Source: United States of America – Federal Government Departments (video statements)
“Thank you, Buu Nygren for an inspiring hike at Window Rock—a trail I first explored as a child with my dad. Advancing the health and well-being of tribal nations remains a top priority for me.”
– Secretary Kennedy
—
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) | http://www.hhs.gov
The Competition Commission of India has approved the proposed combination involving Waverly Pte. Ltd (“Waverly”), TPG Growth V SF Markets Pte. Ltd (“Growth V”), TPG Growth III SF Pte. Ltd (“Growth III”), Asia Healthcare Holdings Pte. Ltd (“AHH Singapore”), Rhea Healthcare Private Limited (“Rhea”), Asia Healthcare Advisory Holdings LLP (“AHH LLP”), and Asian institute of Nephrology and Urology Private Limited (“AINU”).
The proposed combination, inter alia, contemplates:
Waverly’s proposed subscription of Ordinary Shares and Class F Redeemable Preference Shares in Asia Healthcare Holdings Pte. Ltd.;
Certain rights accruing to Growth V in AHH Singapore and Rhea (including its downstream entities) and AHH LLP;
Certain rights accruing to Growth III in AHH Singapore (solely in relation to matters pertaining to AINU and its downstream entities);
Proposed acquisition of complete shareholding held by AHH Singapore in AINU, by Rhea (“AINU Transfer”);
Proposed issuance of equity shares by Rhea to AHH Singapore, as a consideration for the AINU Transfer.
Growth III and Growth V are investment funds that are ultimately managed and controlled by TPG Inc. (“TPG”), which is a global, diversified investment firm. TPG, including its subsidiaries and affiliates, are together referred to as the “TPG Group”. TPG, the ultimate holding company of the TPG Group, is a company listed on NASDAQ. TPG primarily invests in complex asset classes such as private equity, real estate and public market strategies. The TPG Group operates in India through its various investments with a primary focus on sectors such as technology, healthcare, consumer and financial services.
Waverly is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Lathe Investment Pte. Ltd., which is in turn, wholly-owned by GIC (Ventures) Pte Ltd. Waverly is a special purpose vehicle organized as a private limited company in Singapore that is part of a group of investment holding companies managed by GIC Special Investments Private Limited.
AHH is a Singapore incorporated company and is primarily engaged in long term investment holding activities and through its direct/ indirect subsidiaries, is active in providing healthcare services in the field of maternal, child, urology, nephrology and other related health care services in India. AHH Singapore is jointly owned and controlled by the TPG Group and GIC Group.
Rhea is a specialty hospital chain that provides comprehensive women and childcare and vitro fertilization (post consummation of merger with Nova Medical Centers Private Limited). Rhea currently operates in 19 states and 3 union territories, in India.
AINU, a single-specialty center in South India, is focused on providing healthcare services through hospitals, specializing in (i) urology care, (ii) nephrology care and (iii) dialysis and kidney transplant. They also provide radiology and pathology services to their patients. It has seven hospitals located across Hyderabad, Vishakhapatnam, Siliguri, Chennai and Secunderabad.
AHH LLP is engaged in the business of providing advisory services in the areas of strategy, finance and other operational matters (excluding investment management, investment advisory or financial advisory services). Currently, AHH LLP solely provides advisory services to AHH Singapore and/or its downstream entities through providing an inside view into operation and financial control of companies operating in the healthcare sector
The Competition Commission of India has approvedthe proposed transaction involving Aster DM Healthcare, BCP Asia, Centella and Quality Care India Limited.
The proposed transaction includes the proposed merger ofQuality Care India Limited (QCIL) into Aster DM Healthcare Limited (Aster) by way of scheme of amalgamation, post which Aster will be renamed as Aster DM Quality Care Limited. Prior to the merger, Aster shall purchase 5.0% stake in QCIL from BCP Asia II TopCo IV Pte. Ltd. (BCP Asia) and Centella Mauritius Holdings Limited (Centella) in consideration of a primary share issuance by Aster. The existing shareholders of QCIL i.e., Centella, BCP and certain minority shareholders are proposed to hold certain stake in the merged entity with Centella holding less than 10% stake, without any control rights.
Aster is a healthcare service provider operating in India through 19 hospitals with 4867 beds, 13 clinics, 215 pharmacies, and 232 labs and patientexperience centers across 6 states in India. It is a part of the Aster Group.
BCP is owned by funds advised and / or managed by affiliates of Blackstone Inc.
Centella is owned and controlled by an entity, which is advised by the affiliates of TPG Inc. (TPG), the ultimate holding company of the TPG group. TPG, including its subsidiaries and affiliates, are together referred to as ‘TPG Group’.
QCIL, is an unlisted public limited company, owned and controlled by Centella, and BCP. It operates a network of multi-specialty hospitals under the brand name CARE Hospitals, KIMS Health and Evercare across various cities in India. It has a network of 26 healthcare centers operating over 5,150+ beds across 14 cities offer over 30 medical specialties with a team of 2,500+ doctors.
Detailed order of the Commission will follow.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
The following is issued on behalf of the Legislative Council Secretariat:
The Legislative Council (LegCo) Panel on Welfare Services and Subcommittee on Issues Relating to the Support for Persons with Disabilities conducted a joint visit to the Siu Lam Integrated Rehabilitation Services Complex (the Complex) today (April 15) to understand its operation since the opening in late February this year.
Accompanied by the Under Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Ho Kai-ming, Members first visited the facilities of the Complex to understand how the design makes use of smart technology and rehabilitation equipment, while incorporating the surrounding natural environment to provide a safe and comfortable living environment for persons with intellectual disabilities, persons with physical disabilities and persons in mental recovery. Members noted that the Complex is jointly operated by the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, SAHK and the New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association, providing 1 150 residential care places and 560 day training places through the medical-social collaboration model to enable quality medical services for the residents with fewer hospital visits.
Members then exchanged views with the representatives of the Government and the three operators on issues such as daily operations, staff training and service quality.
Members who participated in the visit were the Chairman of Panel, Reverend Canon Peter Douglas Koon and Panel member Mr Kenneth Leung; as well as the Chairman of the Subcommittee, Ms Lam So-wai and Subcommittee member Ms Chan Hoi-yan.
Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region
CHP investigates case of invasive meningococcal infection epidemiologically linked with previous case The new case involved a 69-year-old male with chronic diseases, who presented with fever, vomiting and a headache on April 9. He attended the Accident and Emergency Department of Tin Shui Wai Hospital on April 10 and was admitted for treatment on the same day. His cerebrospinal fluid specimen tested positive for Neisseria meningitidis upon laboratory testing. The clinical diagnosis was meningitis. The patient is now in a stable condition.
An initial investigation revealed that the patient had no travel history during the incubation period. His home contacts have remained asymptomatic so far. The patient and the case announced yesterday worked in the same construction site at Block A of the United Christian Hospital (UCH) expansion project. The CHP believes the two cases are epidemiologically linked. The construction site locates outside the clinical service area of the hospital, and it did not involve nosocomial infection.
The CHP staff has conducted epidemiological investigations at the abovementioned construction site, no other staff members at the construction site have developed relevant symptoms so far. The CHP has provided preventive medications to 56 staff members who worked in the same groups as the two patients, and conducted medical surveillance to all staff members of the construction site concerned. The CHP also provided health education to the staff members and advised the contractor to carry out disinfection at the shared facilities, including toilets, rest rooms and changing rooms. In addition, the CHP has followed up with the UCH and learnt that no staff members or patients have been infected at the UCH currently. The CHP appealed to those who work in the construction site at the UCH expansion project and developed relevant symptoms to call the CHP hotline (2125 2374) for health assessment. The hotline will operate from today until April 25. The hotline will operate until 9pm today, and from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays), and from 9am to 1pm on Saturday, Sunday and public holidays. They should seek medical advice immediately if they develop symptoms of infection, such as fever or feeling unwell. The public may visit the CHP’s websiteIssued at HKT 20:40
. Pillen Announces Resignation of DHHS Director Menefee of Public Health
LINCOLN, NE — Today, Governor Jim Pillen announced the resignation of Charity Menefee, director of the Division of Public Health in the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). Menefee, who has served the state since 2021, has made the decision to step down to dedicate more time to her family. Her resignation is effective May 9.
Gov. Pillen expressed his appreciation for Menefee’s dedicated public service, including her service in the military. Menefee recently retired as a lieutenant colonel in the Tennessee Air National Guard after 25 years.
“Charity leaves public service with an impeccable record of dedication to the health and well-being of Nebraskans,” said Gov. Pillen. “Under her leadership, the division reduced processing times from 100 days to 25 for certain licenses and improved disease tracking capabilities throughout the state.”
“Director Menefee stands as the shining example of a person who puts others first,” said DHHS CEO Steve Corsi. “Whether it consisted of late-night meetings coordinating with stakeholders or spending weekends in support of operations tracking infectious diseases and ensuring they were contained, Charity was there to ensure the people of Nebraska were protected.”
“Leading and serving alongside the dedicated people at the Division of Public Health has been the greatest honor of my career,” said Menefee. “I deeply appreciate Governor Pillen for his trust in appointing me and his strong commitment to public health. I also thank CEO Steve Corsi for his support and leadership.”
Further information regarding interim leadership and the selection of permanent leadership will be announced at a later date.
CONSUMER PRICE INDEX NUMBERS ON BASE 2012=100 FOR RURAL,
URBAN AND COMBINED FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH, 2025
Posted On: 15 APR 2025 4:00PM by PIB Delhi
I. Key highlights:
Year-on-year inflation rate based on All India Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the month ofMarch,2025 overMarch,2024 is 3.34% (Provisional). There is a decline of 27 basis points in headline inflation ofMarch, 2025 in comparison to February, 2025. It is the lowest year-on-year inflation after August, 2019.
