams: WHO regional structures, their membership and disease burden statistics appear in international health questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
NCDs Noncommunicable diseases — Chronic conditions such as heart disease, cancer and diabetes that are not passed from person to person.
14 October 2026
The UN World Food Programme said on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, that intensifying fighting in Yemen has cut off life-saving assistance to 800,000 people.
Shifting frontlines, blocked roads and growing insecurity severely restrict access to the city of Taiz and other conflict zones.
WFP country director in Yemen El-Khidir Daloum warned the situation could rapidly spiral into a humanitarian catastrophe.
Taiz is Yemen's third largest city, and 10 of its 16 districts are already classified at emergency levels of food insecurity.
WFP and partners cannot access more than 600,000 people in Taiz, including more than 200,000 women and children.
More than 18 million people in Yemen face acute food insecurity and 2.2 million children under five are acutely malnourished.
People out of reach nationwide:
800,000
People out of reach in Taiz:
More than 600,000
Facing acute food insecurity:
More than 18 million
Why it matters for exams: Humanitarian crisis figures and the UN agency responsible are frequently asked in international affairs.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
WFP World Food Programme — The UN agency that delivers food assistance in emergencies, headquartered in Rome.
14 October 2026
The World Health Organization warned on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, that the cholera epidemic continues to spread in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
More than 125,000 suspected cases and 3,644 suspected deaths were recorded between January 2025 and the end of September 2026.
Since the beginning of 2026, more than 51,412 suspected cholera cases including 1,487 deaths have been reported across 21 provinces.
South Kivu, North Kivu and Haut-Katanga account for nearly 60 per cent of reported suspected cases.
Response teams are preparing to install four water chlorination sites in the most affected areas of North Kivu.
The country is also facing an Ebola epidemic with 9,066 cases and 4,381 deaths according to the latest WHO data.
Cholera cases in 2026:
More than 51,412 suspected
Cholera deaths in 2026:
1,487
Ebola cases:
9,066 cases and 4,381 deaths
Provinces affected:
21
Why it matters for exams: Epidemic figures, affected provinces and the agencies responding are regularly asked in international health questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Cholera Cholera — A severe diarrhoeal disease caused by contaminated water that can be fatal within hours if untreated.
14 October 2026
The World Health Organization said more than 125,000 suspected cholera cases and 3,644 suspected deaths were recorded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo between January 2025 and the end of September 2026.
Since the start of 2026, more than 51,412 suspected cases, including 1,487 deaths, have been reported in 21 provinces.
South Kivu, North Kivu and Haut-Katanga account for nearly 60 per cent of suspected cases.
The country is also fighting an Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo strain: 9,066 cases and 4,381 deaths, a case fatality rate of 48.3 per cent.
The DRC and the Republic of Congo are preparing a joint cross-border cholera vaccination plan.
Suspected cholera cases in 2026:
51,412+ (1,487 deaths)
Provinces affected in 2026:
21
Ebola cases / deaths:
9,066 / 4,381
Ebola case fatality rate:
48.3 per cent
Why it matters for exams: Disease outbreaks, their causes and WHO's response are tested in health and geography sections.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Cholera — A severe diarrhoeal disease spread by contaminated water that can kill within hours if untreated.
Case fatality rate — The share of confirmed cases of a disease that end in death.
14 October 2026
A Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Justice Sanjay Sharma of the Delhi High Court issued notice on a public interest litigation against dairy analogues being sold as paneer.
The case is Ridhima Singh & Anr v. Union of India & Ors, heard on Wednesday, 14 October 2026.
The Court sought responses from the Union Government, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, the Delhi Government and the Delhi Department of Food Safety.
The petition says paneer is a standardised dairy product under the food safety framework, while dairy analogues may contain ingredients wholly or partly from non-milk sources, and that consumers ordering paneer dishes in hotels, restaurants, catering units, eateries and cloud kitchens have no practical way to tell which they are getting.
The challenge is to analogues sold, supplied or served as paneer without adequate disclosure, not to lawfully made analogues in general. Counsel cited the FSSAI Regulations of 2011 on food production standards and food additives.
