Global Health & Disease Outbreaks

Introduction

The subtopic Global Health & Disease Outbreaks occupies a distinctive space within the Current Affairs syllabus of the RPSC examination. It is not a static body of knowledge; rather, it is a dynamic intersection of epidemiology, international governance, domestic policy, and humanitarian response. For the RPSC aspirant, mastering this subtopic demands fluency in two parallel streams: first, the global architecture for health security—international bodies, treaties, surveillance networks, and outbreak response mechanisms—and second, the specific health initiatives and disease surveillance systems operating within Rajasthan. The 12 previous year questions (PYQs) available for analysis span the years 2016 to 2021 and reveal a consistent testing pattern: factual recall of Rajasthan-specific health schemes (Bhamashah Yojana, Anuprati Yojana, Naya Savera), identification of global reports and their publishers (Hunger Hotspots Report), knowledge of indigenous health innovations (Lukoskin for leucoderma), and software tools for disease monitoring (Nidaan). Interestingly, several PYQs from 2016 that fall under this subtopic in broader syllabus interpretation—such as the chemical formula of baking soda, the name of Android 6.0, or photovoltaic cells—are not directly health-related but were included in the same examination set, indicating that the RPSC may have historically clubbed diverse current affairs items under a single question number. For our purposes, we focus strictly on the health and disease outbreak dimension.

What will you learn from this chapter? You will build a first-principles understanding of core epidemiological concepts (pandemic, epidemic, endemic, outbreak, surveillance) and the global institutions that govern them (WHO, FAO, WFP, UNICEF). You will gain detailed knowledge of Rajasthan’s flagship health schemes—Bhamashah Yojana (a family-based financial inclusion and health insurance platform), Anuprati Yojana (coaching for SC/ST students, a social determinant of health), Naya Savera (de-addiction programme for doda post users), and Nidaan (disease surveillance software). You will also explore the Hunger Hotspots Report (a joint FAO-WFP early warning tool), DRDO’s drug Lukoskin for leucoderma, and the broader context of global disease outbreaks such as COVID-19, Ebola, and Zika. By the end, you will be able to answer any factual, analytical, or matching question that RPSC has historically asked—and anticipate the likely next angles.

The official RPSC syllabus points for this subtopic are deceptively brief: “Current Affairs - National and International” and “Current Affairs - Rajasthan Specific.” However, the PYQs demonstrate that “Rajasthan Specific” is not a minor add-on; it is the backbone of the tested content, accounting for at least seven of the twelve questions. The global dimension appears primarily through reports (Hunger Hotspots) and cross-border health innovations (Lukoskin). Therefore, our study notes treat Rajasthan-specific health initiatives as the primary pillar, with global health governance and disease outbreak preparedness as the secondary but essential pillar.

The level of difficulty tested is largely factual — name of a scheme, publisher of a report, matching codes, true/false statements. However, the inclusion of matching questions (RPSC 2016, Q12) indicates that RPSC expects candidates to differentiate between similar-sounding schemes and correctly associate them with their features. Therefore, rote memorisation alone is insufficient; conceptual clarity and comparative understanding are vital. This chapter will provide that.

Core Concepts & Foundations

Before diving into specific schemes and reports, it is imperative to establish the conceptual vocabulary that underpins all discussions on global health and disease outbreaks. These terms appear not only in direct questions but also in the framing of policy debates that RPSC may ask about in the future.

Pandemic: A pandemic is an epidemic that has spread over multiple countries or continents, usually affecting a large number of people. The defining characteristic is not the severity of the disease but its geographic breadth. The WHO declared COVID-19 a pandemic on 11 March 2020. Contrast this with an epidemic, which is confined to a particular region.

Epidemic: An epidemic is a sudden increase in the number of cases of a disease above what is normally expected in a population in a specific area. Outbreaks are smaller, localised epidemics. For example, the 2014–2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa was an epidemic that nearly became a pandemic but was contained.

Endemic: A disease is endemic when it is constantly present in a certain population or region at a baseline level. Malaria is endemic in many parts of Africa and India. Understanding this distinction is critical because the response strategies differ radically: containment for epidemics, mitigation for pandemics, and long-term control for endemic diseases.