Food Inflation:Year-on-year inflation rate based on All India Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI) for the month ofMarch,2025 overMarch, 2024 is 2.69% (Provisional). Corresponding inflation rate for rural and urban are 2.82% and 2.48%, respectively. All India inflation rates for CPI (General) and CFPI over the last 13 months are shown below. A sharp decline of 106 basis point is observed in food inflation inMarch, 2025 in comparison to February, 2025. The food inflation in March, 2025 is the lowest after November, 2021.
The significant decline in headline inflation and food inflation during the month of March, 2025 is mainly attributed to decline in inflation of Vegetables, Eggs, Pulses & products, Meat & fish, Cereals & Products and Milk & products.
Rural Inflation:Sharp decline in headline and food inflation in rural sector observed inMarch,2025. The headline inflation is 3.25% (provisional) inMarch, 2025 while the same was 3.79% in February, 2025. The CFPI based food inflation in rural sector is observed as 2.82% in March, 2025 in comparison to 4.06% in February, 2025.
Urban Inflation: Marginal increase from 3.32% in February, 2025 to 3.43% (Provisional) in March, 2025 is observed in headline inflation of urban sector. However, significant decline is observed in food inflation from 3.15% in February, 2025 to 2.48% in March, 2025.
Housing Inflation:Year-on-year Housing inflation rate for the month ofMarch, 2025 is 3.03%. Corresponding inflation rate for the month of February, 2025 was 2.91%. The housing index is compiled for urban sector only.
Fuel & light:Year-on-year Fuel & light inflation rate for the month of March, 2025 is 1.48%. Corresponding inflation rate for the month of February, 2025 was -1.33%. It is the combined inflation rate for both rural and urban sector.
Education Inflation:Year-on-year Education inflation rate for the month of March, 2025 is 3.98%. The inflation rate observed in the month of February, 2025 was 3.83%. It is the combined education inflation for both rural and urban sector.
Health Inflation:Year-on-year Health inflation rate for the month ofMarch, 2025 is 4.26%. Corresponding inflation rate for the month ofFebruary, 2025 was 4.12%. It is the combined health inflation for both rural and urban sector.
Transport & Communication:Year-on-year Transport & communication inflation rate for the month of March, 2025 is 3.30%. Corresponding inflation rate for the month ofFebruary, 2025 was 2.93%. It is combined inflation rate for both rural and urban sector.
Top five items with highest inflation: The top five items showing highest year on year Inflation at All India level in March, 2025 are coconut oil (56.81%), coconut (42.05%), gold (34.09%), silver (31.57%) and grapes (25.55%)
Top five items with lowest inflation: The key items having lowest year on year inflation in March, 2025 are ginger (-38.11%), tomato (-34.96%), cauliflower (-25.99%), jeera (-25.86%) and garlic (-25.22%). For other data related to All India Item Index and Inflation, please visit the websitewww.cpi.mospi.gov.in.
Top five major states with high Year on Year inflation for the month of March, 2025 are shown in the graph below.
All India Inflation rates (on point to point basis i.e. current month March, 2025 viz-a-viz last Month, i.e. February, 2025 and over same month of last year i.e. March,2024), based on General Indices and CFPIs are given as follows:
All India year-on-year inflation rates (%) based on CPI (General) and CFPI: March, 2025 over
March, 2024
March, 2025 (Prov.)
February, 2025 (Final)
March, 2024
Rural
Urban
Combd.
Rural
Urban
Combd.
Rural
Urban
Combd.
Inflation
CPI (General)
3.25
3.43
3.34
3.79
3.32
3.61
5.51
4.14
4.85
CFPI
2.82
2.48
2.69
4.06
3.15
3.75
8.55
8.41
8.52
Index
CPI (General)
193.9
189.9
192.0
194.5
190.1
192.5
187.8
183.6
185.8
CFPI
193.1
198.2
194.9
194.8
199.8
196.6
187.8
193.4
189.8
Notes: Prov. – Provisional, Combd. – Combined
Monthly changes in the General Indices and CFPIs are given below:
Monthly changes (%) in All India CPI (General) and CFPI: March, 2025 over February, 2025
Indices
March 2025 (Prov.)
February, 2025 (Final)
Monthly change (%)
Rural
Urban
Combd.
Rural
Urban
Combd.
Rural
Urban
Combd.
CPI (General)
193.9
189.9
192.0
194.5
190.1
192.5
-0.31
-0.11
-0.26
CFPI
193.1
198.2
194.9
194.8
199.8
196.6
-0.87
-0.80
-0.86
Notes: Prov. – Provisional, Combd. – Combined
Response rate:The price data are collected from selected 1114 urban Markets and 1181 villages covering all States/UTs through personal visits by field staff of Field Operations Division of NSO, MoSPI on a weekly roster. During the month of March, 2025, NSO collected prices from 100% villages and 98.6% urban markets while the market-wise prices reported therein were 89.8% for rural and 92.6% for urban.
All-India General, Group and Sub-group level CPI and CFPI numbers for February, 2025 (Final) and March, 2025 (Provisional) for Rural, Urban and Combined (Annexure I)
II
All-India inflation rates (%) for General, Group and Sub-group level CPI and CFPI numbers for March, 2025 (Provisional) for Rural, Urban and Combined (Annexure II)
III
General CPI for States for Rural, Urban and Combined for February, 2025 (Final) and March, 2025 (Provisional) (Annexure III)
IV
Year-on-year inflation rates (%) of major States for Rural, Urban and Combined for March, 2025 (Provisional) (Annexure IV)
V
Time Series Data for All India General CPI (Base 2012 =100) Since January, 2013 (Annexure V)
VI
Annexure- I
All-India General, Group and Sub-group level CPI and CFPI numbers forFebruary, 2025(Final) and March, 2025 (Provisional) for Rural, Urban and Combined (Base: 2012=100)
Group Code
Sub-group Code
Description
Rural
Urban
Combined
Weights
Feb. 25 Index (Final)
Mar. 25 Index (Prov.)
Weights
Feb. 25 Index (Final)
Mar. 25 Index (Prov.)
Weights
Feb. 25 Index (Final)
Mar. 25 Index (Prov.)
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)
(11)
(12)
1.1.01
Cereals and products
12.35
200.6
200.8
6.59
198.6
198.9
9.67
200.0
200.2
1.1.02
Meat and fish
4.38
219.1
218.1
2.73
229.0
228.3
3.61
222.6
221.7
1.1.03
Egg
0.49
194.9
185.3
0.36
200.0
190.3
0.43
196.9
187.2
1.1.04
Milk and products
7.72
187.6
187.9
5.33
188.4
188.3
6.61
187.9
188.0
1.1.05
Oils and fats
4.21
188.9
189.7
2.81
176.0
177.4
3.56
184.2
185.2
1.1.06
Fruits
2.88
195.1
201.6
2.90
198.7
204.7
2.89
196.8
203.0
1.1.07
Vegetables
7.46
181.2
171.0
4.41
216.8
204.3
6.04
193.3
182.3
1.1.08
Pulses and products
2.95
200.2
194.3
1.73
205.1
199.3
2.38
201.9
196.0
1.1.09
Sugar and Confectionery
1.70
131.4
133.1
0.97
133.8
135.0
1.36
132.2
133.7
1.1.10
Spices
3.11
224.8
222.9
1.79
222.1
220.5
2.50
223.9
222.1
1.2.11
Non-alcoholic beverages
1.37
188.3
188.9
1.13
177.3
178.0
1.26
183.7
184.3
1.1.12
Prepared meals, snacks, sweets etc.
5.56
202.4
202.9
5.54
214.0
214.9
5.55
207.8
208.5
1
Food and beverages
54.18
195.4
194.0
36.29
201.3
200.1
45.86
197.6
196.2
2
Pan, tobacco and intoxicants
3.26
209.0
209.7
1.36
213.4
213.8
2.38
210.2
210.8
3.1.01
Clothing
6.32
200.7
201.0
4.72
190.8
191.2
5.58
196.8
197.1
3.1.02
Footwear
1.04
194.1
194.3
0.85
176.2
176.7
0.95
186.7
187.0
3
Clothing and footwear
7.36
199.8
200.0
5.57
188.6
189.0
6.53
195.4
195.6
4
Housing
–
–
–
21.67
183.7
183.6
10.07
183.7
183.6
5
Fuel and light
7.94
182.8
182.7
5.58
171.0
171.3
6.84
178.3
178.4
6.1.01
Household goods and services
3.75
187.7
187.3
3.87
179.1
179.6
3.80
183.6
183.7
6.1.02
Health
6.83
201.6
202.4
4.81
196.3
197.4
5.89
199.6
200.5
6.1.03
Transport and communication
7.60
177.7
178.1
9.73
166.6
166.9
8.59
171.9
172.2
6.1.04
Recreation and amusement
1.37
181.9
181.1
2.04
177.3
177.7
1.68
179.3
179.2
6.1.05
Education
3.46
192.6
193.1
5.62
188.2
188.6
4.46
190.0
190.5
6.1.06
Personal care and effects
4.25
214.2
216.8
3.47
216.3
219.2
3.89
215.1
217.8
6
Miscellaneous
27.26
192.9
193.5
29.53
183.8
184.6
28.32
188.5
189.2
General Index (All Groups)
100.00
194.5
193.9
100.00
190.1
189.9
100.00
192.5
192.0
Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI)
47.25
194.8
193.1
29.62
199.8
198.2
39.06
196.6
194.9
Notes:
Prov. : Provisional.
