Hesitancy to share vaccine IP will increase inequality

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Property ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Lower Income ◽  
Developing Nation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Production Constraints ◽  
Special Drawing ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Special Drawing Rights ◽  
Lower Income Countries

Significance Although eight vaccines have been developed and approved for use against COVID-19, production constraints leave many lower-income countries facing a lengthy wait. They are backing an initiative to waive intellectual property (IP) rights on treatments to facilitate transfers of vaccine manufacturing capability. Impacts Low-income nations may opt to issue compulsory licences, allowing governments to waive IP rights without the licence owners’ consent. The IMF backed a USD650bn round of special drawing rights at the spring meeting, in part to help vaccinate developing nation populations. A YouGov poll recently found that 74% of the UK public think governments should ensure vaccine expertise is shared globally.

Developing economies will struggle to rebound solidly

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Developing Economies ◽  
The United States ◽  
Lower Income ◽  
Corporate Tax ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Special Drawing ◽  
Special Drawing Rights ◽  
Lower Income Countries ◽  
Global Growth ◽  
Economic Outlook

Significance Although the Fund upgraded its forecast for global growth this year to 6%, the recovery is becoming more uneven. Decisions were taken on global corporate tax, extended debt relief for developing states and a large disbursement of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs). Whether these measures are wide or deep enough to support lower-income countries is debatable. Impacts Led by the United States, support for corporate tax reform is rising, but benefits will not come soon enough for fiscally distressed states. The firm global recovery relies on China’s GDP gaining more than 8% and India’s more than 10%; India faces greater immediate downside risks. The economic outlook is brighter for developing nations with robust public finances and limited tourism reliance where COVID-19 is in check. COVAX delivery timings may be optimistic, and the WTO is unlikely to waive intellectual property rights to production capability transfers.

Sri Lanka will try to manage debt without IMF help

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Foreign Exchange ◽  
Debt Crisis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Special Drawing ◽  
External Stakeholders ◽  
Capital Outflows ◽  
The Government ◽  
Special Drawing Rights ◽  
India And China

Significance The government nevertheless remains under pressure from domestic critics and external stakeholders because of dwindling foreign exchange (forex) reserves and a growing debt crisis. Sri Lanka approached the IMF in early 2020 for macroeconomic support under the Fund’s Rapid Financing Instrument, but negotiations were shelved. Impacts The government will face increasing domestic pushback over its efforts to curb capital outflows. Although India and China will remain Sri Lanka’s most important partners, ties with Bangladesh will grow markedly. Sri Lanka should be able to access an allocation of IMF special drawing rights later this month.

Sensory system integration of the designed mechatronics Touch Hand

Sensor Review ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 158-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Drew van der Riet ◽  
Riaan Stopforth ◽  
Glen Bright ◽  
Olaf Diegel
Keyword(s):  
Haptic Feedback ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Pressure Sensors ◽  
Sensory System ◽  
Prosthetic Hand ◽  
Prototype System ◽  
Lower Income ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Prosthetic Hands ◽  
Lower Income Countries