The petition cites measures on analogue or non-dairy paneer in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab and Chhattisgarh, including a Punjab order prohibiting analogue paneer for a set period.
It also refers to an enforcement action by the Delhi Food Safety Department at Okhla Sabzi Mandi in August 2026, in which about 508 kg of suspected spurious paneer was destroyed.
The petition seeks compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and coordinated surveillance, inspection, sampling and testing.
Bench:
Acting Chief Justice Nitin Wasudeo Sambre and Justice Sanjay Sharma
Case:
Ridhima Singh & Anr v. Union of India & Ors
Notice issued to:
Union Government, FSSAI, Delhi Government, Delhi Department of Food Safety
Delhi enforcement action:
About 508 kg of suspected spurious paneer destroyed at Okhla Sabzi Mandi in August 2026
States cited:
Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab, Chhattisgarh
Why it matters for exams: FSSAI, the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the idea of a standardised food product versus a dairy analogue are all directly examinable, and the Delhi enforcement figure anchors the item.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
FSSAI Food Safety and Standards Authority of India — The national regulator for food standards, labelling and safety.
Dairy analogue A product resembling a dairy product but partly or wholly non-milk — A food made to look and work like a dairy product using ingredients that are not milk.
14 October 2026
A National Conference and Policy Dialogue on Tuberculosis was held at AIIMS Rishikesh on 9 October 2026.
Governor Lieutenant General Gurmit Singh (Retd.) took part, along with Health Minister Subodh Uniyal.
The conference was organised with the Policy Resilience Foundation, whose Director is Nandish R. Paithani, with Dr. Pratima Gupta as organising chairperson; the Executive Director of AIIMS Rishikesh is Professor Meenu Singh.
The use of drones by AIIMS Rishikesh to deliver tuberculosis medicines to remote areas was highlighted as a model for mountainous regions.
The Governor said that ending tuberculosis needs timely diagnosis, nutrition, public awareness and community participation besides medicine, and called for an end to stigma around the disease.
The Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, the Nikshay Poshan Yojana, the Nikshay Mitra initiative and TB Mukt Panchayat were cited at the conference.
Venue:
AIIMS Rishikesh
Delivery method highlighted:
Drones carrying TB medicines to remote areas
Why it matters for exams: National tuberculosis programmes and their scheme names are frequently asked in health and schemes questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Nikshay Mitra Nikshay Mitra — An initiative under which individuals and organisations adopt tuberculosis patients to provide nutritional and other support.
14 October 2026
The World Health Organization issued a Disease Outbreak News note on 8 October 2026 on Ebola disease caused by Bundibugyo virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
As of 6 October 2026 there were 8,728 cumulative confirmed cases and 4,205 confirmed deaths, with 2,269 recoveries.
The crude case fatality ratio stands at 48.2 per cent.
The outbreak has spread to seven of the country's 26 provinces and 64 health zones: Bas-Uele, Haut-Uele, Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Sud-Ubangi and Tshopo. Ituri is the worst affected.
There are no approved vaccines or specific treatments for disease caused by Bundibugyo virus.
WHO assessed the risk as very high in the DRC, high in countries sharing a land border with it, and low at the regional and global level.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control put the DRC total at 8,978 confirmed cases and 4,336 deaths as of 11 October 2026.
Confirmed cases (6 October 2026):
8,728
Confirmed deaths:
4,205
Case fatality ratio:
48.2 per cent
Provinces affected:
7 of 26, across 64 health zones
Why it matters for exams: Ebola species, case fatality ratios and WHO risk assessments appear regularly in health and biology questions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Bundibugyo virus Bundibugyo ebolavirus — One of the ebolavirus species that cause Ebola disease in people; it is named after a district in Uganda.
DON Disease Outbreak News — WHO's published notices on outbreaks of international public health concern.
CFR Case fatality ratio — The share of confirmed cases of a disease that end in death.
14 October 2026
A Division Bench of Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Syam Kumar V.M. has directed the Union Government to review the proposal for an All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Kerala and take necessary steps.
