Addapedia Odisha | Daily Current Affairs | 12 December 2023 | Download PDF

• The United Nations proclaimed 12 December as International Universal Health Coverage Day (UHC Day) 
• International Universal Health Coverage Day aims to raise awareness of the need for strong and resilient health systems and universal health coverage with multi-stakeholder partners.
• The theme for this year’s Universal Health Coverage Day 2023 is – Health For All: Time for action. 
• This is basically to call for specific actions that focus on health systems resilience.

• The latest draft of the Global Stocktake has linked the tripling of renewable energy capacity with a “phase-out”, or a time-bound ending, of the use of fossil fuels.
• It is one of the key documents being negotiated at the UN’s climate summit in Dubai recently.

Key points

• It is ensuring that the increase in renewable energy capacity is strategically implemented to displace fossil fuel-based energy, thereby significantly reducing global reliance on non-renewable and high-emission energy sources
• The latest draft also does away with the clause calling for a “just and orderly phase-out of fossil fuel” 
• This has now been replaced with four pointed options demanding that fossil fuels — responsible for 80% of greenhouse gas emissions — be phased out in such a way that global temperatures do not rise more than 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2100, and energy companies become fossil fuel-free by mid-century. 
• Unchanged from an earlier version of the text is the clause on a “rapid phase-out of unabated coal power”.

Did you know?

At the COP-26 in Glasgow two years ago, on the insistence of India and backed by the United States and China, the world had agreed to “phase down” but not “phase out” coal.

• Prime Minister recently highlighted that India’s re-emergence to a pre-eminent position in the field of art and architecture would benefit all of humanity
• It was done at the inauguration of the maiden India Art, Architecture, and Design Biennale at the Red Fort.

Key points

• India is working to develop a modern system on the lines of similar cultural events in cities like Venice, London, and Sao Paulo
• The cultural spaces which are being built in Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and Varanasi would enrich the cities culturally
• The biennale has exhibitions on seven themes — Doors of India, Gardens of India, Baolis (stepwells) of India, Temples of India, Architectural Wonders of Independent India, Indigenous Design, and Women in Architecture and Design. 
• The exhibitions have been designed in both physical and digital forms accompanied by interactive installations. 

A group of academics from India, Qatar and the United Kingdom recently published a worrying new study in the Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice on the volume of unapproved and even banned fixed dose combination (FDC) of antibiotics that are being sold in India.

Key points

• Using sales data of the pharmaceutical industry, the study documents that in the year 2020, 60.5% FDCs of antibiotics (comprising 239 formulations) were unapproved and another 9.9% (comprising 39 formulations) were being sold despite being banned in the country. 
• Many of these unapproved or banned FDCs contain antibiotics is alarming because of the increasing prevalence of antibacterial microbial resistance (AMR) in India.

• Fixed dose combination (FDC) are combinations of one or more known drugs and can be useful in the treatment of some diseases since the combination can improve patient compliance. 
• For instance, if a patient has to take three different medications for a particular treatment, she may forget to take one. 
• But if all three medications are combined into one tablet or one syrup, the chance of her forgetting to take one or two of the drugs is reduced. 
• For diseases such as AIDS, it is well documented that FDCs have proven to be very useful in improving patient compliance, which at the end of day improves treatment outcomes.

Issues with the FDC

• All drugs have side effects and when formulated together, there is a possibility that the active ingredient or even the excipients (inactive ingredients) may affect the way that each drug functions
• One such law is the Drugs (Prices Control) Order (DPCO), under which the government fixes the prices of individual drugs. 
• Since drug combinations were traditionally not covered under the DPCO, the pharmaceutical industry decided that making FDCs provided an easy way to escape the remit of the DPCO.
• Pharmaceutical companies in India use these FDCs to escape liability under multiple laws without much concern for public health.

Chief Minister inaugurated a technology hub of Ernst & Young in Odisha capital 

Key points

• Ernst & Young is a global leader in assurance, tax, strategy, transaction and consulting services. 
• Its new technology hub in Bhubaneswar is the 15th such facility in India. 
• It showcases the firm’s commitment to Odisha’s growing economic prowess and business landscape.
• The 15,000 sq ft state-of-the-art infrastructure at O-Hub, the expanded presence of EY in Bhubaneswar will create opportunities for existing employees as well as enable the company to harness the potential talent from the technical educational ecosystem in Odisha.

The Advika programme has been converted into Advika: I am Unique’ Scheme

scheme after 3 years of its launch.

Key points

• The programme was primarily targeted towards girls,but the scheme ‘Advika: I am Unique’ will focus on empowering adolescent boys too. 
• It will attempt to bridge the gender disparity between girls and boys in the 10-19 years age group and will be implemented through the Anganwadi centers across the state.
• The scheme aims to empower them with essential life skills (digital literacy, career guidance, employability, skill development) to make informed decisions during their formative years and address issues like school dropouts, child labour and child marriages.

•  The 18th edition of Toshali National Crafts Mela is all set to kick off in Bhubaneswar
• It will be organized by the Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts department of Odisha, in association with the Union Ministry of Textiles
• The fair offers a unique opportunity to experience the rich cultural heritage of Odisha with its vast range of traditional arts, crafts, music, dance and cuisine.

Think: Read about Toshali craft 

• The Odisha Chief Minister inaugurated India’s largest state-of-the-art Sports Science Centre in Kalinga Stadium of Bhubaneswar. 
• This center has been established in partnership with India’s first individual Olympic gold medalist Abhinav Bindra.

Key points

• This inclusive facility, designed to cater to athletes across various disciplines, is poised to become a hub for injury management, rehabilitation, recovery, and performance enhancement, catering comprehensively to the needs of sporting talent in the region while also being accessible to elite athletes of India.
• This Sports Science Centre features specialized labs to ensure that athletes receive care and support tailored to their unique needs, cultivating their potential and propelling them toward excellence.
• Para-athletes will find a dedicated focus  with custom-designed equipment addressing their unique needs. 

• The sixth edition of the biennial event, Barbil Art Project, was organised at Arya Colony in Barbil of Odisha’s Keonjhar district 
• The Artisans Created Exquisite Work Of Kotpad Weave

Key points

• The theme for this edition’s event was Kata Sarei: Weaving human tapestry with art, a colloquial term used for the weaving of Kotpad textiles providing an overarching concept for the artists and artisans to adopt for their art projects.
• The project was designed to bring together contemporary and traditional artisans to prepare artworks at Barbil in collaboration with the local community and develop an understanding of Odishan traditional art as well as create awareness among the those participating in the event to infuse concepts to create a new meaning to their practice. 
• It also aimed at providing access to the community, especially residents of Bolani and Barbil, to witness, participate and engage with the artisans.

Did you know?

The Barbil Art Project is a collaboration of Utsha Foundation, Bhubaneswar, and Arya Group Foundation, Barbil. 

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