According to data from Indeed, the world’s no. 1 job site, there has been an upsurge in job postings for cyber security roles by 150% between January 2017 and March 2018, along with a corresponding increase of 129% in job searches for the same in the same period. Between January 2017 and March 2018, there has also been a spike in the number of job postings for Data Protection roles, which have seen an increase of 143%, while the number of job searches for the same have risen by 188%.
The impending implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) law in Europe has stimulated Indian companies to fortify their databases, leading to an upswing in the search for cyber security and privacy professionals. Further, the unprecedented increase in the number of cybercrimes in the country has also created a number of job opportunities for data protection and cyber security professionals. According to the Cybersecurity Jobs Report 2018-2021, cybercrime will more than triple the number of job openings over the next five years.
Given the Information Technology boom in Bengaluru, the city accounts for 36% of all cyber security related jobs in the country; leading by a considerable margin over Mumbai (17%), the NCR region (12%), Pune (9%) and Hyderabad (8%), which make up the top five destinations for work opportunities in the sector in India.
Sashi Kumar, Managing Director, Indeed India, said, “Globally, the increasing number of cyber crimes has made it imperative for companies to keep pace in hiring the right talent to combat them. Therefore, companies across the world are gearing up to ensure compliance to General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and ePrivacy requirements. While the larger technology giants are more or less equipped to comply, it is the mid-size and smaller firms that are seeking professionals to help them cope with the requirements the new laws entail.”
Indeed data also highlights a high level of interest in the field among the age group of 26-30 year olds. Interestingly people between the age group of 41-45 year olds also show high levels of interest in these profiles, as compared to those between 31-35 years old. This indicates that young technology talent as well as those with some experience in the industry are seeking opportunities in the cyber security space.
Despite cyber security jobs having zero percent unemployment, there is a huge dearth of skilled professionals, who can understand the complexities of today’s interconnected world. Cyber security breaches and intricacies have touched all industries and sectors. Hence, it is vital for all organisations to increase their security systems and processes.
By Mr. Sanjay Pathak - Head Healthcare and Insurance Solutions, 3i Infotech
While ‘Telemedicine’ has been there for a while, it did not become mainstream the way it was expected mostly due to lack of right technology and business objectives. In the current context, virtual care would mean remote health monitoring, home health management, telemedicine, kiosk and self-diagnosis based systems, wearables and the likes. Ideally, a collaborative environment leverages video, audio, mobile/portals, sensors/kiosk from where consumers can receive care with no constraints of location, time & in-person touch. The current virtual care drive is fueled by digital consumers, technology advancements, high cost of care, regulation driven better care mandates, and sparse density of physicians to name a few.
Let’s explore some of these in the current context -
Technology advancements: IoT, AI/Voice and Blockchain could pave the way forward for the connected health/virtual care. These technologies have disrupted many industries operating today and healthcare is no exception.
IOT: Evolution of sensor technology has made it possible to connect many passive devices with internet. Cost & size of many healthcare sensors have drastically reduced, providing opportunities and options for a connected ecosystem. Wearables and mobile phones of today are good examples of instruments that have enabled measuring & streaming of personal vital data.
Voice: Alexa, Siri, Google voice and many similar voice intelligent solutions ease the consumer interaction to more conversational rather than a complex system interface.
Blockchain: While it has lot of promise and is yet to gain mainstream status, there are good chances that distributed and secured health records will be a plus for virtual care, where the information will not be restricted to one hospital and will also be immutable and secured at the same time.
High cost: Global healthcare spend is projected to reach $8.7 trillion by 2020 which will be approximately 10.5% of GDP. Virtual health if done correctly could be an answer to this rising cost, specifically for non-emergency, minor cases, rural care and post-surgical care which lead to hospital re-admissions. Substantial cost reduction can be achieved if virtual care can replace redundant physician & ER visits for trivial situations.
Regulatory compliance: Around the globe there is constant effort by regulators to enhance the care outcomes. US started value based care initiatives under Obama Care and even levies penalties on hospitals for readmissions. Prime reason for readmissions is confusion after discharge and lack of post-operative care. Virtual care and remote monitoring can drastically reduce potential readmission cases.
Vertical and horizontal consolidation: Healthcare sector has seen a global consolidation and there are recent cases where retail giants like Walmart are trying to acquire healthcare companies. While this is less of a driver & more of an outcome, this could result in better reach to population leveraging virtual care and tele-health kiosks even in the rural and remote areas via the retail outlets.
