Current Affairs Quiz- November, 2019

Notes:
Pakistan has become the first country in the world to introduce WHO-approved Typhoid Conjugate Vaccine (TCV)  into its routine immunisation programme through a campaign mode in Sindh. Its an effort to combat a drug-resistant strain of the potentially fatal disease in the Sindh province. The two-week campaign has been launched with the support of Geneva-based Gavi vaccine alliance. The TCV is a one-dose vaccine, injected intramuscularly, that is lower in cost and has higher efficacy. It is expected to provide long lasting immunity in adults, children and infants older than 9 months of age. Typhoid is a highly contagious disease that spreads quickly when people live in crowded neighbourhoods with weak water and sanitation infrastructure.

Notes:
Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Harsh Vardhan has launched a ‘SAANS (Social Awareness and Action to Neutralise Pneumonia Successfully) campaign to curb pneumonia deaths among children. Under the campaign, a child suffering from pneumonia can be treated with pre-referral dose of anti-biotic amoxicillin by ASHA workers, and health and wellness centres can use pulse oximeter (device to monitor oxygen saturation) to identify low oxygen levels in the blood of a child, and if required, treat him by use of oxygen cylinders. The campaign will mobilize people to protect children from pneumonia, and train health personnel and other stakeholders to provide prioritized treatment to control the disease.

Notes:
The first-ever joint naval exercise titled “Za’ir-Al-Bahr (Roar of the Sea)” has started between Qatar & India in Doha. The exercise would strengthen cooperation and increase interoperability between the two navies.

Notes:
The World Toilet Day (WTD) is observed every year on 19th of November to draw attention to those people being left behind without sanitation. The 2019 theme “Leaving No One Behind” aims to tackle the global sanitation crisis. It means that a toilet is not just a toilet. It’s a life-saver, dignity-protector and opportunity-maker. Whoever you are, wherever you are, sanitation is your human right.

Notes:
The 2019 World Conference on Access to Medical Products- Achieving the SDGs 2030 was held in New Delhi from 19-21 November 2019. It was jointly organized by the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The conference provided a platform for discussions focused on creating an enabling legal and trade environment for public health which are critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 Agenda.

Notes:
The 2nd edition of South Asia Safety Summit 2019 was held in New Delhi to highlight the issue of safety while individuals and communities are connected on the digital platform. It was organized by Union Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD) and Facebook. During the Summit, Union Minister Smriti Zubin Irani launched “We Think Digital” website. The website is a four-part course designed to empower students with the knowledge to use, understand, evaluate, communicate and create with digital technologies. The programme will focus on online safety, privacy and misinformation.

Notes:
On the occasion of World Fisheries Day (WFD-2019), Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister  Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy has launched  a welfare scheme – YSR Matsyakara Bharosa – for fishermen. Under this scheme, 1,32,332 fishermen in the 21-60 age group will get an enhanced monetary relief of Rs 10,000 each during the marine ban and lean period every year between April and June. Also, the subsidy on diesel has been increased from Rs 6.03 to Rs 9 per litre, applicable to the mechanised (3000 Ltrs) and motorized boats (300 Ltrs) for 10 months every year.

Notes:
Microsoft has launched its ‘K-12 Education Transformation Framework’ to facilitate comprehensive digital transformation of schools in India. The framework consists of four pillars — Leadership and policy, Modern teaching and learning, Intelligent environments and Technology blueprint. The purpose of the framework is to provide education leadership, government decision-makers, teachers and most importantly learners, tools to achieve the ambitious change many schools seek, and to thoughtfully integrate technology in powerful and productive ways. 

Notes:
The Madhya Pradesh government has decided to legalize the cultivation of cannabis in the state for medical and industrial purpose.  It is clear that the farmers can only sell their produce to the government and not to private buyers. The government will allow the farming of hemp (a type of marijuana) for medical purposes like in the treatment of cancer. Hemp with a Tetra-Hydro-Cannabinol (THC) content of 0.3 to 1.5% can be used for industrial purposes like in the manufacturing of fiber.

Notes:
Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, CMD of Biocon, has been conferred with Lifetime Achievement Award by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for her outstanding achievement in healthcare and contribution to the society at large. She was also recognised for her philanthropic efforts and providing better healthcare to people in India and globally through cost-effective life-saving therapies and increasing access to healthcare at the grassroots. Bill Gates gave away this award to Mazumdar-Shaw in New Delhi on Nov 17 at an event to mark the celebration of 108th Foundation Day of ICMR.