CFPI : Out of 12 sub-groups contained in ‘Food and Beverages’ group, CFPI is based on ten sub-groups, excluding ‘Non-alcoholic beverages’ and ‘Prepared meals, snacks, sweets etc.’.
– : CPI (Rural) for housing is not compiled.
Annexure- II
All-Indiayear-on-yearinflation rates (%) for General, Group and Sub-group level CPI and CFPI numbers for March, 2025 (Provisional) for Rural, Urban and Combined(Base: 2012=100)
Group Code
Sub-group Code
Description
Rural
Urban
Combined
Mar. 24Index (Final)
Mar. 25
Index (Prov.)
Inflation Rate (%)
Mar. 24Index (Final)
Mar. 25
Index (Prov.)
Inflation Rate (%)
Mar. 24Index (Final)
Mar. 25
Index (Prov.)
Inflation Rate (%)
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)
(11)
(12)
1.1.01
Cereals and products
189.3
200.8
6.08
188.5
198.9
5.52
189.0
200.2
5.93
1.1.02
Meat and fish
217.9
218.1
0.09
226.7
228.3
0.71
221.0
221.7
0.32
1.1.03
Egg
192.7
185.3
-3.84
194.3
190.3
-2.06
193.3
187.2
-3.16
1.1.04
Milk and products
183.2
187.9
2.57
183.6
188.3
2.56
183.3
188.0
2.56
1.1.05
Oils and fats
160.2
189.7
18.41
154.7
177.4
14.67
158.2
185.2
17.07
1.1.06
Fruits
172.8
201.6
16.67
176.7
204.7
15.85
174.6
203.0
16.27
1.1.07
Vegetables
182.5
171.0
-6.30
222.6
204.3
-8.22
196.1
182.3
-7.04
1.1.08
Pulses and products
199.7
194.3
-2.70
205.0
199.3
-2.78
201.5
196.0
-2.73
1.1.09
Sugar and Confectionery
128.0
133.1
3.98
130.1
135.0
3.77
128.7
133.7
3.89
1.1.10
Spices
236.3
222.9
-5.67
228.2
220.5
-3.37
233.6
222.1
-4.92
1.2.11
Non-alcoholic beverages
182.1
188.9
3.73
170.3
178.0
4.52
177.2
184.3
4.01
1.1.12
Prepared meals, snacks, sweets etc.
195.9
202.9
3.57
204.6
214.9
5.03
199.9
208.5
4.30
1
Food and beverages
188.5
194.0
2.92
194.4
200.1
2.93
190.7
196.2
2.88
2
Pan, tobacco and intoxicants
204.0
209.7
2.79
210.2
213.8
1.71
205.7
210.8
2.48
3.1.01
Clothing
195.8
201.0
2.66
185.8
191.2
2.91
191.9
197.1
2.71
3.1.02
Footwear
191.1
194.3
1.67
172.3
176.7
2.55
183.3
187.0
2.02
3
Clothing and footwear
195.1
200.0
2.51
183.8
189.0
2.83
190.6
195.6
2.62
4
Housing
–
–
–
178.2
183.6
3.03
178.2
183.6
3.03
5
Fuel and light
181.0
182.7
0.94
167.4
171.3
2.33
175.8
178.4
1.48
6.1.01
Household goods and services
183.3
187.3
2.18
174.0
179.6
3.22
178.9
183.7
2.68
6.1.02
Health
194.3
202.4
4.17
189.1
197.4
4.39
192.3
200.5
4.26
6.1.03
Transport and communication
172.0
178.1
3.55
161.9
166.9
3.09
166.7
172.2
3.30
6.1.04
Recreation and amusement
177.8
181.1
1.86
172.8
177.7
2.84
175.0
179.2
2.40
6.1.05
Education
186.1
193.1
3.76
181.2
188.6
4.08
183.2
190.5
3.98
6.1.06
Personal care and effects
191.3
216.8
13.33
192.8
219.2
13.69
191.9
217.8
13.50
6
Miscellaneous
184.2
193.5
5.05
176.0
184.6
4.89
180.2
189.2
4.99
General Index (All Groups)
187.8
193.9
3.25
183.6
189.9
3.43
185.8
192.0
3.34
Consumer Food Price Index
187.8
193.1
2.82
193.4
198.2
2.48
189.8
194.9
2.69
Notes:
Prov. : Provisional.
– : CPI (Rural) for housing is not compiled.
Annexure- III
General CPI for States for Rural, Urban and Combined forFebruary, 2025(Final) and March, 2025 (Provisional) (Base: 2012=100)
Sl. No.
Name of the State/UT
Rural
Urban
Combined
Weights
Feb. 25 Index (Final)
Mar. 25 Index (Prov.)
Weights
Feb. 25 Index (Final)
Mar. 25 Index (Prov.)
Weights
Feb. 25 Index (Final)
Mar. 25 Index (Prov.)
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)
(11)
1
Andhra Pradesh
5.40
196.3
195.7
3.64
198.5
197.9
4.58
197.1
196.5
2
Arunachal Pradesh
0.14
196.9
196.2
0.06
—
—
0.10
196.9
196.2
3
Assam
2.63
196.8
195.8
0.79
194.4
194.0
1.77
196.3
195.4
4
Bihar
8.21
187.8
187.4
1.62
197.8
197.2
5.14
189.3
188.8
5
Chhattisgarh
1.68
186.6
185.7
1.22
181.4
180.8
1.46
184.6
183.8
6
Delhi
0.28
174.5
174.2
5.64
171.6
171.8
2.77
171.8
171.9
7
Goa
0.14
184.0
185.6
0.25
182.1
182.8
0.19
182.8
183.9
8
Gujarat
4.54
189.4
188.7
6.82
178.6
179.0
5.60
183.3
183.2
9
Haryana
3.30
196.2
196.1
3.35
184.0
184.6
3.32
190.5
190.7
10
Himachal Pradesh
1.03
180.0
179.4
0.26
184.9
184.7
0.67
180.9
180.4
11
Jharkhand
1.96
186.2
185.1
1.39
189.6
189.8
1.69
187.5
186.9
12
Karnataka
5.09
199.1
198.3
6.81
201.0
201.0
5.89
200.1
199.8
13
Kerala
5.50
207.6
207.5
3.46
201.6
201.4
4.55
205.5
205.3
14
Madhya Pradesh
4.93
191.5
191.1
3.97
192.4
192.4
4.48
191.9
191.6
15
Maharashtra
8.25
192.4
192.0
18.86
186.7
186.6
13.18
188.6
188.4
16
Manipur
0.23
229.5
227.2
0.12
189.2
188.7
0.18
216.7
215.0
17
Meghalaya
0.28
178.6
178.2
0.15
186.5
186.0
0.22
181.1
180.6
18
Mizoram
0.07
207.3
207.1
0.13
181.5
181.9
0.10
191.6
191.7
19
Nagaland
0.14
202.4
201.5
0.12
184.4
184.3
0.13
194.7
194.2
20
Odisha
2.93
196.4
195.3
1.31
186.7
186.1
2.18
193.7
192.7
21
Punjab
3.31
188.6
188.8
3.09
178.3
179.3
3.21
184.0
184.5
22
Rajasthan
6.63
190.5
189.9
4.23
188.2
188.1
5.51
189.7
189.3
23
Sikkim
0.06
203.1
201.4
0.03
188.1
187.8
0.05
198.2
197.0
24
Tamil Nadu
5.55
202.3
200.3
9.20
199.2
198.3
7.25
200.5
199.1
25
Telangana
3.16
203.4
202.2
4.41
199.9
198.5
3.74
201.5
200.2
26
Tripura
0.35
208.5
209.8
0.14
200.0
199.4
0.25
206.3
207.1
27
Uttar Pradesh
14.83
193.1
192.8
9.54
190.2
190.2
12.37
192.1
191.9
28
Uttarakhand
1.06
187.2
187.4
0.73
192.3
192.7
0.91
189.1
189.4
29
West Bengal
6.99
196.8
196.5
7.20
193.8
193.4
7.09
195.4
195.0
30
Andaman & Nicobar Islands
0.05
200.1
200.1
0.07
188.2
187.6
0.06
194.0
193.7
31
Chandigarh
0.02
189.9
190.0
0.34
177.5
177.6
0.17
178.2
178.3
32
Dadra & Nagar Haveli
0.02
178.5
176.7
0.04
186.3
185.2
0.03
183.7
182.4
33
Daman & Diu
0.02
197.6
196.9
0.02
186.8
186.4
0.02
193.1
192.5
34
Jammu & Kashmir*
1.14
204.7
205.4
0.72
197.7
197.7
0.94
202.2
202.7
35
Lakshadweep
0.01
198.3
197.9
0.01
188.1
189.6
0.01
193.1
193.7
36
Puducherry
0.08
206.6
203.9
0.27
197.6
196.5
0.17
199.9
198.4
All India
100.00
194.5
193.9
100.00
190.1
189.9
100.00
192.5
192.0
Notes:
Prov.: Provisional
–: indicates the receipt of price schedules is less than 80% of allocated schedules and therefore indices are not compiled.
*: Figures of this row pertain to the prices and weights of the combined Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir
and Ladakh (erstwhile State of Jammu & Kashmir).
Annexure- IV
Year-on-year inflation rates (%) of major@ States for Rural, Urban and Combined for March, 2025 (Provisional) (Base: 2012=100)
Sl. No.
Name of the State/UT
Rural
Urban
Combined
Mar. 24Index (Final)
Mar. 25
Index (Prov.)
Inflation Rate (%)
Mar. 24Index (Final)
Mar. 25
Index (Prov.)
Inflation Rate (%)
Mar. 24Index (Final)
Mar. 25
Index (Prov.)