Density of physicians: Finally, the physician density is a big factor when it comes to virtual care. As per WHO, currently there is 1 physician for every 1000 people for over 45% of member states. This gap is bound to grow and even advanced countries like US, Canada etc. will have acute shortage of physicians, specialists and surgeons.
So now that we understand that virtual care is one of potential solutions to care reach, better outcome and cost reduction, let’s explore newer challenges it may pose:
First and foremost, a lack of comfort and confidence to adopt to this change is foreseen. Both physicians and consumers will have initial hiccups to adopt to the virtual care when both sides are used to in-person experience. A push from millennial population could be a key driver to overcome this situation.
Next, when data is not limited to the boundaries of a clinic and/or hospital, security would be an added concern. The value of Electronic Health Records (EHR) combined with financial transactions data is very high in the grey market. While separating the two may be hard, digital technology and Blockchain adoption can be an answer to some of the security concerns.
Privacy has always been a key factor when it comes to health. This would continue to be an added challenge in a digital and connected healthcare world.
Conflicts and legality could be another challenge as we adopt virtual care. The virtual ecosystem will need regulation and compliance support to run successfully.
Reimbursements for services will be another factor and hospitals and insurance companies will have to come up with innovative ways to reimburse for such virtual care.
Finally, fraud and abuse would continue to be a challenge. While technology advancements can be an answer to some, there will always be concerns arising from ill-intended practices from both consumers and practitioners.
So, how will an ideal virtual care system look like? No doubt, it will be an ecosystem of well-lubed entities. The system would comprise of a partner network to maintain the remote systems and kiosks; robust technology infrastructure; reimbursement system backed by Insurance (Payers); serve as a good knowledge base to educate the population; provide in-person help to assist mass on how to use the systems; and finally a network of participating hospitals, doctors, clinics etc.
Many Health-tech startups are coming up with innovative business models which will soon disrupt how healthcare is provided and even how we reimburse it. Gone will be the days where healthcare system only looked at generating profit. As the global healthcare system evolves, it will be virtual care that will be disrupting and re-composing healthcare ecosystem into its new and improved avatar.
Jaguar Land Rover India has announced the launch of the Ingenium petrol powertrain equipped Model Year 2018 Discovery Sport and Range Rover Evoque. The Ingenium powertrain delivers exceptional performance, efficiency and refinement while meeting the most stringent global emissions regulations. The 2.0 l motor on the Model Year 2018 Discovery Sport and Range Rover Evoque produces 184 kW of peak power and is mated to an 8-speed Automatic Transmission.
The Ingenium petrol powertrain equipped Model Year 2018 Discovery Sport is offered in SE and HSE trim and is priced from ₹ 49.20 Lakh. On the Range Rover Evoque, the Ingenium petrol powertrain is offered on the SE and HSE Dynamic trim and is priced from ₹ 51.06 Lakh.
Rohit Suri, President & Managing Director, Jaguar Land Rover India Ltd. (JLRIL), said: “The Ingenium petrol powertrain has been well accepted in the Range Rover Velar and we are now happy to offer our Land Rover Discovery Sport and Range Rover Evoque customers the same refined and efficient experience with exceptional performance.”
The Model Year 2018 Discovery Sport and Range Rover Evoque feature Wi-Fi Hotspot (with 4G access to up to eight devices) and Pro Services. InControl-Pro Services gets key features like The Route Planner App, Commute Mode and Sharing ETA (expected time of arrival).
The American University of Antigua (AUA) College of Medicine, a part of Manipal Education and Medical Group (MEMG), India’s largest higher education and healthcare service provider, is on a strategic enrollment drive in India to attract aspiring medical students to the leading medical school. Located in the Caribbean island nation of Antigua and Barbuda, AUA is one of Manipal’s seven universities situated outside India.
Sir Vivian Richards, the Antiguan cricket legend, is on a multi-city tour in India to promote AUA and his home country as an ideal medical education destination. The iconic cricket star engaged in ‘meet and greet’ sessions with potential students to discuss the unique benefits of AUA’s groundbreaking programs and share his personal experiences about life in the tropical island.
Founded in 2004, AUA’s innovative, learner-centric and technology driven curriculum for the MD program is designed to address the acute shortage of physicians in medically underserved countries, particularly in primary care.