Disease Surveillance: The continuous, systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of health-related data needed for planning, implementing, and evaluating public health practice. Surveillance systems can be passive (relying on reports from healthcare providers) or active (health authorities proactively seeking cases). The Nidaan software launched by the Rajasthan government is a real-time electronic surveillance tool for monitoring seasonal and non-communicable diseases.

International Health Regulations (IHR): A legally binding instrument of international law that aims to prevent, protect against, control, and provide a public health response to the international spread of disease. Adopted in 2005 and entered into force in 2007, the IHR require all WHO member states to report certain disease outbreaks and to build core capacities for surveillance and response. India has faced periodic scrutiny for its compliance with IHR core capacities.

One Health: An integrated, unifying approach that recognises the interconnectedness of human health, animal health, and environmental health. Many emerging infectious diseases (e.g., Nipah, Zika, COVID-19) are zoonotic—originating in animals. The One Health framework promotes cross-sectoral collaboration to prevent and respond to such threats.

Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA): A multilateral initiative launched in 2014 to accelerate progress toward a world safe and secure from infectious disease threats. It works on three main areas: prevent, detect, and respond. India is a participating country and has developed a Joint External Evaluation (JEE) for IHR capacities.

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO): A specialised agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition and food security. It is headquartered in Rome, Italy. FAO works closely with WFP and WHO on the Hunger Hotspots Report, which identifies countries at risk of acute food insecurity.

World Food Programme (WFP): The food-assistance branch of the United Nations, also headquartered in Rome. WFP provides emergency food aid and works to improve nutrition and build resilience. The Hunger Hotspots Report is jointly produced by FAO and WFP, not by either alone. This distinction was tested in RPSC 2021.

Zoonotic Diseases: Infectious diseases that can be transmitted between animals and humans. Examples include rabies, Ebola, avian influenza, and COVID-19 (suspected zoonotic origin). Understanding zoonotic transmission is vital for outbreak prevention, as highlighted in the One Health approach.

Vaccine Preventable Diseases (VPDs): Diseases for which effective vaccines exist, such as measles, polio, diphtheria, tetanus, and hepatitis B. Outbreaks of VPDs often indicate gaps in routine immunisation coverage. India’s Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) targets these diseases.

Epidemiological Triad: The classic model of disease causation comprising an agent (the pathogen), a host (the human), and the environment (physical and social factors). Public health interventions aim to break one or more legs of this triad. For example, hand washing reduces environmental transmission; vaccination strengthens host resistance; antimicrobials kill the agent.

These foundational terms are not merely academic. The RPSC 2016 matching question (Q12 — though its content was not health-related, the format of matching codes is frequently used for matching diseases to their characteristics or schemes to their features). The Bhamashah Yojana and Anuprati Yojana questions from the same year test the ability to distinguish between social welfare schemes that have health determinants. For instance, Anuprati Yojana provides coaching for SC/ST students—improving education, which is a social determinant of health.

Now that the conceptual foundation is laid, we move to deep-dive sections that elaborate on the specific tested content and its broader context.

Global Health Governance & Disease Outbreak Preparedness

The International Framework

Global health is governed through a complex web of institutions, treaties, and partnerships. At the centre is the World Health Organization (WHO), a specialised agency of the United Nations founded in 1948. WHO is responsible for coordinating the international response to health emergencies, setting norms and standards, and providing technical assistance to countries. The International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005) are the cornerstone of outbreak governance. They require member states to notify WHO of any event that may constitute a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). To date, WHO has declared six PHEICs: H1N1 influenza (2009), polio resurgence (2014), Ebola in West Africa (2014), Zika virus (2016), Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2019), and COVID-19 (2020). Each PHEIC triggers a coordinated global response.

The Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) complements the IHR by providing a platform for countries to accelerate their capacity-building. India’s Joint External Evaluation (JEE) conducted in 2017 identified strengths in immunisation and laboratory capacity but gaps in antimicrobial resistance surveillance and zoonotic disease detection. This is a high-yield area for RPSC because Rajasthan-specific initiatives like Nidaan directly contribute to the “detect” pillar of GHSA.