Inflation Rate (%)
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)
(8)
(9)
(10)
(11)
1
Andhra Pradesh
191.6
195.7
2.14
191.9
197.9
3.13
191.7
196.5
2.50
2
Assam
189.4
195.8
3.38
184.8
194.0
4.98
188.5
195.4
3.66
3
Bihar
182.2
187.4
2.85
188.7
197.2
4.50
183.1
188.8
3.11
4
Chhattisgarh
177.4
185.7
4.68
174.5
180.8
3.61
176.3
183.8
4.25
5
Delhi
169.6
174.2
2.71
169.4
171.8
1.42
169.4
171.9
1.48
6
Gujarat
183.9
188.7
2.61
174.3
179.0
2.70
178.5
183.2
2.63
7
Haryana
188.9
196.1
3.81
177.8
184.6
3.82
183.7
190.7
3.81
8
Himachal Pradesh
173.9
179.4
3.16
178.7
184.7
3.36
174.8
180.4
3.20
9
Jharkhand
182.5
185.1
1.42
184.0
189.8
3.15
183.1
186.9
2.08
10
Karnataka
190.5
198.3
4.09
191.9
201.0
4.74
191.3
199.8
4.44
11
Kerala
193.4
207.5
7.29
191.1
201.4
5.39
192.6
205.3
6.59
12
Madhya Pradesh
184.7
191.1
3.47
187.4
192.4
2.67
185.8
191.6
3.12
13
Maharashtra
186.3
192.0
3.06
179.0
186.6
4.25
181.4
188.4
3.86
14
Odisha
188.8
195.3
3.44
181.3
186.1
2.65
186.7
192.7
3.21
15
Punjab
181.4
188.8
4.08
173.8
179.3
3.16
178.0
184.5
3.65
16
Rajasthan
184.9
189.9
2.70
183.6
188.1
2.45
184.4
189.3
2.66
17
Tamil Nadu
193.3
200.3
3.62
190.9
198.3
3.88
191.9
199.1
3.75
18
Telangana
201.8
202.2
0.20
195.0
198.5
1.79
198.1
200.2
1.06
19
Uttar Pradesh
187.2
192.8
2.99
184.8
190.2
2.92
186.3
191.9
3.01
20
Uttarakhand
181.9
187.4
3.02
183.6
192.7
4.96
182.5
189.4
3.78
21
West Bengal
190.5
196.5
3.15
187.3
193.4
3.26
189.0
195.0
3.17
22
Jammu & Kashmir*
196.8
205.4
4.37
191.4
197.7
3.29
194.9
202.7
4.00
All India
187.8
193.9
3.25
183.6
189.9
3.43
185.8
192.0
3.34
Notes:
Prov. : Provisional.
* : Figures of this row pertain to the prices and weights of the combined Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh (erstwhile State of Jammu & Kashmir).
@ : States having population more than 50 lakhs as per Population Census 2011.
Annexure-V
Time Series Data for All India General CPI (Base 2012 =100) Since January, 2013
Year
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
2013
104.6
105.3
105.5
106.1
106.9
109.3
111.0
112.4
113.7
114.8
116.3
114.5
2014
113.6
113.6
114.2
115.1
115.8
116.7
119.2
120.3
120.1
120.1
120.1
119.4
2015
119.5
119.7
120.2
120.7
121.6
123.0
123.6
124.8
125.4
126.1
126.6
126.1
2016
126.3
126.0
126.0
127.3
128.6
130.1
131.1
131.1
130.9
131.4
131.2
130.4
2017
130.3
130.6
130.9
131.1
131.4
132.0
134.2
135.4
135.2
136.1
137.6
137.2
2018
136.9
136.4
136.5
137.1
137.8
138.5
139.8
140.4
140.2
140.7
140.8
140.1
2019
139.6
139.9
140.4
141.2
142.0
142.9
144.2
145.0
145.8
147.2
148.6
150.4
2020
150.2
149.1
148.6
151.4
150.9
151.8
153.9
154.7
156.4
158.4
158.9
157.3
2021
156.3
156.6
156.8
157.8
160.4
161.3
162.5
162.9
163.2
165.5
166.7
166.2
2022
165.7
166.1
167.7
170.1
171.7
172.6
173.4
174.3
175.3
176.7
176.5
175.7
2023
176.5
176.8
177.2
178.1
179.1
181.0
186.3
186.2
184.1
185.3
186.3
185.7
2024
185.5
185.8
185.8
186.7
187.7
190.2
193.0
193.0
194.2
196.8
196.5
195.4
2025
193.4
192.5
192.0*
Notes:
* : Index Value for March 2025 is Provisional.
Annexure-VI
Year
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
2014
8.60
7.88
8.25
8.48
8.33
6.77
7.39
7.03
5.63
4.62
3.27
4.28
2015
5.19
5.37
5.25
4.87
5.01
5.40
3.69
3.74
4.41
5.00
5.41
5.61
2016
5.69
5.26
4.83
5.47
5.76
5.77
6.07
5.05
4.39
4.20
3.63
3.41
2017
3.17
3.65
3.89
2.99
2.18
1.46
2.36
3.28
3.28
3.58
4.88
5.21
2018
5.07
4.44
4.28
4.58
4.87
4.92
4.17
3.69
3.70
3.38
2.33
2.11
2019
1.97
2.57
2.86
2.99
3.05
3.18
3.15
3.28
3.99
4.62
5.54
7.35
2020
7.59
6.58
5.84
–
–
6.23
6.73
6.69
7.27
7.61
6.93
4.59
2021
4.06
5.03
5.52
4.23
6.30
6.26
5.59
5.30
4.35
4.48
4.91
5.66
2022
6.01
6.07
6.95
7.79
7.04
7.01
6.71
7.00
7.41
6.77
5.88
5.72
2023
6.52
6.44
5.66
4.70
4.31
4.87
7.44
6.83
5.02
4.87
5.55
5.69
2024
5.10
5.09
4.85
4.83
4.80
5.08
3.60
3.65
5.49
6.21
5.48
5.22
2025
4.26
3.61
3.34*
Notes:
* : Inflation Value for March 2025 is Provisional.
– : Inflation was not compiled and released due to Covid-19 pandemic outbreak.
Question for written answer E-001448/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Letizia Moratti (PPE)
In the area of scientific research, considerable strides have been made in the development of innovative cancer therapies that offer patients new treatment options. The most notable include: immunotherapy, which attacks cancer cells by means of the patient’s immune system; targeted therapies, which targets the specific genetic mutations in cancer cells; nanomedicine, which delivers drugs directly to cancer cells via nanoparticles; liquid biopsies, which detects circulating tumour cells; advanced therapies with modified cells that accurately combat cancer, also by means of the patient’s immune system.
Those therapies’ success has significantly increased survival rates, but it is difficult for patients to identify and access the most effective treatment, as they lack comparable and best practice data.
In the light of the above:
1.Will the Commission build up, coordinate and collect data for a systematic assessment of the effectiveness of innovative cancer therapies, comparing best practices with regard to their outcomes on patient survival and quality of life?
2.Will it foster patient access to treatment and related data, possibly through the establishment of a European database, including within the framework of the European Health Data Space?
3.Will it support research and the deployment of new technologies to improve the effectiveness of cancer treatments?
Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) introduced the bipartisan Every State Counts for Veterans Mental Health Act to ensure veterans in every state, including Delaware, can benefit from critical suicide prevention resources.
When Congress passed the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act of 2019, it authorized several new programs designed to improve veterans’ access to mental health care. Among the provisions, the bill established the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program (SSG Fox SPGP) to reduce veteran suicide through a community-based approach.
Although SSG Fox SPGP authorized $174 million to be appropriated for fiscal year 2021 through fiscal year 2025, neither North Dakota nor Delaware, nor entities serving these states, have received any funding.
The Every State Counts for Veterans Mental Health Act would address this by providing priority consideration of SSG Fox SPGP applications to entities in states that have not previously received a grant.
“We have a duty to support those who have volunteered to serve in our armed forces, and no aid is more urgent than helping our veterans at risk of suicide,” said Senator Coons. “Until now, Delaware has missed out on critical funds to address veterans’ mental health and suicide risk despite the amazing organizations in the First State ready to expand their reach. This bill rights that wrong so that more Delaware veterans who have risked their lives to keep us safe will receive the life-saving support they deserve when they come home.”
“Veterans across North Dakota and the nation bravely served our country and have been promised timely access to mental healthcare, no matter where they live,” said Senator Cramer. “Our bipartisan bill provides a practical fix to ensure North Dakota veterans receive suicide prevention support if they need it.”
You can read the full text of the bill here.
Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
As part of a working visit to Kamchatka Krai, Deputy Prime Minister and Presidential Plenipotentiary Representative in the Far Eastern Federal District Yuri Trutnev familiarized himself with the progress of construction of the Kamchatka Regional Hospital, which is being created within the framework of the state program “Healthcare Development”, and visited the year-round greenhouse complex “Kamchatsky” in the priority development area “Kamchatka”.
“We talked with the Governor of Kamchatka Krai Vladimir Viktorovich Solodov, he said that the main period of construction of the hospital, when the work was actually underway, was four years. As for impressions of the services, it is not my impressions that are important, but the assessment of patients, the quality of services that will be provided to them, and the opinion of doctors. It seems to me that the doctors are in a good mood. You can see it in their eyes. This is not the last inspection of this facility. The hospital will be launched in the middle of next month. We will definitely come to see the work of the hospital,” said Yuri Trutnev.