The direction came in WP(C) 18550/2024, AIIMS Kasargod Janakeeya Koottayma v Union of India and Ors., and a connected case, which seek an AIIMS for the State under the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY).
The Deputy Solicitor General told the Court that the proposal is at the consultation stage, that a decision can follow only once the Government decides whether to continue PMSSY for the next five years, and that States with weaker healthcare infrastructure are being prioritised.
The Bench asked which criteria Kerala fails to meet, noted that AIIMS institutions exist in affluent parts of the country, and said it was not satisfied with the criteria placed before it.
It recorded that the proposal has been pending with the Ministry for almost ten years with little substantial progress beyond correspondence.
A memorandum seeking an AIIMS in Kozhikode district was submitted to the Union Health Minister; the matter has been posted after six weeks.
Case:
WP(C) 18550/2024
Scheme:
Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana
Proposal pending for:
Almost 10 years
Next hearing:
After six weeks
Why it matters for exams: Connects a Kerala-specific demand with the national PMSSY framework for AIIMS institutions.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
PMSSY Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana — The central scheme under which new AIIMS institutions are set up and government medical colleges upgraded.
13 October 2026
A Nature news feature reports that pharmaceutical companies are testing GLP-1 compounds, developed for diabetes and obesity, against addiction and psychiatric conditions. Eli Lilly's brenipatide, a compound related to tirzepatide, is in trials for alcohol-use disorder, with first clinical results presented in September 2026, and is also in trials for tobacco and opioid-use disorder, depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Data presented at the Psych Congress in New Orleans put brenipatide's half-life at 9 to 12 days against 5 to 7 days for other approved GLP-1 medicines. Kariya Pharmaceuticals' KP405 is being studied for Parkinson's disease, and Baseline Therapeutics of San Francisco plans phase III trials of BT-001 for alcohol-use disorder in early 2027. On the academic side, Hendershot and colleagues reported in JAMA Psychiatry in 2025 the first clinical trial of semaglutide in people with alcohol-use disorder, finding reduced cravings and heavy-drinking episodes and lower alcohol consumption in a laboratory test; Klausen and colleagues in The Lancet and Schacht and colleagues in the American Journal of Psychiatry reported similar results in 2026. Semaglutide mimics GLP-1, while tirzepatide mimics both GLP-1 and GIP.
Eli Lilly compound:
Brenipatide, related to tirzepatide
Brenipatide half-life:
9 to 12 days, against 5 to 7 days for other approved GLP-1 medicines
KP405:
Kariya Pharmaceuticals, studied for Parkinson's disease
BT-001:
Baseline Therapeutics, phase III planned for early 2027
First semaglutide trial in alcohol-use disorder:
Hendershot et al., JAMA Psychiatry, 2025
Why it matters for exams: GLP-1 drugs moved from diabetes to obesity and now to the brain, and the distinction between semaglutide and tirzepatide is the kind of detail a health question turns on.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
GLP-1 Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 — A gut hormone that helps control blood sugar and appetite; drugs that mimic it are used for diabetes and obesity.
GIP Glucose-dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide — A second gut hormone affecting insulin release, which tirzepatide also mimics.
Half-life Half-life — The time a drug takes for its concentration in the body to fall by half.
Phase III trial Phase III clinical trial — A large trial comparing a new treatment against existing care before regulatory approval is sought.
13 October 2026
Pope Leo XIV underwent a 90-minute operation on Tuesday at Rome's Gemelli Hospital to remove a lung nodule.
The Vatican said in a medical bulletin that the whole lower lobe of the right lung was removed and the operation was successful with no complications.
Tests confirmed a diagnosis of lung adenocarcinoma, which had been suspected before surgery.
The Pope announced the operation himself from the balcony of St Peter's Square after the Angelus on Sunday, saying the nodule was found at a very early stage.
He is expected to remain in hospital for about a week.
Hospital:
Gemelli Hospital, Rome
Surgery:
Lower lobe of the right lung removed
Diagnosis:
Lung adenocarcinoma
Expected stay:
About a week
Why it matters for exams: The head of the Catholic Church and the Vatican as a sovereign city-state are routine general-awareness material.