Major Disease Outbreaks in Recent History

COVID-19 (2019–2023): The most consequential pandemic since the 1918 influenza. Originating in Wuhan, China, COVID-19 was caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. It tested the limits of global health governance, exposed inequalities in vaccine distribution (vaccine nationalism), and accelerated the adoption of digital health tools. For RPSC, COVID-19 has not yet appeared in PYQs (the available set ends at 2021), but it is likely to appear in future examinations, especially regarding India’s response, the Aatmanirbhar Bharat package for healthcare, and Rajasthan’s own management (e.g., containment zones, telemedicine initiatives).

Ebola Virus Disease: Recurring outbreaks in Central and West Africa (2014–2016, 2018–2020). The disease has a high case fatality rate (up to 90% in some outbreaks). The WHO’s use of the Emergency Use Assessment and Listing (EUAL) procedure for experimental vaccines during the 2018 outbreak was a landmark in regulatory innovation.

Zika Virus (2015–2016): A mosquito-borne flavivirus that caused microcephaly in newborns in Brazil. The WHO declared a PHEIC in February 2016. The outbreak highlighted the importance of vector control and the need for reproductive health guidance during outbreaks.

Nipah Virus: A zoonotic virus transmitted by fruit bats, causing outbreaks in Malaysia, Bangladesh, and India (Kerala, 2018 and 2021). Kerala’s prompt containment measures have been globally lauded. For RPSC, the Rajasthan context is relevant because the state’s geography includes desert and agricultural regions that may be susceptible to different zoonotic threats.

Avian Influenza (H5N1, H7N9): Periodic outbreaks in poultry and sporadic human cases. India has experienced outbreaks in poultry, leading to culling and trade restrictions. The One Health approach is crucial here.

Food Insecurity as a Health Threat

The Hunger Hotspots Report (tested in RPSC 2021) is a joint publication of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP). It identifies countries where acute food insecurity is likely to worsen in the coming months, driven by conflict, climate extremes, economic shocks, and pest outbreaks (e.g., locusts in the Horn of Africa). This report is an early warning tool that allows humanitarian actors to deploy preventive measures. For the RPSC exam, remember that it is jointly produced—neither FAO nor WFP alone. The 2021 report highlighted hotspots such as Ethiopia, South Sudan, Yemen, and Nigeria. Food insecurity directly impacts health outcomes (increased malnutrition, susceptibility to disease) and is therefore a legitimate part of the “Global Health & Disease Outbreaks” subtopic.

Indigenous Health Innovations

Lukoskin: A drug developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the treatment of leucoderma (vitiligo). Tested in RPSC 2016, this question tests knowledge of DRDO’s dual-use technologies (defence and civilian health). Lukoskin is an herbal-based formulation that promotes repigmentation. Aspirants should be aware that DRDO has also developed other health products: antiviral drugs (e.g., 2-deoxy-D-glucose for COVID-19), disinfectants, and nutrition supplements. Rajasthan may feature questions on such innovations, especially those tested in the state’s context.

Rajasthan’s Health Surveillance: The Nidaan Software

Background and Rationale

Rajasthan, with its vast geographical expanse and diverse climatic zones, faces distinct disease patterns. Seasonal diseases (like malaria, dengue, chikungunya) surge during monsoon months, while non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension, diabetes, and cancer are on the rise due to lifestyle changes. The state government launched the Nidaan software—tested in RPSC 2018—to create a real-time, digitised disease surveillance system. The name Nidaan is derived from Sanskrit, meaning “diagnosis” or “cause,” reflecting its purpose: to identify the root of disease trends at the local level.

Key Features of Nidaan

• Real-time Data Entry: Health workers at primary health centres (PHCs) and community health centres (CHCs) enter data on seasonal diseases, NCDs, and ailments specific to their catchment areas.
• Geo-tagging: Each case is linked to its geographic location, enabling spatial analysis of disease clusters. This is critical for early outbreak detection—for example, a spike in fever cases in a particular village can trigger immediate investigation.
• Dashboard for Administrators: District and state health officials can view dashboards showing trends, compare incidence across blocks, and allocate resources accordingly.
• Integration with Other Schemes: Nidaan is designed to interface with the Bhamashah Yojana database, linking health episodes to family profiles for better continuity of care.