Despite the sanctions, the best medical equipment has been purchased for the medical center – more than 700 units of equipment, many of which were produced in 2024 and have no analogues in the Far East. Thanks to the unique, state-of-the-art equipment, the range of high-tech operations that will be carried out in Kamchatka is expanding.
Among them is a unique MRI machine, one of four in Russia. This equipment will allow the introduction of advanced treatment methods and will provide the highest level of medical care for decades to come.
For the first time in Kamchatka, a single operating block has been created with nine operating rooms equipped with advanced equipment, including navigation systems for joint prosthetics and modern operating microscopes. Operations will be integrated into a single medical information system, which will simplify doctors’ access to patient data directly during surgery and telemedicine consultations with leading Russian medical institutes.
This year, departments such as neurosurgery, general surgery, ENT department, urology center, traumatology and orthopedics, maxillofacial surgery, anesthesiology and resuscitation, hemodialysis and gravitational blood surgery, as well as departments of radiation and functional diagnostics together with a clinical diagnostic laboratory will move to the new Kamchatka hospital.
The new Kamchatka Regional Hospital is the most long-awaited facility for residents of the region. Completion of its construction has become a key area of the people’s program for the development of Kamchatka Krai, formed on the basis of proposals from residents in 2020 at the initiative of Governor Vladimir Solodov.
The new hospital is designed for 150 visits per shift and 450 beds. The area of the complex will be more than 63 thousand square meters, and the total area of the hospital territory provides for further development of treatment areas and will be more than 41 hectares.
The construction of the Kamchatka Regional Hospital is being carried out in two stages. The first stage includes a treatment and diagnostic building, a ward building with 175 beds and engineering structures. The second stage includes an administrative and outpatient clinic building, a ward building with 275 beds, a pathology department and a block of auxiliary departments. Additionally, a children’s regional hospital will be created.
Yuri Trutnev also visited the year-round greenhouse complex “Kamchatsky”, created on the initiative of the head of the region Vladimir Solodov and within the framework of the people’s program. The new production was created on the territory of the priority development area “Kamchatka”, within the boundaries of the agro-industrial park “Zelenovskie ozerki”, located in the village of Razdolny, Yelizovsky district. The opening of the complex took place in early February 2025.
The launch of the facility will allow growing fresh vegetables at affordable prices and covering up to 60% of the population’s needs. In particular, this will make it possible to reduce the region’s dependence on external supplies. Industrial production of this scale has not been carried out in Kamchatka since Soviet times, and the level of automation and modern approaches to production are unprecedented for the region.
The greenhouse’s production area is 3.6 hectares. Three varieties of tomatoes are grown here: round medium-fruited tomatoes of the “Merlis” variety, plum-shaped tomatoes of the “Prunax” variety and cherry tomatoes of the “Confetto” variety, as well as cucumbers of two varieties: medium-fruited “Meva” and short-fruited “Valigora” with a flower.
Since the sowing of the main crops in December 2024, more than 490 tons of vegetable products have already been grown and shipped to retail chains. After reaching the production capacity of 2.8 thousand tons per year, the production will be able to meet up to 75% of the Kamchatka Territory’s need for fresh and affordable vegetables.
On the same day, the Deputy Prime Minister awarded the winners of the seventh public and business award “Star of the Far East”, who are implementing investment and public projects in Kamchatka Krai.
The winner of the Strategic Development nomination was Highland Gold, a company engaged in the extraction of precious and non-ferrous metals. The group’s projects are concentrated in the Far East, and in the Kamchatka Territory it is represented by three operating enterprises. As one of the largest investors in the region, Highland Gold initiates and supports environmental, social, infrastructure and other projects in the region that contribute to the development of the socio-economic sphere, including in remote areas of the peninsula.
The winner of the Hectare of Victory nomination was Nadezhda Tikhonova, Chairperson of the Kamchatka Regional Public Organization “Kalmyk Community “Bumbin Orn” (“Country of Happiness”), Director of the Delo Pobedy Charitable Foundation. She built an ethnosports complex on her property. The Delo Pobedy Foundation provides advisory and explanatory work for SVO participants and their families. In November-December 2022, the leaders of national associations of the Kamchatka Territory raised funds and directed them to create a project for the production of unmanned radio-controlled systems, and volunteers of the Delo Pobedy Charitable Foundation established the production and supply of multifunctional unmanned radio-controlled systems for evacuating the wounded, delivering everything necessary, mining and firing at the front lines.
Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.
Source: Africa Press Organisation – English (2) – Report:
MARRAKECH, Morocco, April 15, 2025/APO Group/ —
During the third annual edition of GITEX AFRICA Morocco (www.GITEXAfrica.com), the continent’s largest tech and startup show, His Excellency Mr. Amine Tehraoui, Morocco’s Minister of Health and Social Protection announced the launch of GITEX FUTURE HEALTH AFRICA/Morocco – in partnership with KAOUN International, organiser of GITEX in Africa and globally.
The much anticipated and pivotal event for the healthcare economy was officially launched with the signing of the partnership agreement, and will be held under the authority of Morocco’s Minister of Health and Social Protection, hosted in partnership with Mohammed VI Foundation for Sciences and Health (FM6SS), and organised by KOAUN International, the organiser of GITEX in Africa and globally.
To be hosted in Casablanca from 21-23 April 2026, GITEX FUTURE HEALTH AFRICA/Morocco, featuring GITEX DIGI_HEALTH, is set to lead the transformation impetus of Morocco and Africa to combat challenges in healthcare information, delivery, access and efficiency, capitalising on the emergence of AI and digital technologies.
H.E. Mr. Amine Tehraoui, Minister of Health and Social Protection, stated:“GITEX FUTURE HEALTH AFRICA/Morocco embodies the Kingdom’s unwavering commitment to health as a fundamental and universal human right, enshrined in our national vision for health system reform. As digital innovation, data intelligence, and health tech increasingly shape the future of care delivery across Africa, this platform reinforces Morocco’s position as a regional hub for collaboration, talent, and investment. Through international partnerships, strategic innovation, and shared expertise, we have a unique opportunity to co-build inclusive, resilient, and people-centered healthcare systems for the continent and beyond.”
For its part, the Mohammed VI Foundation for Sciences and Health emphasized its strategic vision: “As a major player in the fields of health, training, and scientific research, the Mohammed VI Foundation for Sciences and Health is committed, alongside the Ministry of Health and Social Protection and KAOUN International, to making Morocco a continental hub for healthtech. By contributing its medical and academic expertise through the development of digital health and medical technologies in Morocco and Africa, we aim to help shape the healthcare ecosystem of tomorrow.”
Morocco has emerged as a pioneer in digital health initiatives and advancing expeditiously towards an integrated health information system, fostering the adoption of innovative medical technologies to build a resilient healthcare infrastructure and system. The African healthcare market is estimated to be worth US$259 billion and expected to become the second biggest market after the US by 2030.
Trixie LohMirmand, CEO of KAOUN International, organiser of GITEX globally, commented: “There is urgency from governments and healthcare institutions worldwide – and especially in Africa – to modernise and digitise their healthcare services to increase reach, reduce healthcare costs and deliver better patient outcomes. GITEX FUTURE HEALTH AFRICA/Morocco will highlight the role and growing influence of AI and new digital solutions to improve data-driven decision making and reduce health inequities. The event will prioritise public-private partnerships which are particularly instrumental in this digital mission to advance the industry productively and efficiently.”
The three-day event will open with an agenda shaping leadership summit tackling powerful themes – accelerating cutting-edge solutions set to transform access, outcomes and health equity. Targeting decision-making executives from hospitals and healthcare institutions, health ministers and government leaders, CIOs, CTOs, innovators and disruptors, and public health policymakers – topics during the summit will explore health infrastructure, expanded access to healthcare, investment and research, data security and national records integration, health and data analytics, and AI-powered diagnostics.
An exhibition will bring together top researchers, practitioners, innovators, and experts from the global healthcare industry – representing Africa’s most important gathering of medical & lab equipment, imaging & diagnostics, IT systems & solutions, healthcare infrastructure, healthcare transformation, smart hospitals, healthcare management, and digital health management systems in Africa.
Nineteen female fourth-year UConn medical students in the Class of 2025 have met their career match in surgery. They are choosing to enter the surgery fields at residency training programs at UConn and across the country. Their surgery-heavy training fields include general surgery, orthopaedics, ophthalmology, ENT, and OB/GYN.
“We have a really amazing group of women – possibly the largest group ever – who matched to a robust set of competitive surgical residency programs,” said Dr. Marilyn Katz, assistant dean for Medical Student Affairs at UConn School of Medicine.
UConn Bound One of the graduating UConn medical students is Kyanna Alleyne, 26, of West Hartford who is staying at UConn for residency training to become a future orthopaedic surgeon.
“I’m so excited to stay at UConn and in Connecticut. My whole family is here. I knew I wanted to be at UConn,” says Alleyne who is so proud to see so many of her fellow female classmates choosing to enter the surgery fields too.
“It’s amazing,” says Alleyne. “I love to see it. We do a lot of work at UConn to get more girls and women interested in surgery careers.”
Future surgeons Kyanna Alleyne and Desiree Dear are both staying in their home state of Connecticut for a UConn surgical residency training program (Tina Encarnacion/UConn Health photo).
She was inspired to become an ortho expert after being a student athlete playing soccer at American University: “I’ve been around a ton of injuries,” she says. “Daily function of your body, even your hands, is so important.”
Alleyne was also inspired to become an ortho surgeon thanks to her mentor Orthopaedic Surgeon Dr. Katherine Coyner at UConn Health who is also director of the new Women’s Center for Motion and Performance and an Orthopedic Team Physician for the UConn Huskies college athletes.
