WHO Certifies India as Lymphatic Filariasis-Free
The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially certified India as having eliminated Lymphatic Filariasis as a public health problem.
2-Minute Summary (TL;DR)
- India certified LF-free by the WHO.
- Achieved through Mass Drug Administration (MDA) campaigns.
- Lymphatic Filariasis is commonly known as Elephantiasis.
- India is one of the largest nations to eliminate this disease.
How This Topic is Tested in Competitive Exams
| Exam | Frequency | Approx. Marks | What Gets Asked |
|---|---|---|---|
| UPSC / State PCS | Low | 2–5 | UPSC focuses on depth, not breadth. General items are tested only when they have policy relevance. |
| SSC (CGL / CHSL / MTS) | Medium | 2–4 | Miscellaneous GK including appointments, books, summits, and records appears in SSC. |
| Railway (RRB NTPC / Group D) | Medium | 2–4 | Miscellaneous GK about India and the world is standard in Railway papers. |
What to Memorize from This Topic
- Appointments: new heads of organizations, ministries, and international bodies
- Books and authors in the news — especially by current heads of state or notable personalities
- First-ever achievements: India's firsts, world firsts, records broken
- Summits and their dates, venue, and key declarations
- Obituaries: notable personalities, their field, and contribution
Practice Questions
Q1. Which disease did India recently eliminate as a public health problem according to the WHO?
- Polio
- Lymphatic Filariasis
- Malaria
- Tuberculosis
Explanation: India has been certified by the WHO for eliminating Lymphatic Filariasis (Elephantiasis).
Q2. What was the primary strategy used by India to eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis?
- Vaccination
- Mass Drug Administration (MDA)
- Surgery
- Quarantine
Explanation: The primary strategy was the Mass Drug Administration (MDA) of preventive medicines to the population in endemic areas.
How to Prepare Current Affairs for Government Exams
For general current affairs, read the PIB (Press Information Bureau) daily digest. It covers government announcements that directly map to exam questions.
Maintain a 'Monthly Top 50' list — the 50 most important facts from the month. Revise this before every mock test.
Focus on news from the last 6–8 months before your exam date. Older news rarely appears unless it was a landmark event.
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