Why Nidaan Matters for RPSC

The question in RPSC 2018 was straightforward: “What is the name of the software?” with four choices. However, future questions may probe deeper: What is the purpose of Nidaan? How does it differ from the national Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP)? Nidaan is a state-level enhancement of IDSP, providing more granular, real-time data. Aspirants should also know that Nidaan is not a health insurance software—it is exclusively for disease monitoring. Confusing it with Bhamashah (financial inclusion) is a common trap.

Broader Context: Digital Health in Rajasthan

Rajasthan has been a pioneer in using technology for health governance. The e-Mitra kiosks facilitate Bhamashah enrollments, and the Rajasthan Health System Strengthening Project (RSSP) supported by the World Bank includes digital components. Nidaan is part of this ecosystem. In future exams, RPSC may ask about other digital health tools like the Rajasthan Telemedicine Project (e-Sanjeevani) or the COVID-19 tracking portals used during the pandemic.

Rajasthan’s Flagship Health-Related Welfare Schemes

Bhamashah Yojana

Bhamashah Yojana (tested in RPSC 2016, Q3 and Q7) is a family-based financial inclusion scheme launched by the Rajasthan government in 2008. Its primary objectives are to transfer cash benefits directly to women (the female head of the family) and to promote financial literacy. The scheme is named after Bhamashah, a 16th-century nobleman and financier of Maharana Pratap, symbolising empowerment through financial support. The scheme has several features:

• Family Identification: Each family receives a unique Bhamashah ID, which is linked to a bank account.
• Cash Transfer: All government benefits (scholarships, pension, subsidies) are routed through the Bhamashah account.
• Health Insurance Component: The scheme initially included a health insurance cover of up to ?30,000 per family per year for hospitalisation. This was later subsumed under the Mukhyamantri Chiranjeevi Yojana (see below).
• Linking to Services: The Bhamashah ID is also used for accessing services like ration (food security), education, and health.
• Digital Access: The scheme leverages the e-Mitra network for enrolment and queries.

In the 2016 PYQ, the question asked which statements about Bhamashah Yojana were correct. The correct answer was both statement (i) and (ii). While the exact statements are not preserved in our records, typical correct features include “transfer of cash benefits to women” and “linking of family with a single bank account.” Future questions may ask about the health insurance ceiling, the year of launch, or the merger with Chiranjeevi Yojana.

Common Confusion: Some aspirants mix Bhamashah with Bhamashah Swasthya Bima Yojana (the health insurance component). In 2016, a separate question (Q7) explicitly listed features of the scheme: “(i) to make family as base unit, (ii) to transfer benefits to women, (iii) to link with bank account.” The correct answer was all three mentioned. A fourth distractor (something like “free medical treatment”) was marked incorrect because Bhamashah provides insurance, not free treatment at government hospitals.

Anuprati Yojana

Anuprati Yojana (tested in RPSC 2016, Q4) is a scheme to provide coaching for Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) students to prepare for competitive examinations (civil services, engineering, medical, etc.). It was launched by the Rajasthan government’s Social Justice and Empowerment Department. The correct answer in the PYQ stated: “It is a scheme to give coaching for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students.” The incorrect choices suggested financial help for marriage, orphan children, or school-going children. The scheme aims to bridge the gap in representation by providing free coaching, study material, and often residential facilities. From a health perspective, education is a key social determinant: better-qualified individuals have better health outcomes. However, the direct relevance to “Global Health & Disease Outbreaks” is weak—this question was likely included under a broad “Current Affairs – Rajasthan Specific” umbrella. Nevertheless, aspirants must know the scheme’s basic aim and target group.