“Dr. Coyner has helped me every step of the way during medical school. She takes mentorship of women very seriously and it shows from middle and high school girls to medical students to college athletes at UConn,” she says.
Alleyne has volunteered in Coyner’s numerous workshops for female youth and medical students introducing them to the primarily male-dominated fields like orthopaedic surgery to recognize their potential to succeed in these fields.
Desiree Dear, 28, of Bethel is also thrilled to be staying at UConn for residency too but in ENT. She also attended UConn as an undergrad.
“UConn is such a family. We are very diverse, and UConn trains and show us the diverse fields of medicine too,” says Dear.
Her mentor is Dr. Kourosh Parham, professor of ENT at UConn School of Medicine and UConn Health.
(Tina Encarnacion/UConn Health photo).
“Dr. Parham is extremely supportive. I really liked learning about ENT, its surgical field and its outpatient care. Plus, I love the longitudinal relationships you can make with your ENT patients ranging from managing hearing loss to head and neck cancer surgery care,” says Dear.
“UConn always has a focus to increase female representation. Seeing all these women entering diverse fields of surgery specialties is definitely inspiring. I hope it inspires other medical school classes in the future,” says Dear. “I am looking forward to graduation and experiencing the culmination of our medical education and celebrating with my classmates.”
Parham, her mentor, is celebrating the record five UConn medical students who matched into ENT residency this year, and four of the five are women.
“There was an outstanding group of UConn medical students, including Desiree, in the match applying to otolaryngology this year. We could not be more delighted with the result of the match that allowed us to retain a talent like Desiree at UConn. We are excited about the next five years,” shared Parham.
UConn Made Doctors Becoming Future Women Surgeons
It’s a match! Some of the many female graduating UConn medical students choosing a future career in the surgery fields include (top row) Margaret Boudreau, Caitlin Foster, Vedika Karandikar, Carly Malesky, Desiree Dear, Kyanna Alleyne, Emily Orosco, (bottom row) Grace Nichols, Sarishka Desai, Summer Xu, Khaoula Ben Haj Frej, Julia Silverman, and Cailyn Regan. (Tina Encarnacion/UConn Health photo)
Other Class of 2025 students entering surgery residencies include Khaoula Ben Haj Frej, 27, of Waterbury who matched to General Surgery at Johns Hopkins.
“I’m very excited,” she says. “I have always been interested in oncology, and I want to be a surgical oncologist.”
“Both my grandfathers died of cancer, so becoming a cancer doctor has been a personal mission,” she says after having worked in clinical trials at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute prior to attending medical school at UConn where she loved her learning experiences.
“I chose the surgery field because of the impact you can have. I love the immediacy of the surgical oncology field to be able to remove a patient’s cancer the same day. I saw a colon cancer patient here at UConn Health who got to go home without it! Also, oncology patients are an amazing patient population, and have such resilience,” she says.
Cailyn Regan, 26, of West Hartford matched to General Surgery at Rutgers.
“My Mom is actually a urologist,” Regan shared. “At the time she was the only woman in her urology residency training program. It’s so great to see so many UConn-trained women doctors following in my Mom’s footsteps representing women in all these diverse surgical fields.”
Vedika Karandikar, 26, of Wilton matched to General Surgery at Thomas Jefferson University and is thrilled.
“I feel incredibly grateful to be entering a field that allows me to connect deeply with people, make a direct impact in their lives, and combine science with precision in such a meaningful way,” says Karandikar.
Catherine Qiu is Queens, NY bound. She matched to General Surgery residency training at NY-Presbyterian-Queens.
Catherine Qiu, 25, of Trumbull, is an Urban Service Track/AHEC Scholar at UConn. She matched to General Surgery at NY-Presbyterian-Queens.
“I’m so excited to start my surgical journey in Queens, a community I spent most weekends in growing up. It’s incredibly meaningful to work in a place that helped shape me,” Qiu said.
She says UConn School of Medicine has prepared her well to become a well-rounded surgeon.
“I’ve gained strong clinical skills and learned the value of patient-centered care through hands-on experiences and supportive mentorship. I’m especially proud to join the growing number of women surgeons from UConn—empowered by my inspiring female peers and mentors, and ready to lead in the field!” says Qiu.
Pascale Carrel, 27, of Cos Cob matched into OB/GYN at NYP-Brooklyn Methodist Hospital is also thrilled to embark on the next step of her career.
“OBGYN, like most other surgical fields, is incredibly competitive nowadays,” she shared and she’s proud of her female classmates entering surgery fields.
“This just goes to prove that women can, and should, pursue their passions in competitive, historically male-dominated, fields. I’m so proud to be one amongst my peers,” says Carrel.
ElizabethSuschana, 29, of Somers also matched to OB/GYN at SUNY HSC Brooklyn.
“Being a woman in medicine is challenging, but the future is female. It’s part of our duty as future female surgeons to empower others to pursue their specialty of choice despite society telling us what is and isn’t a surgeon,” Suschana shared.
Zoe Paige Garvey, 28, of Windsor also matched to OB/GYN at Mount Sinai Morningside-West. She chose to enter medicine after experiencing surgery as a child.
“I am driven to address healthcare disparities and improve the health outcomes of not only the patients and communities I directly serve but also through my advocacy for women on a state and national level,” said Garvey.
Amanda Hernández Rodríguez, 27, of Toa Baja, Puerto Rico matched to OB/GYN at Nuvance Health Consortium, as she admires the important role OB/GYN physicians play in empowering women through education.
Felicia Woron, of East Hartford, matched to OB/GYN at Maimonides Medical Center.
“Although I was always interested in obstetrics and gynecology, I was actually fairly intimidated by the prospect of entering a surgical field until I had the opportunity to be in the OR during rotations. I quickly realized how gratifying and rewarding it could be to work as part of a surgical team and make an immediate impact on patients’ lives.”
Woron concludes, “I am so excited to become a surgeon and proud of all of the other women from UConn entering surgical fields!”
Other UConn women entering the surgical fields also includes:
Margaret Boudreau, 27, of Wilton matched to Ophthalmology at UVA.
Sarishka Desai, 26, of Darien matched to Ophthalmology at Tufts.
Caitlin Foster, 26, of Glastonbury matched to Plastic Surgery at the University of Colorado.
Carly Malesky, 25, of Milford matched to ENT at Montefiore/Einstein.
Grace Nichols, 27, of Wethersfield matched to ENT at Georgetown.
Emily Orosco, 27, of Camarillo, Calif. matched to General Surgery at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.
Julia Silverman, 25, of West Hartford matched to General Surgery at UNC.
Summer Xu, 26, of Glastonbury matched to ENT at Beth Israel Deaconess.
Some of the many women future surgeons in the UConn School of Medicine’s Class of 2025 donning their white coats including (front row): Summer Xu, Grace Nichols, Margaret Boudreau, (middle row) Emily Orosco Cailyn Regan, Caitlin Foster, Khaoula Ben Haj Frej, Sarishka Desai, Kyanna Alleyne, (back row) Desiree Dear, Vedika Karandikar, Julia Silverman, and Carly Malesky (Tina Encarnacion/UConn Health photo).
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (7th District of Washington)
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI), along with U.S. Representatives Joaquin Castro (D-TX-20) and Pramila Jayapal (D-WA-07), led 117 of their colleagues in sending a letter to Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. expressing strong opposition to the department’s proposal to reverse Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace eligibility for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, a move that would significantly restrict access to affordable health coverage.
“The ACA makes all lawfully present immigrants eligible for marketplace coverage. When the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) first established the regulatory definition of lawfully present immigrants in 2010, it included all deferred action recipients, consistent with longstanding federal policies for Social Security benefits and driver’s licenses under the REAL ID Act. However, in 2012, the agency, without any statutory justification, added an exclusion for DACA recipients. We believe CMS made the wrong decision, arbitrarily excluding hundreds of thousands of immigrant youth from health coverage despite Congress’s intent in passing the ACA to widely expand access to health care,” the lawmakers wrote.
In 2024, HHS finalized a rule correcting this error which resulted in ACA Marketplace and subsidy eligibility being granted to DACA recipients, “Prior to this rule, DACA recipients were nearly five times more likely to be uninsured compared to their U.S. born peers. The proposed regulation would reverse course and tear health coverage away from DACA recipients who have only had eligibility for less than a year.”
The lawmakers highlighted that President Trump has repeatedly recognized the value of DREAMers. In December 2024, President Trump made clear that Congress must “do something about the Dreamers, because these are people that have been brought here at a very young age, and many of these are middle-aged people now, they don’t even speak the language of their country.”
“We agree with President Trump that Congress must pass the DREAM Act to create a pathway to citizenship for DACA recipients. In the meantime, CMS must not enact this proposed rule. Removing ACA eligibility undermines the law’s purpose, contravenes President Trump’s priorities, and jeopardizes the health and stability of hundreds of thousands of immigrant families,” the lawmakers concluded.