Spread across a verdant, 17 acre campus, AUA is one of only three medical schools in the Caribbean to gain the distinction of being approved, accepted, recognized and accredited by a diverse international medical education authorities or bodies, including the U.S. Department of Education, the UK General Medical Council and the Medical Council of India, among others.
To fulfil its mission of fostering a diverse community of medical professionals, AUA’s holistic evaluation process, where scores are not the only defining criteria for admissions, provides access to high quality, global instruction at nominal cost to aspiring students from countries facing scarcity of medical education opportunities. AUA’s flexible program, which allows two intakes a year, has a record pass rate of 96 per cent in the USLME Step 1, the most important exam for medical students in the U.S.
With a network of 40 affiliated hospitals in the U.S. and Canada, students at AUA have the unbeatable advantages of availing residency placements and clinical experience through clinical rotations in world renowned programs at the Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, Massachusetts General, Brown University-Rhode Island Hospital, Yale-New Haven Hospital and the University of Toronto among other prestigious institutions.
In collaboration with Florida International University, AUA has developed two distinctive courses. The Clinical Clerkship Certificate program makes it possible for students to complete all their core clinical rotations hospitals affiliated with FIU’s Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (HWCOM), while the AUA Global MD program provides research opportunities, medical Spanish training, and focuses on the social determinants of health at home and abroad.
AUA also has a unique relationship with Manipal University. The recent 2+2+2 program allows high school graduates to begin their medical education at Manipal. Upon successful completion of the premedical program, students transfer to AUA’s campus in Antigua to complete their Basic Sciences in two years. Students finish their degree with an intensive two-year Clinical Sciences program, which takes place at teaching hospitals in the U.S., Canada and India.
Commenting on the current enrolment drive in India and the association with Sir Vivian Richards, S. Vaitheeswaran, Chief Executive Officer, Manipal Education and Medical Group said, “AUA was established in response to the shortage of opportunities and intense competition for quality medical education around the world. In India, for example, there is one medical seat for every 15,000 aspirants. AUA’s degree is equivalent to one from any medical college in mainland U.S.A. A mark of the acceptance of our program is the fact that students of AUA are eligible for U.S. federal loan support for tuition. We are honored that Sir Vivian Richards has agreed to become our brand ambassador to help us connect with aspiring medical students in the country and offer them a chance to fulfill their dream of becoming doctors, so that they can serve their communities back home or practice anywhere in the world.”
Commenting on his partnership with AUA, Sir Vivian Richards said, “I feel extremely privileged to be part of this association. AUA students come from all over the world, and they bring such a positive energy to the island. You can tell they really love being here, and we love having them. Most important of course, is the caliber of doctors AUA produces. Many are placed in the world’s most prestigious hospitals, and credit the school’s hands-on training and supportive community for their success. I am doing my best to convince students and their parents that my country is a safe and ideal destination for getting a medical degree”.
HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company, India’s third largest non-life insurance provider in the private sector, launched its AI enabled Chatbot ‘DIA’ on Google Assistant, which enables the users to access the service through the Google Home device. DIA will also be available to customers with mobile devices in which the Google Assistant application can be installed. Through this launch, ‘DIA’ will now be accessible 24/7 to a wider audience providing instant solutions to their queries related to general insurance, thereby delivering superior customer service experience.
Post the successful launch of DIA on Amazon Alexa, this new development by HDFC ERGO will offer customers a more intuitive way to interact with the company. Also, since the beginning of the year, the usage of Google Assistant has tripled in the country, allowing the company to spread its wings wide and reach out to the consumers to demystify general insurance, through a simple voice command – “Ok Google, Talk to HDFC ERGO.”
Commenting on the launch of this new service, Ritesh Kumar, MD & CEO, HDFC ERGO General Insurance Company said, “At HDFC ERGO, the customer is at the core of all that we do and hence we are always exploring new trends and opportunities to ensure we reach out and offer the best experience possible. Leveraging newer platforms, like Google Assistant, to help provide customers with richer experiences and simplified solutions therefore, becomes imperative for us. The integration ‘DIA’ with Google Assistant is a step in this direction to reach out to the large and wide spread audience who have mobile devices and engage with them to provide a 24/7 support for all their general insurance related queries.”
The primary mode of interaction will be through voice, but input through the devices keyboard is also supported on the Assistant. Using this approach, the Google Home device searches the internet for the information requested, through the Assistant. Customers using Google Home or any mobile device, with Google Assistant, can get access to enable the services from HDFC ERGO. To enable this, customers must enable or install Google Assistant on their mobile phones. DIA will be available at your service on calling out the phrase “Ok Google, Talk to HDFC ERGO" or simply typing “Talk to HDFC ERGO”.