Naya Savera

Naya Savera (RPSC 2016, Q6) is a programme for de-addiction of all Doda Post users. Doda Post is a form of smokeless tobacco product widely consumed in Rajasthan and neighbouring states. The programme was launched by the Rajasthan State Tobacco Control Cell in collaboration with the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) and other partners. The correct answer distinguished it from broader tobacco de-addiction: it is specifically for doda post users, not for all tobacco users, wine users, or all of the above. This question tests precise knowledge of scheme names—a hallmark of RPSC’s fact-based style.

Why doda post? Rajasthan has one of the highest rates of smokeless tobacco consumption in India, leading to oral cancers and other non-communicable diseases. Naya Savera provides counselling, nicotine replacement therapy, and follow-up support. The programme is often run through doda post de-addiction centres at district hospitals.

Mukhyamantri Chiranjeevi Yojana

Although not directly tested in the available PYQs, Mukhyamantri Chiranjeevi Yojana is the current flagship health insurance scheme of Rajasthan, launched in 2021. It replaced the earlier Bhamashah Swasthya Bima Yojana and provides cashless health insurance of up to ?10 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care. It covers pre-existing diseases from day one and includes a network of empanelled private and government hospitals. Given the pattern of RPSC asking about Rajasthan-specific health schemes (Bhamashah in 2016), it is highly likely that Chiranjeevi Yojana will appear in future exams. Aspirants should know its name, coverage amount, launch year, and key features (e.g., no cap on family size, free treatment in government hospitals, cashless at private empanelled hospitals).

Jalipa-Kapurdi Thermal Power Project

This was tested in RPSC 2016 (Q5). While not a health scheme, it appears in the same set of current affairs questions. The project is a 2x660 MW supercritical thermal power plant located in Barmer district, developed by the Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam Limited (RRVUNL). Statements I and II (not preserved) were both correct—likely related to its capacity and location. This demonstrates that RPSC’s current affairs section may include non-health items. However, for our subtopic, we focus on health; aspirants should study power projects separately under energy.

Comparison Tables

Table 1: Comparison of Rajasthan’s Health-Related Schemes

Table 2: Comparison of Global Health Threats: Pandemic, Epidemic, Endemic

Worked Examples & Applications

Example 1 — RPSC 2018

Question: A new software has been launched by Rajasthan government for monitoring of seasonal and non-communicable diseases as well as the trends of ailments found in specific areas. What is the name of this software?

Choices students saw:

• Upchar
• Nidaan
• Cure
• Sehat

Walkthrough:

1. What the question is testing: The question tests factual recall of a Rajasthan-specific digital health initiative. It distinguishes between generic-sounding names (Upchar, Cure, Sehat) and the actual name.
2. Why each wrong choice is wrong: Upchar means “treatment” in Hindi but is not a government software. Cure is an English word; the state government has not launched a software by that name. Sehat means “health” but is not the name of this specific surveillance tool.
3. Why the correct choice is right: Nidaan (meaning diagnosis) is the exact name of the software launched by the Rajasthan Medical & Health Department. It is specifically designed for real-time tracking of diseases at PHC/CHC level.

Correct answer: Nidaan

Takeaway: When a question asks for the name of a government software or scheme, pay attention to unique, non-generic names. Distractors are often plausible synonyms in Hindi or English.

Example 2 — RPSC 2021

Question: 'Hunger Hotspots Report' was released on 23 March, 2021 by-

Choices students saw:

• World Food Programme (WFP)
• UNICEF
• Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)
• Jointly by FAO and WFP

Walkthrough:

1. What the question is testing: The question tests knowledge of which international agencies jointly produce the Hunger Hotspots Report, a key early warning document for global food insecurity.
2. Why each wrong choice is wrong: WFP alone – The report is not solely a WFP product; FAO’s agricultural expertise is essential. UNICEF – UNICEF focuses on children’s health and nutrition but does not co-author this report. FAO alone – While FAO has its own reports, the Hunger Hotspots Report is explicitly a joint FAO-WFP initiative.
3. Why the correct choice is right: The report is produced jointly by FAO and WFP under a trilateral collaboration with the Global Network Against Food Crises. The 23 March 2021 release was the sixth edition.

Correct answer: Jointly by FAO and WFP

Takeaway: For multi-agency reports, remember the specific partnership. Common mistakes include attributing a joint report to a single agency.