Purpose This paper aims to explore the electronic design of the Touch Hand: a low-cost electrically powered prosthetic hand. The hand is equipped with an array of sensors allowing for position control and haptic sensation. Pressure sensors are used on the fingertips to detect grip force. A temperature sensor placed in the fingertip is used to measure the contact temperature of objects. Investigations are made into the use of cantilever vibration sensors to detect surface texture and object slippage. The hand is capable of performing a lateral grip of 3.7 N, a power grip of 19.5 N and to passively hold a weight of up to 8 kg with a hook grip. The hand is also tested on an amputee and used to perform basic tasks. The amputee took 30 min to learn how to operate the hands basic gripping functions. Design/methodology/approach Problems of previous prosthetic hands were investigated, followed by ways to improve or have similar capabilities, yet keeping in mind to reduce the price. The hand was then designed, simulated, developed and then tested. The hand was then displayed to public and tested with an amputee. Findings The Touch Hand’s capabilities with the usage of the low-cost materials, components and sensory system was obtained in the tests that were conducted. The results are shown in this paper to identify the appropriateness of the sensors for a usage while the costs are reduced. Furthermore, models were developed from the results obtained to take into account factors such as the non-slip material. Research limitations/implications The research was restricted to a US$1,000 budget to allow the availability of a low-cost prosthetic hand. Practical implications The Touch Hand had to have the ability to supply the amputee with haptic feedback while allowing the basic grasping of objects. The commercial value is the availability of an affordable prosthetic hand that can be used by amputees in Africa and other Lower-Income countries, yet allowing a more advanced control system compared to the pure mechanical systems currently available. Social implications The Touch Hand has the ability to give amputees affected in war situations the ability to grasp objects in a more affordable manner compared to the current available options. Feedback from amputees about the current features of the Touch Hand was very positive and it proves to be a way to improve society in Lower-Income countries in the near future. A sponsorship program is being developed to assist amputees with the costs of the Touch Hand. Originality/value The contributions of this research is a low-cost prototype system than can be commercialized to allow amputees in the Lower-Income countries to have the ability of a prosthetic hand. A sensory system in the hand is also explained which other low-cost prosthetic hands do not have, which includes temperature, force and vibration. Models of the sensors used that are developed and calibrated to the design of the hand are also described.

Research watch: Coronavirus (COVID-19), mental health and social inclusion in the UK and Ireland

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 117-123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sue Holttum
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Children And Young People ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Mental Well Being

Purpose This paper aims to examine recent papers on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health, including implications for some of the groups of people already less included in society. Design/methodology/approach A search was carried out for recent papers on mental health and the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings Two papers describe surveys of adults in the UK and Irish Republic in the first days of lockdown. Low income and loss of income were associated with anxiety and depression. These surveys could not examine distress in Black and minority ethnicities, who have higher death rates from COVID-19. Two surveys of children and young people report distress and what can help. One paper summarises a host of ways in which the pandemic may affect mental well-being in different groups, and what might help. Another calls for research to understand how to protect mental well-being in various groups. Originality/value These five papers give a sense of the early days of the pandemic, especially in the UK. They also highlight the needs of some specific groups of people, or the need to find out more about how these groups experience the pandemic. They suggest some ways of trying to ensure that everyone has the best chance to thrive in the aftermath of the pandemic.

scholarly journals Perceptions of and attitudes to alcohol use among Pakistani medical students

2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 82-83
Author(s):  
Nazish Imran ◽  
Imran Ijaz Haider ◽  
Atif Sohail ◽  
Mohsan Zafar ◽  
Muhammad Riaz Bhatti
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Alcohol Misuse ◽  
Lower Income ◽  
Excessive Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Knowledge And Attitudes ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Excessive Alcohol ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Lower Income Countries ◽  
Harmful Effects

Studies worldwide have reported alarming rates of alcohol misuse among medical students (Webb et al, 1996; Kuo et al, 2002; Akvadar et al, 2004). These reports are surprising as well as of extreme concern, as medical professionals are supposedly more educated on the harmful effects of excessive alcohol consumption. The majority of studies exploring the knowledge and attitudes of medical students regarding alcohol have been from the USA and the UK, with only few from lower-income countries and the Islamic world (Kumar & Basu, 2000; Akvadar et al, 2004).

From the Treasury Diaries of Sir Alec Cairncross: Four Anglo-French Conflicts 1967–8

1997 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 117-131
Author(s):  
Alec Cairncross
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
European Economic Community ◽  
Economic Community ◽  
International Liquidity ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Special Drawing ◽  
International Importance ◽  
The 1960S ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Special Drawing Rights

In the 1960s, when I was Head of the (UK) Government Economic Service, I kept a private diary of conversations and events which has just been published. The excerpts from the diary which appear below relate to what I learned in 1967–8 about French attitudes to issues of international importance in which the United Kingdom was involved. The diary deals with four such issues: (1) the British application to join the European Economic Community; (2) the proposals to add to international liquidity through the creation of a new unit or, alternatively, of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs); (3) the British devaluation of 1967; and (4) the Bonn Conference in November 1968, at which it was widely expected that agreement would be reached to devalue the franc and revalue the mark.