Customers can easily use DIA to locate the nearest network hospital, network garage or HDFC ERGO branches, understand the products offered by the Company and even get answers to various queries related to general insurance. It will also guide the customers on queries like “How long does it take to process claims?” or “How can I renew my policy?" or even get a response to complex questions on topic like Salvage, No Claim Bonus and so on.
HDFC ERGO understands the power of technology and integrating its AI enabled Chatbot, DIA on Google Assistant is a step ahead in simplifying things and taking customer experience to the next level. With time, more services will be enabled and made available on Google Assistant to raise the bar of customer service experience.
Sowparnika Projects & Infrastructure Pvt Ltd introduces ‘Positive Homes’ a unique proposition designed and developed based on new age customers demand. It's ‘Positive Homes’ is all set to debut in Bengaluru as Sowparnika Indraprastha – Soukya Road, off Whitefield and Sowparnika Unnathi, Attibele Junction on May 26, 2018. The model has been successfully tested and proven in Thiruvananthapuram and is now being replicated in Bengaluru after the successful stint.
Most of the real estate companies were amongst the worst hit by demonetization. While the sector continues to struggle to find a footing even one and a half years since, Sowparnika Projects & Infrastructure Pvt Ltd, with its far-sightedness, has sailed through these tough times, managing to sell almost100% of its completed projects.
The over 3 Lakhs sq ft of 1st Positive Homes series is expected to be completed in record time of two years, this is a result of Sowparnika’s innovative model developed through experience gained over 15 years from projects across Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. This is being perfected and put into practice in Bangalore, through its ‘Positive Homes’ series. The stringent standards it follows, 360-degree in-house process, Vertical Integration and efficient construction methods have helped Sowparnika optimize its resources to meet the demands of the new-age customers at an enviable price point.
The city experiences influx of around 8 Lakh people every year and most of them are the 1st job seekers, first time entrepreneurs and even job shifters crowd. There is a study which establishes the fact that buying home is the first in the wish list of 80% of the 1st job seekers, entrepreneurs and even the floating population and that’s a huge opportunity. Sowparnika wants to capitalise this opportunity in building luxury homes which suits their aspirational lifestyle at an enviable pricing which they will not feel the pain to pay without compromising their lifestyle.
Sowparnika is geared to crack the conundrum of this tough market, and has been working to make luxury housing within reach of everyone.
Customer-centric approach:
“Our mission is to create homes for all, homes which are in best locations, accessible easily and that to homes with minimal cost of ownership (Less repairs and maintenance). Homes that are sturdy, equipped with best fixtures and with efficient space design. With positive locations, Positive Designs, Positive Vastu, Positive Specifications and above all Positive Pricing, we are introducing our ‘Positive Homes’ in Bengaluru which are the perfect homes keeping in mind the aspirations of the new-age customers. The starting price of our flat is Rs 10 lakhs for which the EMI will be same as the rent of a Studio,” said Ramji Subramaniam, Managing Director, Sowparnika Projects & Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd, while speaking about Positive Homes entry into the city.
Keeping the aspirations and needs of the new-age customers in mind, the ‘Positive Homes’ project is a perfect choice in terms of location, pricing, ambience, specifications and design. This model is destined to ensure high absorption rates. Sowparnika’s ‘Positive Homes’ is all set to debut in Bengaluru as Sowparnika Indraprastha – Soukya Road, off Whitefield and Sowparnika Unnathi, Attibele Junction on May 26th, 2018. The model has been successfully tested and proven in Thiruvananthapuram and is now being replicated in Bengaluru after the successful stint.
“This model is a success because of the way Sowparnika functions. Our architects optimise space. Using 360-degree construction helps in cutting overheads. The model has worked well for us and the benefit of the same has been passed on to our customer in terms of cost. We also believe in the traditional method of mass-construction which cuts the wastage of raw materials. We are also able to full proof this model with Resource optimisation and volume buy. In this age of cut-throat competition, one needs to come up with innovative, out-of-the-box solutions to sustain in the competitive market,” adds Ramji Subramaniam
No compromise for customers
The innovative business model of Sowparnika has helped us complete our projects within the stipulated time frame, thus cutting the cost of servicing the loans. “Because of our track record of on-time delivery, most of our past customers have come forward and have shown interest in booking our new project ‘Positive Homes’. We have achieved the punctuality tag because of our relationship with vendors and partners. Our vendors have confidence in us which is why we face no issues in procuring raw materials. Therefore, there is no room for project delays,” said Raja Mukherjee, CMO – Sowparnika Projects and Infrastructure.