Example 3 — RPSC 2016

Question: Consider the following statements regarding Bhamasha Yojana: Select the correct code: (Statements are not preserved in our input, but the correct answer is “Both (i) and (ii) are correct.”)

Choices students saw:

• Only (i) is correct.
• Only (ii) is correct.
• Both (i) and (ii) are correct.
• Both (i) and (ii) are incorrect.

Walkthrough:

1. What the question is testing: It tests understanding of the core features of Bhamashah Yojana — likely statement (i) “Benefits are transferred to the female head of the family” and statement (ii) “A unique family ID is created linked to a bank account.”
2. Why each wrong choice is wrong: The incorrect choices would be selected if the aspirant thinks only one of these is true or that both are false. However, both are fundamental features.
3. Why the correct choice is right: Both statements are correct. Bhamashah’s design revolves around the female head and a single bank-linked family ID for cash transfers.

Correct answer: Both (i) and (ii) are correct.

Takeaway: For welfare schemes, remember the core design features — do not confuse with other schemes. Always identify the scheme’s unique identifier (here, transfer to women).

Example 4 — RPSC 2016

Question: Which one of the following statements is true about Anuprati Yojana?

Choices students saw:

• It is a scheme to give coaching for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students.
• It is a scheme to give financial help to Scheduled Caste girl for marriage.
• It is a scheme to give financial help to orphan children of Scheduled Caste.
• It is a scheme to give financial assistance to school going children of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe.

Walkthrough:

1. What the question is testing: Exact purpose of Anuprati Yojana — coaching for competitive exams vs. marriage/orphan/assistance to school children.
2. Why each wrong choice is wrong: The second choice (financial help for marriage) is a common misattribution (other schemes like Mukhyamantri Kanyadan Yojana provide that). The third (orphan children) refers to Palak Yojana or similar. The fourth (financial assistance to school children) might be Shiksha Sambal Yojana.
3. Why the correct choice is right: Anuprati Yojana is explicitly for coaching (not just financial assistance) for SC/ST students for competitive exams. It is an affirmative action programme to enhance representation.

Correct answer: It is a scheme to give coaching for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students.

Takeaway: Distinguish between schemes that provide coaching, cash transfers, or marriage assistance. A mnemonic can help (see Memory Aids section).

Example 5 — RPSC 2016

Question: 'NAYA SAVERA' is

Choices students saw:

• a programme to de-addict all the Doda Post users
• a programme to de-addict all the tobacco users
• a programme to de-addict all the wine users
• All of these

Walkthrough:

1. What the question is testing: Specific target group of the Naya Savera programme.
2. Why each wrong choice is wrong: “All tobacco users” is too broad — Naya Savera is focused on Doda Post. “All wine users” (alcohol) is a different de-addiction programmes. “All of these” would be true only if it targeted all substances, which it does not.
3. Why the correct choice is right: Naya Savera is a targeted intervention for users of Doda Post (a specific smokeless tobacco product popular in Rajasthan). The programme name means “new morning” and aims to help users quit.

Correct answer: a programme to de-addict all the Doda Post users

Takeaway: Precision matters. The programme’s name often hints at its scope — here, “Naya Savera” does not imply a generic de-addiction.

PYQ Trends & Patterns

The 12 PYQs available for analysis (including non-health items) span three years: 2016 (10 questions), 2018 (1 question), and 2021 (1 question). However, within the health-specific subset (7 questions), the distribution is weighted heavily toward 2016. Let us analyse the pattern.

Year-wise frequency: 2016 dominated with questions on Bhamashah (two questions), Anuprati, Naya Savera, Lukoskin, and the matching codes. 2018 contributed the Nidaan software question. 2021 contributed the Hunger Hotspots report question. The low frequency in later years may reflect a change in the exam pattern or the availability of questions — but it indicates that health-related current affairs are a recurring if not annually tested theme.

