24 March 2023
By GyanOk

Daily Current Affairs Notes for 24 March 2023

World Tuberculosis Day 2023 observed on 24 March

World Tuberculosis Day is observed on March 24th every year to raise awareness about the global epidemic of tuberculosis (TB) and efforts to eliminate the disease.

World Tuberculosis Day 2023

March 24th is recognized as World Tuberculosis Day, with the aim of increasing awareness about the global tuberculosis (TB) epidemic and the efforts made to eradicate the disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) has set a target to put an end to the TB epidemic by 2030, and collaborates with governments, non-governmental organizations, and other partners to improve access to TB prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, as well as to develop novel tools and strategies for TB control. On this day, people and organizations across the globe conduct events and activities to raise awareness regarding the causes, symptoms, and treatment of TB, as well as to support efforts to eliminate the disease. It is an occasion for individuals to unite and take steps towards ending the TB epidemic.

World Tuberculosis Day 2023: Theme

This year's World Tuberculosis Day theme is "Yes! We can end TB!" with a primary focus on encouraging leaders worldwide to take action towards ending the TB epidemic. The theme emphasizes the importance of various aspects such as enhanced funding, prompt action, collaboration between different sectors, quick implementation of new WHO guidelines, and innovative strategies to eliminate tuberculosis.

World Tuberculosis Day 2023: History

Since 1982, World Tuberculosis Day has been celebrated on March 24th every year to honor the discovery of the tuberculosis (TB) bacterium by Dr. Robert Koch in 1882. Koch's discovery was a major breakthrough in the diagnosis and treatment of TB, which was a significant cause of illness and mortality in Europe during that period.

The International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD) and the World Health Organization (WHO) collaborated in 1982 to introduce World TB Day. The event was created to increase public awareness regarding the global TB epidemic and the requisite measures necessary to manage and eradicate the disease.

World TB Day has been celebrated annually since then, each year with a distinct theme emphasizing a particular aspect of TB prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care. The day serves as a platform for people and organizations worldwide to unite and increase awareness regarding TB and promote the need for more funding, research, and action to eradicate the disease.

What is Tuberculosis (TB)?

Tuberculosis (TB) is an infection caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria. It primarily affects the lungs, but other body parts, such as the brain, spine, and kidneys, can also be affected. TB spreads through the air, whereby an infected individual exhales the bacteria into the air by coughing, sneezing, or talking, and another person inhales the bacteria.

TB symptoms comprise of chronic coughing, chest pain, exhaustion, unexplained weight loss, fever, and night sweats. However, not everyone who contracts TB will display symptoms, and in some instances, individuals may not experience symptoms until the disease has progressed.

The treatment for TB involves antibiotics, but it may take several months, and a combination of drugs may be necessary. Treatment is crucial to cure the disease, prevent TB transmission to others, and avoid the emergence of drug-resistant TB. TB is a substantial health issue worldwide, with millions of new cases and deaths each year, mainly in low- and middle-income countries.

Will SVB collapse impact the Indian talent market?

The recent collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) has led to uncertainty in the talent market for Indian startups, which had around $1 billion in deposits with the lender.

The collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) has created confusion in the Indian startup talent market, as the lender held approximately $1 billion in deposits. Despite having $209 billion in assets at the end of 2022, SVB was closed by regulators on March 10th following a bank run.

SVB collapse and Indian talent market:

Human resources (HR) and staffing companies remain optimistic about the Indian economy and have faith that the SVB crisis will not significantly affect the talent market.

Experts suggest that although there could be some disruption due to factors such as a slowdown, the collapse of SVB alone is unlikely to impact the talent market significantly. According to data from staffing firm Xpheno, demand for talent in the tech startup industry reduced to one-third of its typical volume in the latter half of 2022 and has remained below 20,000, resulting in a slower pace of recruitment.

Reduction in liquidity for Startups:

Startups that had accumulated reserves and deposits at SVB are expected to face the consequences of the bank's failure, and attempts are being made to safeguard and recover their funds. These startups may experience reduced liquidity and delays in accessing their funds as a result of this inconvenience.

However, these startups have options to address the situation and are not expected to resort to layoffs. They may need to adopt short-term cost-cutting measures to navigate through this period.

A short-term disruption:

AR Ramesh, the Director of Managed Services and Professional Staffing at Adecco India, although the performance of certain banks and financial institutions may affect the technology and startup sectors to some extent, it is unlikely to be the key factor driving demand for talent.

According to him, this will be a temporary issue because Indian businesses, particularly startups, play a significant role in the global technology industry, and there is still a high demand for talent in these fields.

Ashneer Grover launched cricket fantasy sports app ‘CrickPe’

Ashneer Grover, co-founder of BharatPe, has launched a new cricket-focused fantasy sports app named CrickPe ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) tournament.

Ashneer Grover launched cricket fantasy sports app ‘CrickPe’

Ashneer Grover, the co-founder of BharatPe, has launched a new fantasy sports app named CrickPe, focused on cricket, just in time for the Indian Premier League (IPL) tournament. The app will compete with other popular fantasy sports apps, including Dream11, Mobile Premier League (MPL), and My11Circle by Games24x7. Third Unicorn Pvt Ltd, founded by Grover, has raised $4 million in seed funding from over two dozen angel investors, such as Anmol Singh Jaggi, Anirudh Kedia, and Vishal Kedia. Previously, Grover was associated with both BharatPe and Grofers, which are unicorns. The app will launch during the upcoming IPL tournament and allow users to participate in contests for IPL matches starting from March 31, 2023.

Features of CrickPe

The recently launched CrickPe is a fantasy sports app with a cricket focus that allows users over 18 years old to create virtual cricket teams and participate in paid contests. The app offers cash prizes based on the real-life performance of players.
The app permits users to form private groups and participate in contests to earn rewards. It will impose a 10% platform fee on both public and private contests. Additionally, the app provides free contests to users to enhance their abilities.
The platform offers a distinctive feature where users can send monetary rewards to their preferred cricketers, with the amount ranging from Rs 100 to Rs 100,000 per cricketer per fiscal year.
Starting June 2023, CrickPe will apply a 10% fee on transactions of cash rewards accepted by cricketers, but it is important to note that the app is not serving as a representative of the cricketers and is only providing the feature as a user agent.

About the Ashneer Grover

Ashneer Grover, an Indian entrepreneur, was born in 1982 in Delhi, India. He completed his MBA from the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad and has co-founded several successful startups.
Grover started his career in 2005 as a management consultant with A.T. Kearney. Later, he worked as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for companies like GreenDust and Bharti AXA Life Insurance.
Grover co-founded BharatPe in 2018, a fintech company that offers payment solutions to merchants in India. Since then, it has rapidly grown to become one of the fastest-growing fintech startups in India and reached unicorn status in 2020, with a valuation of over $1 billion.
Grover was also associated with Grofers, an Indian online grocery delivery service, as its CFO before co-founding BharatPe.
In 2022, Grover launched his third venture, Third Unicorn Pvt Ltd, which has developed a cricket-focused fantasy sports app called CrickPe.