Indian Railways develops low-cost ventilator ‘Jeevan’

1.World Health Day: 07 April

The World Health Day is a global health awareness day celebrated every year on 7 April.The day is observed to raise global awareness on specific themes related to health in order to highlight an area of importance for the WHO.

Now at a time when the whole world is facing a health crisis as we fight the coronavirus pandemic, healthcare professionals are the frontline soldiers in this war and the World Health Day 2020 carries more importance than ever.

2020 Theme: Support Nurses And Midwives.

2.International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Rwandan genocide: 07 April

April 7, 2004 was recognized as an international observance the International Day of Reflection on the 1994 Rwandan genocide by the United Nations.It was established to remember members of the Tutsi community, an African ethnic group, who were targeted at the end of the 20th century.

In 1994, 800,000 Tutsis were killed in Rwanda in the space of just 100 days.

The speed of the killings (approximately 8,000 per day) confirms that the atrocities were planned.

3.Tamil Nadu finishes on top in micro-irrigation coverage

At a time when every segment of society is reeling under the impact of COVID-19, farmers have brought some cheer to Tamil Nadu.In the just-concluded financial year 2019-20, the State finished on top at the all-India level for micro-irrigation coverage.

This has been achieved as part of implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), a programme aimed at promoting the “more crop per drop” concept by focussing on water-saving technologies.

4.NHAI achieves highest ever construction of National Highways in FY 2019-20

National Highway Authority of India, NHAI has achieved the highest ever construction of National Highways in financial year 2019-20.It has accomplished construction of 3979 kilometre of national highways and this is the highest ever highway construction achieved in a financial year by NHAI. 

The authority said, in 2018-19, NHAI had constructed 3380 Kilometre.

NHAI Headquarters: New Delhi

Founded: 1988

Chairman: Sukhbir Singh Sandhu

5.Indian Railways develops low-cost ventilator ‘Jeevan’

The Indian Railways has developed a low-cost ventilator, ‘Jeevan’, at its Kapurthala Rail Coach Factory.This device could save thousands of lives at a time the country is grappling with a shortage of the medical equipment in its fight against coronavirus.

The prototype is now awaiting ICMR clearance to go into production.

It will cost around Rs 10,000 without the compressor.

A ventilator is a device used to pump air and oxygen into the lungs, and it can be critical for a patient with severe COVID-19 infection which can lead to lung failure.

India might need anywhere between 110,000-220,000 ventilators by May 15 in the worst-case scenario.

The number of ventilators today available in the country is a maximum of 57,000 and come with a cost of Rs 5-Rs 15 lakh.

6.Arvind Kejriwal unveils ‘5T’ plan for Delhi to fight COVID-19

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal unveiled a five-point plan to tackle the coronavirus outbreak after speaking to experts and doctors.The “5Ts”includes testing, tracing, treatment, teamwork and tracking and monitoring of the virus.

Taking from South Korea’s strategy, Kejriwal said that the government would conduct at least one lakh random “rapid tests” in hotspots across the city.

Secondly, the government will continue tracing contacts of those who have tested positive for coronavirus.

Third, would be regarding the treatment of patients who have contracted the disease.

Kejriwal said it was important for the city to come together to fight COVID-19. Teamwork, he said, was important.

Last, Kejriwal took it upon himself to ensure all parts of the plan were conducted efficiently.

7.IWF bans Thailand, Malaysia from weightlifting at Tokyo Olympics

The Independent Member Federation Sanctions Panel (IMFSP) of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) has imposed disciplinary sanctions on Thailand and Malaysia and banned both the countries from participating in weightlifting events at the Tokyo Olympics.The IMFPS also suspended the Thai Amateur Weightlifting Association (TAWA) for three years, while the Malaysian Weightlifting Federation (MWF) has been given a one-year ban.

The Thailand federation had already withdrawn from the Tokyo Olympics voluntarily after nine of its weightlifters were caught for doping violations at the 2018 World Championships.

The Tokyo Olympics 2020 will now commence from July 23 to August 8 next year while the Paralympics Games will be held from August 24 to September 5, 2021.

The Tokyo Olympic Games were originally slated to be held from July 24 to August 9, while the Paralympic Games were scheduled to be held from August 25 to September 6.

8.Former Australia Test spinner Stephen O’Keefe retires from 1st class cricket

Former Australia Test spinner Stephen O’Keefe has retired from first class cricket after being omitted from New South Wales’ list of contracted players for the next domestic season.The 35-year-old left-armer took 35 wickets in nine tests – including 12 in a match against India at Pune in 2017.

O’Keefe took 16 wickets at 22.25 as New South Wales won the Sheffield Shield four-day title last season, the most by any spinner in the competition.

9.High jumper Zhang Guowei retires at 28

China’s world silver-medallist high jumper Zhang Guowei, renowned for his flamboyant twerking celebrations, has announced his retirement aged 28.Zhang won silver at the Beijing 2015 World Championships and also competed at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympics.

However, his form and fitness tailed off after his 2015 triumph and his season’s best performance of 2.28m, set in Italy’s Siena in February, was some way short of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics qualifying standard of 2.33m.

10.Former Libya interim prime minister Mahmoud Jibril dies

Mahmoud Jibril, the former leader of the opposition Libyan government during the civil war that toppled Muammar Gaddafi after 40 years of rule, has died in Cairo after being hospitalised with the coronavirus.The 67-year-old had been quarantined at a hospital in the city since late last month.

He was an economic advisor to the Gaddafi government in its final years, before joining the revolution in 2011.

Jibril had been interim prime minister for about seven months in 2011 and resigned after Gaddafi was captured and killed in the city of Sirte.

11.Former New Zealand cricketer Jock Edwards passes away

Big-hitting wicketkeeper-batsman Jock Edwards, who represented New Zealand in six Tests and eight ODIs, has passed away.He was also a member of the Nelson side that held on to the Hawke Cup for 14 matches between February 1979 and February 1983.

In his international career, Jock scored 377 runs in Tests and 138 runs in ODIs which he played against Australia, England and India.