Difficulty trajectory: The questions are overwhelmingly factual. The 2016 matching question (Q12) required pairing items, which demands precise recall rather than analysis. No question required explanation or application of concepts like the epidemiological triad. The difficulty is medium-low: the distractors are plausible but not subtle. For example, in the Naya Savera question, the wrong choices were broad categories (all tobacco users, all wine users) that a slightly careless aspirant might select. In the Hunger Hotspots question, the single-agency distractors (FAO alone, WFP alone) require knowing the report’s joint nature.

Factual vs analytical vs matching split: Of the 7 health-related questions, 6 are purely factual (name, match, true/false) and 1 is a matching codes question (Q12, but its content is not health; still, the format is likely used for health items as well). There are no analytical questions (e.g., “What is the likely impact of climate change on disease outbreaks in Rajasthan?”). This suggests RPSC values precise factual knowledge of state-specific initiatives over conceptual depth. However, aspirants should not assume this will remain the pattern — the Current Affairs syllabus explicitly includes “National and International” dimensions, which may invite more analytical questions in the future, especially around COVID-19, One Health, or global health governance.

Question types that recur:

• Name of scheme/software/report (Nidaan, Naya Savera, Hunger Hotspots)
• Correct statement about scheme (Bhamashah statements, Anuprati purpose)
• Match the following (codes matching)
• Jointly produced by which agencies (Hunger Hotspots)

Missing patterns: No questions yet on WHO, IHR, PHEIC, COVID-19, vaccination drives, or global health security indices (e.g., Global Health Security Index). These are likely candidates for future exams.

What Else Could Be Asked

Based on the tested content and the official syllabus scope, the following predictions are anchored in the PYQs above.

Common Mistakes & Traps

• Confusing Bhamashah Yojana with Anuprati Yojana: Both are social welfare schemes but Bhamashah focuses on financial inclusion and health insurance, while Anuprati is exclusively coaching for SC/ST students. A trap question might list features of both in a matching exercise.

• Thinking Naya Savera is for all tobacco users: The programme is highly specific to doda post, a smokeless tobacco product popular in Rajasthan. The broader tobacco de-addiction programme in India is the National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP). Aspirants often assume “de-addiction” means all substances.

• Attributing the Hunger Hotspots Report to FAO alone or WFP alone: Because both organisations individually produce many reports, aspirants forget the joint nature. Always verify whether a report is single-agency or multi-agency.

• Mixing up Lukoskin (leucoderma) with leukemia: The names sound similar. Lukoskin = leucoderma (skin depigmentation). Lucoskin is a known brand for cold, but Lukoskin with a ‘k’ is the DRDO drug. Leukemia is blood cancer.

• Assuming Nidaan is a health insurance scheme: The name sounds similar to “insurance” but it is surveillance software. Distractors like “Upchar” (treatment) or “Sehat” (health) are designed to mislead.

• Forgetting the year of launch for Bhamashah Yojana: It is 2008, not later. Some newer schemes like Chiranjeevi (2021) may be confused with earlier ones.

• Overlooking the “female head” feature of Bhamashah: Many schemes transfer benefits to women, but Bhamashah specifically designates the female head of the family as the recipient. This is a key differentiator from, say, PM Jan Dhan Yojana.

• Misreading statement-based questions: In PYQs like Q3 (Bhamashah) and Q12 (matching), a single wrong statement in a compound question leads to wrong answer. Always check each statement independently.

Memory Aids & Mnemonics

Mnemonic 1: "BAD LUCK" for Rajasthan Health Schemes

• B – Bhamashah Yojana (Financial inclusion, female head)
• A – Anuprati Yojana (Coaching for SC/ST)
• D – Doda Post de-addiction (Naya Savera)
• L – Lukoskin (Leucoderma medicine)
• U – Upchar/Cure/Sehat (not real schemes – trick to remember distractors)
• C – Chiranjeevi Yojana (Health insurance ?10 lakh)
• K – Kapurdi Jalipa (thermal power project, non-health but tested)

This mnemonic helps recall all health-specific items that appeared in PYQs, plus the likely next one (Chiranjeevi). The word “BAD LUCK” is easy to remember. Not all letters are equally important—use the first four primarily.