UPSC
In plain words
Adenocarcinoma A cancer that begins in gland cells — A type of lung cancer that begins in the cells that line the airways and make mucus.
13 October 2026
Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan tabled the Keralam Senior Citizens' (Care and Protection of Rights) Bill, 2026, in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday and said it is the first legislation of its kind in the country.
The Bill provides for a State Senior Citizen Protection Unit and, in each district, a Senior Citizen Protection Forum with a Protection Unit to assist it.
Registered medical practitioners and senior care centres must report abuse, neglect or exploitation to the District Level Senior Citizen Protection Unit within 48 hours.
Cruelty towards a senior citizen carries a jail term of up to three years, and running an unregistered care centre is also made punishable.
Other provisions include a Senior Citizen Cyber Fraud Cell in every cyber police station, a Keralam Geriatric Care Certification Framework for caregivers, a State Register of Caregivers and a State reserve fund.
After the debate the Bill was referred to the Assembly's Subject Committee for detailed scrutiny.
Bill:
Keralam Senior Citizens' (Care and Protection of Rights) Bill, 2026
Tabled by:
Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan
Mandatory reporting window:
48 hours
Punishment for cruelty:
Jail term of up to three years
Referred to:
Assembly Subject Committee
Why it matters for exams: A new State Bill with named institutions, a reporting deadline and a punishment is exactly the kind of detail Kerala PSC asks about.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Subject Committee — A standing committee of the Kerala Assembly that examines a Bill clause by clause before the House takes it up again.
Living will — A document in which a person records in advance what medical care they want, or refuse, near the end of life.
Geriatric care — Health care planned for the specific needs of old age.
13 October 2026
The World Health Organization launched a five-year strategy, covering 2026 to 2030, for its Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence.
The goal is that by 2030 every country can detect and understand an emerging health threat within a day of its appearance, so that outbreaks are contained before they become epidemics or spread internationally.
The strategy was launched at the World Health Summit in Berlin, Germany. The Hub was created in 2021 with foundational support from the German Government.
WHO says the Hub has worked with 160 WHO Member States and 190 partner organizations.
Epidemic Intelligence from Open Sources has over 4,000 experts and is used by more than 125 Member States and 30 regional and international organizations, while the Collaboratory connects more than 2,000 modelling and data science experts.
Five priority initiatives are named: Epidemic Intelligence from Open Sources, the International Pathogen Surveillance Network, the Collaboratory, the Collaborative Surveillance Initiative and the new Digital Enablers for Public Health Intelligence Initiative.
Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the Hub “has become an integral part of the global health security system”.
Detection goal:
within 24 hours, by 2030
Hub created:
2021, with foundational support from the German Government
Reach:
160 Member States and 190 partner organizations
Why it matters for exams: Early-warning machinery is a standing topic in health governance questions, and the Hub's Berlin launch, 2021 founding and 24-hour target are crisp factual hooks.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
EIOS Epidemic Intelligence from Open Sources — A WHO system that scans publicly available information for signals of possible outbreaks.
13 October 2026
Justice P. V. Kunhikrishnan directed the Director of the Directorate of Social Justice to disburse Rs 21,000 to a transgender person as financial assistance for post-operative treatment and care after sex reassignment surgery.
Under the State scheme the petitioner was entitled to Rs 36,000 in all; he had received Rs 15,000 and the balance of Rs 21,000 had not been paid.
The scheme rests on a government order dated 14 November 2018, which provides Rs 3,000 a month for twelve months after the surgery.
The petitioner had earlier been given Rs 62,563 as assistance for the surgery itself.
The Government Pleader told the Court that steps were being taken to release the amount and that approval from the concerned authority was awaited.
The Court disposed of the writ petition with a direction to pay the amount as expeditiously as possible and in any case within two months of receipt of a certified copy of the judgment.
Advocates P. V. Uttara and Sarath K. P. appeared for the petitioner and Government Pleader Laya Mary Joseph for the State.
