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‘1.8bn people depend on healthcare facilities without basic water services’

The report titled, ‘Global progress report on WASH in health care facilities: fundamentals first’, comes as the ongoing pandemic is exposing key vulnerabilities within health systems, including inadequate infection prevention and control, reports Xinhua news agency.
Worldwide, one in four healthcare facilities has no water services, one in three does not have access to hand hygiene where care is provided, one in 10 has no sanitation services, and one in three does not segregate waste safely.

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Covid wiped out 81 mn jobs in Asia-Pacific; women, youngsters affected: ILO

Employment in Asia-Pacific showed a 4.2% decline compared with the pre-crisis trend, with the gap at 4.6% for women and 4% for men, the ILO said in a report. Young people have been especially affected by working-hour and job losses, the ILO said, with the youth share of employment losses three to 18 times higher than their share of total employment.

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Insolvencies, Cyber Threats and ESG scrutiny drive 2021 risks for Directors and Officers: Allianz

“Many insurers are still digesting the effect of previous pricing inadequacy and exposure and loss trend increases from prior-year policies,” says Shanil Williams, Global Head of Financial Lines at AGCS.
“This is also at a time of great uncertainty around forward-looking exposure assessments, in particular the impact of Covid-19 on the economy in general and on specific industries. Combined with many ‘known unknowns’ like climate change, cyber risks or environmental, social or governance (ESG) factors, this has created a lot of nervousness in this sector. As a global D&O insurer, AGCS remains committed to working in partnership with our customers to ensure we have sustainable solutions for all parties involved,” said Williams.

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Govt making all efforts for COVID-19 vaccine; cold chain logistics needs to be strengthened

There are six vaccine candidates in various stages of clinical trials, out of which four are developed indigenously, Department of Biotechnology Scientist and Adviser Asha Sharma said.
In order to strengthen the ecosystem, 11 good clinical practices compliant clinical trial sights have also been established across the country, Sharma said. The government is making purposeful and integrated efforts to support and promote vaccine development for COVID-19, she added.

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India ranks 131 in UN’s human development index

Life expectancy of Indians at birth in 2019 was 69.7 years while Bangladesh has a life expectancy of 72.6 years and Pakistan 67.3 years, the 2020 Human Development Report said. India, Bhutan (129), Bangladesh (133), Nepal (142), and Pakistan (154) were ranked among countries with medium human development, the report said. India’s HDI value for 2019 is 0.645 which put it in the medium human development category. India has been positioned at 131 out of 189 countries and territories, according to the report. India had ranked 130 in 2018 in the index.

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Vaccinating the world means solving patent impasse; India has suggestion

The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations argues that suspending patents is fraught with danger. If you waive patents this time round, you risk harming the whole medical infrastructure that allowed Covid vaccines to be developed in record time, said Director General Thomas Cueni.

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Less than 45 pc of households in five states use clean fuel for cooking Govt survey

It found that over 70 per cent of the population in 16 states are living in households that use an improved sanitation facility.

Lakshadweep (99.8 per cent) and Kerala (98.7 per cent) have the highest percentage of population living in households with an improved sanitation facility, while Bihar (49.4 per cent) and Ladakh (42.3 per cent) have the lowest, the survey said.

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