The letter is cosigned by U.S. Senators Andy Kim (D-NJ), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Tim Kaine (D-VA), John Fetterman (D-PA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Ed Markey (D-MA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Brian Schatz, Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Peter Welch (D-VT), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Patty Murray (D-WA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), and U.S. Representatives Kathy Castor (D-FL), Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Sylvia Garcia (D-TX), Maxine Dexter (D-OR), Adrian Espaillat (D-NY), Grace Meng (D-NY), Frederica Wilson (D-FL), Chuy Garcia (D-IL), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), LaMonica McIver (D-NJ), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Shri Thaneder (D-MI), Juan Vargas (D-CA), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Maxine Waters (D-CA), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Scott Peters (D-CA), Deborah Ross (D-NC), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Becca Balint (D-VT), Judy Chu (D-CA), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Delia C. Ramirez (D-IL), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL), Robert Garcia (D-CA), Mike Quigley (D-IL), Sean Casten (D-IL), Dan Goldman (D-NY), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Yvette Clark (D-NY), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Gerald Connoly (D-VA), Suzanna Bonamici (D-OR), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Raul Ruiz (D-CA), Marc Veasey (D-TX), Andrea Salinas (D-OR), Gabe Amo (D-RI), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Lateefah Simon (D-CA), James McGovern (D-MA), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Robin Kelly (D-IL), Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ), Julie Johnson (D-TX), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), Kelly Morrison (D-MN), Jill Tokuda (D-HI), Lori Trahan (D-MA), Nanette Diaz Barragan (D-CA), Mike Thompson (D-CA), Seth Magaziner (D-RI), Andre Carson (D-IN), Mark Takan (D-CA), Jason Crow (D-CO), Lou Correa (D-CA), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Danny Davis (D-IL), Jake Auchincloss (D-MA), Sarah Elfreth (D-MD), Veronica Escobar (D-TX), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Angie Craig (D-MN), Sarah McBride (D-DE), Seth Moulton (D-MA), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Melanie Stansbury (D-NM), Ritchie Torres (D-NY), John Larson (D-CT), Terri Sewell (D-AL), Darren Soto (D-FL), Wesley Bell (D-MO), Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ), Sam Liccardo (D-CA), Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM), Adam Smith (D-WA), Salud Carbajal (D-CA), Greg Stanton (D-AZ), Lauren Underwood (D-IL), Greg Casar (D-TX), Madeleine Dean (D-PA), Diana Degette (D-CO), Luz Rivas (D-CA), Greg Landsman (D-OH), and Zoe Lofgren (D-CA).
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Joaquin Castro (20th District of Texas)
April 15, 2025
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Last Friday, Representatives Joaquin Castro (TX-20) and Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), along with U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI), led 117 of their colleagues in sending a letter to Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. expressing strong opposition to the department’s proposal to reverse Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace eligibility for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, a move that would significantly restrict access to affordable health coverage.
“The ACA makes all lawfully present immigrants eligible for marketplace coverage. When the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) first established the regulatory definition of lawfully present immigrants in 2010, it included all deferred action recipients, consistent with longstanding federal policies for Social Security benefits and driver’s licenses under the REAL ID Act. However, in 2012, the agency, without any statutory justification, added an exclusion for DACA recipients. We believe CMS made the wrong decision, arbitrarily excluding hundreds of thousands of immigrant youth from health coverage despite Congress’s intent in passing the ACA to widely expand access to health care,” wrote the lawmakers.
In 2024, HHS finalized a rule correcting this error which resulted in ACA Marketplace and subsidy eligibility being granted to DACA recipients, “Prior to this rule, DACA recipients were nearly five times more likely to be uninsured compared to their U.S. born peers. The proposed regulation would reverse course and tear health coverage away from DACA recipients who have only had eligibility for less than a year.”
The lawmakers highlighted that President Trump has repeatedly recognized the value of DREAMers. In December 2024, President Trump made clear that Congress must “do something about the Dreamers, because these are people that have been brought here at a very young age, and many of these are middle-aged people now, they don’t even speak the language of their country.”
“Congress must pass the Dream Act to create a pathway to citizenship for DACA recipients. In the meantime, CMS must not enact this proposed rule. Removing ACA eligibility undermines the law’s purpose, contravenes President Trump’s priorities, and jeopardizes the health and stability of hundreds of thousands of immigrant families,” the lawmakers concluded.
The letter is cosigned by U.S. Senators Andy Kim (D-NJ), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Tim Kaine (D-VA), John Fetterman (D-PA), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Ed Markey (D-MA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Brian Schatz, Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Peter Welch (D-VT), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Patty Murray (D-WA), Tina Smith (D-MN), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), and U.S. Representatives Kathy Castor (D-FL), Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), Sara Jacobs (D-CA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Sylvia Garcia (D-TX), Maxine Dexter (D-OR), Adrian Espaillat (D-NY), Grace Meng (D-NY), Frederica Wilson (D-FL), Chuy Garcia (D-IL), Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ), LaMonica McIver (D-NJ), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Shri Thaneder (D-MI), Juan Vargas (D-CA), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Maxine Waters (D-CA), Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Scott Peters (D-CA), Deborah Ross (D-NC), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Becca Balint (D-VT), Judy Chu (D-CA), Hank Johnson (D-GA), Delia C. Ramirez (D-IL), Mark Pocan (D-WI), Jonathan Jackson (D-IL), Robert Garcia (D-CA), Mike Quigley (D-IL), Sean Casten (D-IL), Dan Goldman (D-NY), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Yvette Clark (D-NY), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Gerald Connoly (D-VA), Suzanna Bonamici (D-OR), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO), Bennie Thompson (D-MS), Julia Brownley (D-CA), Raul Ruiz (D-CA), Marc Veasey (D-TX), Andrea Salinas (D-OR), Gabe Amo (D-RI), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Lateefah Simon (D-CA), James McGovern (D-MA), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Robin Kelly (D-IL), Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ), Julie Johnson (D-TX), Linda Sanchez (D-CA), Kelly Morrison (D-MN), Jill Tokuda (D-HI), Lori Trahan (D-MA), Nanette Diaz Barragan (D-CA), Mike Thompson (D-CA), Seth Magaziner (D-RI), Andre Carson (D-IN), Mark Takan (D-CA), Jason Crow (D-CO), Lou Correa (D-CA), Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA), Danny Davis (D-IL), Jake Auchincloss (D-MA), Sarah Elfreth (D-MD), Veronica Escobar (D-TX), Dwight Evans (D-PA), Angie Craig (D-MN), Sarah McBride (D-DE), Seth Moulton (D-MA), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Melanie Stansbury (D-NM), Ritchie Torres (D-NY), John Larson (D-CT), Terri Sewell (D-AL), Darren Soto (D-FL), Wesley Bell (D-MO), Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ), Sam Liccardo (D-CA), Teresa Leger Fernandez (D-NM), Adam Smith (D-WA), Salud Carbajal (D-CA), Greg Stanton (D-AZ), Lauren Underwood (D-IL), Greg Casar (D-TX), Madeleine Dean (D-PA), Diana Degette (D-CO), Luz Rivas (D-CA), Greg Landsman (D-OH), and Zoe Lofgren (D-CA).
Food pantries in Iowa have seen demand for their assistance soar in recent years. At the same time, fewer Iowans have been enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, through which low-income Americans get money from the government to buy groceries.
Hunger in the breadbasket of the world
It may seem illogical that anyone in Iowa would need help obtaining food.
Known as the “breadbasket of the world,” my state plays a crucial role in food production as a top supplier of grain, meats and eggs to both domestic and international markets.
Des Moines Area Religious Council Food Pantry worker Patrick Minor looks over a cooler full of ground pork packages during a pantry stop in Des Moines, Iowa, in 2020. AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall
Food pantries struggle to keep up
Many food-insecure families turn to food pantries to fill their refrigerators and cupboards.
The Des Moines Area Religious Council operates 14 food pantries in the Polk County area. This network of food pantries has been seeing record-breaking demand. It provided food to more than 70,000 people in 2024, up from 59,000 a year earlier.
About 35% of the people it supports are children. This rate has been increasing since government phased out COVID-19 pandemic-era programs, such as the Child Tax Credit expansion and summer EBT, a federal nutrition program that helped low-income families feed their kids when schools were closed.
Some 19% of food pantry clients in the Des Moines region are unemployed adults, only 8% are people who are 65 and up, and 38% are adults who are either working or have disabilities.
Scaling back benefits in 2022
Early in the pandemic, Congress temporarily expanded SNAP by providing everyone enrolled in the program with the maximum amount of benefits for which they were eligible based on the number of people in their family, regardless of their income. Normally, only 37% of the people who get SNAP benefits get the maximum amount. For 2025, for example, a family of three can get up to $768 a month through the program.
In March 2022, Iowa became one of the first states to end this policy, creating a natural experiment of sorts at a time when food prices were rising quickly.
As you might expect, the number of clients visiting food pantries surged once that policy changed. This trend continued throughout 2024, with many months of record-breaking demand at the state’s food pantries.
Hunger is up, SNAP enrollment is down
While most food pantry visitors in Polk County qualify for at least some SNAP benefits, only around 1 in 3 are enrolled in the program today, down from 44% in 2020.
This decline in SNAP enrollment is placing more pressure on the food pantries trying to make up the difference.
Low SNAP enrollment rates can be partly explained by low benefit amounts, which is all that some eligible individuals and families qualify for.
Recent laws have made it more difficult for families to be eligible to receive benefits. In 2023, Iowa introduced a state-specific asset test, which limits the total assets of all members of a family to $15,000 in order to maintain eligibility. This test includes the value of boats, vacation homes and savings accounts. It also includes a second vehicle used for household transportation purposes, but not a family’s primary residence.
Another consideration is time management, especially in light of the additional administrative hurdles.
“The time it is taking these working households to get and maintain their SNAP benefits is significantly more time and effort than simply visiting a local food pantry,” said Matt Unger, Des Moines Area Religious Council’s CEO. “Here in Iowa, we are facing nearly a 17-year low in SNAP enrollment while food banks and food pantries across the state are breaking records every month. Something just doesn’t add up.”
Congress is currently deciding whether to cut SNAP spending. If lawmakers do that, benefits will decline, increasing the strain on food pantries in Iowa and everywhere else across the country.
Lendie R. Follett is affiliated with the Des Moines Area Religious Council. She currently serves on the board of directors.
Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Donald Norcross (1st District of New Jersey)
CHERRY HILL, NJ — Today, the office of Congressman Donald Norcross issued an update from his doctor on the Congressman’s recent medical event.