Amount directed to be paid:
Rs 21,000
Total entitlement under the scheme:
Rs 36,000
Monthly assistance:
Rs 3,000 a month for twelve months
Deadline fixed:
Two months
Why it matters for exams: Welfare schemes with exact amounts and the court's enforcement of them are frequently asked together in Kerala PSC papers.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
SRS Sex Reassignment Surgery — Surgery undergone by a transgender person to change physical sex characteristics.
13 October 2026
The Keralam Senior Citizens' (Care and Protection of Rights) Bill, 2026 was tabled in the Kerala Legislative Assembly on 13 October 2026 and referred to the Subject Committee.
The Legislature lists it as Bill No. 15 of the Sixteenth Kerala Legislative Assembly, published on 12 October 2026.
The Bill rests on the principles of dignity, the best interest of the senior citizen, ageing in place with home-based care, safety and a social care ecosystem, independence, and participation in policy-making.
It provides for a State Senior Citizen Protection Unit, a District Senior Citizen Protection Forum in every district, and a District Senior Citizen Protection Unit to assist the forum.
The forum will monitor government policies and schemes, the working of care centres, and may take action on complaints on its own motion.
Cruelty towards a senior citizen carries imprisonment of up to three years.
Registered medical practitioners and care centres must report abuse, neglect or exploitation to the district level protection unit within 48 hours, with evidence.
The Bill also provides for the registration and regulation of senior citizen care centres and for capacity-building for families and caregivers.
Bill number:
Bill No. 15 of the Sixteenth Kerala Legislative Assembly
Guiding principles:
Six
Maximum imprisonment for cruelty:
Three years
Time to report abuse:
48 hours
Why it matters for exams: A new State Bill with named institutions, time limits and penalties is the kind of detail Kerala PSC asks directly.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
Subject Committee Subject Committee of the Legislative Assembly — A committee of the Assembly to which a Bill is referred for detailed scrutiny before the House takes it up for passing.
Background
The World Food Programme (WFP) is the largest humanitarian agency saving lives in emergencies and using assistance to help communities become self-sufficient and resilient to shocks.
WFP was established in 1961.
Its first development programme was launched in Sudan in 1963.
In 1963 the Aswan High Dam on the Nile in southern Egypt led to the resettlement of 50,000 Nubian people, and WFP provided food while developing their new lands.
The UN asked WFP to lead emergency logistics for all UN agencies and NGOs, and WFP operates the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS).
WFP was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020, recognising its role in preventing the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict.
Established:
1961
First development programme:
Sudan, 1963
Nubians resettled after Aswan High Dam:
50,000
Nobel Peace Prize:
2020
Why it matters for exams: WFP's founding, first programme and Nobel Peace Prize are standard UPSC and Kerala PSC questions on UN agencies and awards.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
UNHAS UN Humanitarian Air Service — A service operated by WFP that flies humanitarian workers and cargo to hard-to-reach places.
Humanitarian logistics Emergency supply coordination — WFP leads emergency logistics for UN agencies and NGOs.
Background
The Indian Research Fund Association (IRFA), now the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), was established by Sir Harcourt Butler on 15 November 1911.
The Indian Journal of Medical Research started in 1913 and is now a leading peer-reviewed indexed journal of biomedical research.
The Beri-Beri Enquiry under Sir Robert McCarrison is now known as the National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad.
The Virus Research Centre set up in Pune is now known as the National Institute of Virology, Pune.
A new blood group, the Bombay blood group, was discovered by Dr H. M. Bhatia and his team in Bombay.
IRFA was renamed the Indian Council of Medical Research in 1949; ICMR describes itself as the apex body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research.
Founded as IRFA:
15 November 1911
Founder:
Sir Harcourt Butler
Renamed as ICMR:
1949
Indian Journal of Medical Research started:
1913
Why it matters for exams: ICMR's origins, mandate and the institutes that grew out of it are common health and science questions in UPSC and Kerala PSC papers.
Kerala PSCUPSC
In plain words
IRFA Indian Research Fund Association — The body established in 1911 that was renamed ICMR in 1949.
Apex body Highest coordinating body — ICMR describes itself as the apex body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research.
Bombay blood group Rare blood group — A new blood group discovered by Dr H. M. Bhatia and his team in Bombay.