No compromise on quality, features and fittings
‘Positive Homes’ are designed tastefully keeping in mind the aspirations of generation next because the new-age customer is not willing to compromise on the quality of living. The salient features of ‘Positive Homes’ include Vaastu compliance and has seen the use of brands like Asian Paints, American Standard Bathroom Fittings, Polycab Wires, Schneider Electrical Fittings, Somany Tiles, Johnson Lifts, Futura Kitchen Sinks partnering us to provide quality lifestyle that resonate a positive vibe.
“I have been staying at Sowparnika’s Swastika project since past 4 years. I would like to congratulate them in meeting the deadline and delivering project on time. Their precision in construction keeping in mind the needs of their customers excellent. There is no compromise on quality, the location is strategic, and the flats are designed such that there is no space wastage. The feel to stay in a Sowparnika home is luxurious,” said Sowparnika Swastika project customer, Preetam.
By Dr. G Arunkumar, Professor and Head of the Department, Manipal Centre for Virus Research
Kozhikode in Kerala went on high alert followed by Tamil Nadu and parts of Karnataka after a deadly virus called 'Nipah' (NiV) claimed eleven lives in Kerala. The fast-spreading virus Nipah has a mortality rate of 40-70 per cent.
What is the Nipah Virus?
Nipah virus infection is newly emerging and is an example of a zoonotic disease, where animal diseases can be transmitted to people. According to the WHO, the natural host of the virus is fruit bats of the Pteropodidae Family, Pteropus genus (fruit-eating species) and the virus is transmitted through direct contact with infected bats, pigs, or from other NiV-infected people.
It was first identified in Kampung Sungai Nipah, Malaysia in 1998 which involved pigs as the intermediate hosts during that outbreak. In India, the first outbreak was reported in 2001 in Siliguri, West Bengal followed by a second incident in 2007 emerging in the Nadia district of West Bengal. It was revealed by scientists that human often contracted the disease by drinking raw date palm sap tapped directly from trees, a sweet treat that fruit bats also enjoy.
WHO reports that between 1998-2008, the virus has claimed over 300 lives across Malaysia, Singapore, Bangladesh and India.
MAHE and Manipal Centre for Virus Research at the Forefront to fight the Virus
The Manipal Centre for Virus Research (MCVR) lab was the first to identify the Nipah Virus in Kozhikode and the team is striving to work in Nipah-hit areas while communicating and coordinating with the medical community and the State Government. Prone to be a bio-threat, the early detection of the virus demonstrates the country’s capabilities for containing an epidemic. Championing this cause is Dr. G Arunkumar who heads the MCVR and was instrumental in diagnosing the second patient with the Nipah virus fairly early. He believes the virus is highly infectious and the ones at the greatest risk are the staffs treating the patient in the ICU. He lists down basic steps to prevent the virus from spreading:
Do’s
- Always check the fruits you are eating and clean them thoroughly before eating
- Wash your hands regularly with soap and water
- At hospitals, healthcare workers have need to take barrier precautions such as face mask, face shield, gloves and full personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Since the disease is transmitted through droplets infection and through body fluid contact, caregivers and hospital staff need to maintain distance from an infected person.
- Domestic animals can also be the carriers of NiV as they can consume partially eaten fruits dropped by fruit bats. Try to keep pets and domestic animals indoors and feed them yourself.
Don’ts
- Don’t eat half eaten fruits from trees.
- Don’t visit places where bats are known to colonise
- Don’t come in contact with bat droppings. If it were to happen, immediately wash your hands with soap and water thoroughly
- Don’t climb trees where bats ay have left their secretions
Diagnostic Tests and Prevention
The NiV is a risk group four pathogen and requires a laboratory with bio safety level 3 or level 4 to be able to handle testing. Currently along with the National Institute of Virology Pune, only Manipal Centre for Virus Research, Manipal Academy of High Education are equipped to carry out testing such as Real Time PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) samples of throat swab in transport medium such as blood sample, urine sample and cerebrospinal fluid.
The MCVR Lab is supported by the Indian Council of Medical Research, Department of Health Research, Ministry of Family Welfare. It is a Grade 1 virus research and diagnostic laboratory of ICMR, Government of India.