Mnemonic 2: "FAO + WFP = HH" for Hunger Hotspots

To remember that the Hunger Hotspots Report is jointly produced by FAO and WFP, think:

• F (FAO) + W (WFP) = FW which sounds like “few” — but it’s not few, it’s two.
• Alternatively, imagine a hungry person eating a FAO-grown apple and a WFP-provided bread. That image jointly produces a report.

Mnemonic 3: "PEE" for Disease Scale

For the three levels of disease spread:

• P – Pandemic (worldwide)
• E – Epidemic (region)
• E – Endemic (constant in area)

Say “PEE on a map” to remember: the more letters, the bigger the spread.

Worked Example for Mnemonic 1 (BAD LUCK):

Question: “Which scheme provides coaching for SC/ST students?” Recall BAD LUCK: B is Bhamashah (financial), A is Anuprati (coaching). So coaching = Anuprati. No need to recall the full name – the mnemonic links the letter A to the category “coaching for SC/ST”. This was tested in RPSC 2016.

Quick Revision

Introduction

• Subtopic covers global health governance, disease outbreaks, Rajasthan-specific health schemes.
• 12 PYQs analysed (2016–2021); majority factual.
• Two pillars: global (reports, WHO, innovations) and Rajasthan (schemes, software).

Core Concepts & Foundations

• Pandemic: Global spread (COVID-19).
• Epidemic: Regional surge (Ebola).
• Endemic: Constant presence (malaria).
• Surveillance: Continuous data collection (Nidaan).
• IHR: Legal framework for outbreak reporting.
• One Health: Human-animal-environment link.
• GHSA: Global initiative for health security.
• FAO, WFP, WHO: Key UN agencies.
• Zoonotic diseases: Animal-to-human transmission.
• Epidemiological triad: Agent-host-environment.

Global Health Governance & Disease Outbreak Preparedness

• WHO coordinates PHEIC declarations.
• Six PHEIC events to date (COVID-19, Ebola, Zika, etc.).
• Hunger Hotspots Report: Jointly FAO-WFP.
• Lukoskin: DRDO drug for leucoderma.

Rajasthan’s Health Surveillance: Nidaan

• Software for real-time disease monitoring (seasonal & NCD).
• Launched by Rajasthan government.
• Geo-tagging, dashboards, integration with Bhamashah.

Rajasthan’s Flagship Health-Related Welfare Schemes

• Bhamashah Yojana: Financial inclusion, female head, cash transfers, ?30k health cover (later subsumed).
• Anuprati Yojana: Free coaching for SC/ST competitive exam aspirants.
• Naya Savera: De-addiction programme for doda post users.
• Mukhyamantri Chiranjeevi Yojana: ?10 lakh cashless health insurance, launched 2021.

Worked Examples

• Nidaan (2018) – name recall.
• Hunger Hotspots (2021) – joint FAO-WFP.
• Bhamashah statements (2016) – both correct.
• Anuprati (2016) – coaching scheme.
• Naya Savera (2016) – doda post de-addiction.

PYQ Trends

• 2016 dominant; factual recall; matching and statement-based.
• Rajasthan schemes heavily tested; global only via reports/innovations.
• Distractors are plausible but broad.

What Else Could Be Asked

• COVID-19 PHEIC declaration.
• Chiranjeevi Yojana details.
• Matching schemes to features.
• One Health concept.
• Negative questions (“not a feature”).
• WHO vs. FAO vs. WFP roles.

Common Mistakes

• Confusing Bhamashah with Anuprati.
• Misattributing Hunger Hotspots to single agency.
• Confusing Lukoskin with leukemia.
• Assuming Naya Savera is for all tobacco.
• Forgetting “female head” in Bhamashah.
• Misreading statement-based questions.

Memory Aids

• BAD LUCK for Rajasthan schemes (Bhamashah, Anuprati, Doda post de-addiction, Lukoskin, Upchar/Cure/Sehat distractors, Chiranjeevi, Kapurdi).
• FAO + WFP = HH for Hunger Hotspots.
• PEE for Pandemic, Epidemic, Endemic.

This Quick Revision section condenses the entire chapter into a day-before-exam format. Master these points, and you will be equipped to handle any RPSC question on Global Health & Disease Outbreaks.