The announcement of the 2020 Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology for the discovery of Hepatitis C virus made me wield my pen today. The award carries a gold medal and prize money of 10 million Swedish kronor [over Rs 8.22 crore]. The event will run through October 12 by which the Nobel Prizes in physics, chemistry, literature, peace and economics too would have been announced.
The hepatitis C virus is a blood borne virus.It is the cause of Hepatitis C ,a liver disease and some cancers such as liver cancer and lymphomas.As per WHO more than 70 million cases of virus are around the globe and cause over 4 lakh deaths every year.
The discovery made possible blood tests and new medicines that have saved millions of lives
At a time when a new virus is ruling the roost having claimed more than 10 lakh lives all over the globe, the work is a source of inspiration and hope for the mankind in general and the scientists in particular. The world is greatly indebted to this scientist-humanitarian ! But for the creation of such an impetus about 120 years ago from his personal fortunes with the noble intention of honouring those whose works would benefit humanity in different fields, perhaps the advancements in science would not have seen the light of the day ! His inventions of dynamite and detonator helped to reduce enormously the time,effort and cost of several construction works like drilling tunnels, blasting rocks etc.
Nobel Prize Day is observed annually on December 10.Marie Curie was the first woman to receive the Nobel Prize and the first person to receive it twice, once in physics and then in chemistry.The US had more Nobel Prize winners than any other country in every category other than literature.
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