Guidance Note for Fund Staff on the Treatment and Use of SDR Allocations

Policy Papers ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 09 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Financial Crisis ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Global Financial Crisis ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Guidance Note ◽  
Special Drawing ◽  
The Global Financial Crisis ◽  
Special Drawing Rights

Against the backdrop of the global financial crisis, the IMF has decided to implement a US$250 billion general allocation of special drawing rights (SDRs). In addition, the Fourth Amendment of the Fund’s Articles of Agreement has recently become effective, and will make available to SDR Department participants a special allocation of up to an additional SDR 21.5 billion (US$33 billion). Nearly US$115 billion of these combined allocations will go to emerging market and developing countries, including about US$20 billion to low-income countries (LICs), thereby providing an important boost to the reserves of countries with the greatest needs.

2011 Review of Conditionality - Technical Appendices

Policy Papers ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 (46) ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Advanced Economy ◽  
Low Income Country ◽  
Credit Line ◽  
Special Drawing ◽  
Special Drawing Rights ◽  
The Impact

This section provides the background studies relating to dimensions of Fund policy on conditionality. Appendix 1 provides a review of Fund experience with coordination, both in a low-income country (LIC) setting (in African programs) and in an emerging market and advanced economy setting in the European Union (EU) and Euro Area (EA). Appendix 2 summarizes the recent changes to debt limits in LICs and provides an assessment of the implementation of this policy in the early stages (up to mid-February 2011). Appendix 3 reviews the experience of countries with the Flexible Credit Line (FCL) and Precautionary Credit Line (PCL)-supported programs. Appendix 4 examines the impact of the 2009 Special Drawing Rights (SDR) allocation on program design

Lower alcohol wines in the UK market: some baseline consumer behaviour metrics

2014 ◽  
Vol 116 (7) ◽  
pp. 1143-1161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johan Bruwer ◽  
Vladimir Jiranek ◽  
Lulie Halstead ◽  
Anthony Saliba
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Consumer Behaviour ◽  
Product Category ◽  
Research Information ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Lower Alcohol ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Profile Characteristics ◽  
The Uk

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide clearer insights into and identify the key consumer behaviour metrics of the lower alcohol category (<11 per cent ABV) in the UK wine market. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected via an online survey from a sample size of 598 regular UK wine drinkers. To operationalise the study, five research questions were formulated. A highly structured quantitatively directed questionnaire was designed to find the answers to the research questions. Findings – Barriers to a larger uptake of the product category included non-availability of the products, lower quality perceptions, taste issues, lack of awareness, lack of alcohol's “feel effect” and absence of a lower alcohol drinking occasion. Many UK consumers are not yet convinced how/if lower alcohol wine fits into their wine drinking occasions. The lower ABV wine buyer's main profile characteristics are weighted towards females, Millennial and Baby Boomer age generations, mostly mid to low income, who drink mainly white and rosé wines. Lower alcohol on its own is not seen as a big benefit, thus lower ABV wines should be more creatively communicated to sell the benefits. Originality/value – This study contributes to the knowledge base in that it is the first to investigate consumer behaviour metrics as regards lower ABV wine in one of the world's leading markets, in the process providing some important baseline research information on this category. As such it is of value to academic researchers and practitioners alike.

Russian arms sales challenged by rivals and sanctions

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
North Africa ◽  
Import Substitution ◽  
The United States ◽  
Political Support ◽  
Lower Income ◽  
Arms Sales ◽  
Content Type ◽  
China And India ◽  
The Military ◽  
Lower Income Countries

Significance Selling mainly to non-US allies in Asia and North Africa, Russia has been the world's second-largest arms exporter after the United States for the last decade. The 2020 dip seems attributable to COVID-19 disruption having slowed deliveries to China and India. US sanctions might also have had some effect. Impacts The path of global recovery will influence Russian arms sales: lower-income countries are in a worse position than rich ones. New sales to Myanmar will signal Moscow's political support for the military junta. Import substitution efforts to mitigate Western sanctions are still slow and may lead to shortages that impede production and exports.

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