“Congressman Donald W. Norcross was transferred to Cooper University Health Care on Monday, April 7th following a medical incident that necessitated his hospitalization in Raleigh, NC. Upon his arrival at Cooper, he was diagnosed with a gallbladder infection known as cholangitis that had progressed to sepsis,” saidDr.Eric Kupersmith, Chief Physician Executive at Cooper University Health Care. “The Cooper medical team was able to remove the gallstone and is treating the infection and its complications. Congressman Norcross is responding well to treatment, but faces an extended recovery that could require physical rehabilitation. He remains in intensive care.”
While Congressman Norcross recovers, his offices in New Jersey’s First Congressional District and in Washington, DC remain open and available to constituents. The Congressman is in regular contact with members of his staff and is monitoring circumstances in the Capitol and in the district. He and his family have been touched by the outpouring of support and well-wishes.
His office will release further information as warranted.
SEATTLE – The Washington state Attorney General’s Office today filed a civil rights lawsuit against Seattle Public Schools, alleging repeated failures to provide reasonable accommodations to pregnant and nursing employees as required by state law.
The office’s investigation found Seattle Public Schools routinely failed to provide legally required accommodations to pregnant and nursing employees such as flexible restroom breaks, modified work schedules, and the ability to sit more frequently. One employee, while eight months pregnant, was unable to sit her entire workday.
These practices affected employees across various schools over several years. The state’s investigation revealed that Seattle Public Schools did not have a district-level policy for how to handle pregnancy accommodation requests from employees.
The district also failed to provide reasonable break time to express milk, or clean and private locations for nursing employees to pump. Employees were walked in on while expressing milk, endured painful clogged ducts, and experienced infections like mastitis. One employee felt “they had no choice but to take leave to continue breastfeeding,” according to the complaint.
The suit also alleges the school district violated state law by retaliating against employees who sought reasonable accommodations. These included negative performance reviews for employees who requested accommodations, admonishing employees for having doctors’ appointments, and removing employees from preferred classroom assignments.
In some cases, employees were wrongfully left unpaid or without benefits during or immediately after their pregnancies.
“These employees suffered mentally, physically, and financially because of the school district’s actions,” Attorney General Nick Brown said. “The Legislature has been clear that employers must accommodate the health needs of their pregnant and nursing workers, which is why Washington has laws banning employers from doing what Seattle Public Schools did to its employees.”
The practices detailed in the suit, dating back to at least 2021, violate the state Healthy Starts Act and the Washington Law Against Discrimination.
Prior to filing suit, the Attorney General’s Office approached the district about these concerns and sought to resolve the matter, but those discussions were unsuccessful.
The lawsuit, filed in King County Superior Court, seeks to halt Seattle Public Schools from engaging in its discriminatory practices and award restitution to each impacted employee. Assistant Attorney General Diane Lopez, AGO Investigator Jennifer Sievert, and Paralegal Panda Halford are handling the case for the AGO.
If you have experienced pregnancy discrimination at Seattle Public Schools, we want to hear from you. Contact our Civil Rights Division by emailing seattleschoolslawsuit@atg.wa.gov or by calling 833-660-4877 and selecting Option 5. Current and former employees may also submit a complaint using the AGO’s online form.
The lawsuit can be found here.
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strong>SALEM, Ore. – Oregon Department of Emergency Management (OEM) Director Erin McMahon visited Harney County, the City of Burns, and the Burns Paiute Tribe on Saturday, April 5, to support ongoing flood response and recovery efforts.
During her visit, Director McMahon met with Chair Tracy Kennedy and members of the Burns Paiute Tribal Council to discuss the impacts of the flooding event, local response efforts, and the path forward in recovery. She later visited the Harney County Emergency Operations Center, where she met with local officials, toured the repaired dike, and drove through affected areas to witness the community’s response and resilience firsthand.
At the American Red Cross Center, Director McMahon thanked volunteers and connected with residents impacted by the floods. “It’s clear this is a strong community that is already making great progress toward recovery, even in the face of continued challenges,” said McMahon.
Emergency Coordination and Recovery Operations
The State Emergency Coordination Center (ECC) remains activated at Level 3, with OEM staff working both remotely and on-site to support Harney County. Emergency Support Functions (ESFs) and State Recovery Functions (SRFs) are both engaged, reflecting a strategic transition toward recovery while maintaining readiness to respond to emerging needs.
OEM, in partnership with local and state agencies, continues to provide essential resources and coordination. With temperatures trending 15 degrees above normal, there is increased concern about accelerated snowmelt and the risk of additional flooding. While initial forecasts projected higher river levels, actual measurements have shown water levels approximately 12 inches lower than expected, offering a modest reprieve.
Community Support and Health Updates
The American Red Cross remains a vital partner in the response, having served approximately 295 meals and distributed over 467 house cleaning kits to help families begin their recovery.
The Harney Hub continues to play a critical role in volunteer coordination, ensuring an efficient and compassionate response to community needs. They haveextended their operating hoursat both the Harney Hub and the Harney Library.
Support is also being provided through mutual aid under the Oregon Resource Cooperative Assistance Agreement (ORCAA), allowing local emergency managers to assist one another during this response and ensure continuity of operations.
Also, the Burns Paiute Tribe is supporting approximately 200 of its members and serving 2 meals a day in their Wellness Center.
In addition, OEM is finalizing support of up to $40,000 in landfill fee coverage at C&B Sanitary for residents disposing of flood debris. This waiver will require residents to identify where debris originated and will be available only while funding lasts.
Health and safety remain top priorities, as compromised infrastructure—including overwhelmed sewer systems and damaged dikes—has led to cross-contamination of floodwaters. Residents are urged to take precautions due to potential exposure to E. coli, asbestos from older homes, and hazardous materials present in both waterways and neighborhoods.
Federal Disaster Declaration Request
OEM has submitted a request to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for a Joint Preliminary Damage Assessment for Individual Assistance in Harney County. Once acknowledged, FEMA will work with state and local officials to determine the appropriate timeline to conduct assessments and support further disaster aid.
Stay Connected
The ECC will continue to coordinate with local leaders and partners, monitor emerging needs, and support both immediate response and long-term recovery.
For more information on how to help or donate, visit the OEM Newsroom or Harney County Resources.
The bin workers’ strike in Birmingham – which began on March 11 – is set to continue after the latest pay offer was “overwhelmingly” rejected.
Not only are the growing mountains of refuse unsightly and creating foul odours, they could pose significant threats to local residents’ health. Birmingham city council has declared the situation a “major incident”. This enables council leaders to request extra support from central government.
This is not the first time bins have gone uncollected in the UK, though. Glasgow experienced a major refuse strike in 2021, while Birmingham previously saw significant disruption to refuse collection in 2017.
Internationally, one of the most infamous garbage crises occurred in Naples, Italy, where mismanagement and mafia involvement led to a waste buildup that lasted over a decade. It finally ended in 2008.
Surprisingly, studies on the health effects of the build up of domestic refuse in towns and cities are scarce. The few studies that do exist tend to be in developing countries or in people living close to waste treatment centres.
Several studies have suggested increased deaths, cancer rates and birth defects associated with the Naples garbage crisis. However, these were associated with exposure over several years.
The most comprehensive review that I can find dates back to 1967 before several of the major infectious concerns were even discovered.
Rats
Probably the most apparent danger from the Birmingham crisis is the reported appearance of rats – which some locals have described as being “bigger than cats”.
Rats can transmit several diseases to humans. The infection of most concern is Weil’s disease, which can severely damage the liver and kidneys and can cause neurological problems. It can even be fatal.
This infection is transmitted in rats’ urine and gains entry to the human body through cuts and grazes on the skin. Infections are mostly acquired during immersion in water contaminated by rats’ urine. There have been outbreaks associated with swimming in contaminated water or during flooding.
Another infection is rat bite fever, a bacterial infection acquired following rodent bites. Both these infections are rare but can be fatal if not promptly treated.
Then there is Seoul hantavirus, a viral infection that is mainly caught from breathing in aerosols (fine sprays) of rat urine and faeces. All of these rat-associated infections are quite rare. But even excluding these infections, rat bites can be severe and, like all animal bites, can become infected.
Bacteria
Another worry is stomach bugs such as Salmonella, Campylobacter and E coli, as well as bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics. Wild animals, such as birds and foxes, might tear open bin bags, pick up these germs and then spread them to people through food or water. Even contact with pet dogs or cats can be a risk, since they can carry some of these bacteria.
Seagulls can pick up Salmonella and Campylobacterfrom waste dumps and then pass that infection onto humans. At least one outbreak of Campylobacter was caused by birds pecking through milk bottle tops.
Finally, there is the issue of clinical waste such as needles being inappropriately disposed of in domestic refuse. Such clinical waste could include needles that could cause injury and spread blood-borne viruses, especially HIV and hepatitis B.
Figuring out the likelihood of these harms is not that easy, though. But top of my list of concerns would be sharps injuries from contact with inappropriately discarded clinical waste. I would be particularly concerned about children playing around collections of waste. Bites from rats and other vermin attracted to waste would also be high on my list.
Until the piles of refuse can be removed, children and pets must be kept away from them. If you need to move refuse sacks, make sure you wear a mask, strong gloves and as much protective clothing as possible.
Paul Hunter consults for the World Health Organization and sits on a science advisory committee for Suez. He receives funding from National Institute for Health Research and has received funding from the World Health Organization and the European Regional Development Fund.
A new cancer drug called trastuzumab deruxtecan, also known as Enhertu, has just been approved in the UK. This drug is designed to help adults with certain types of advanced cancer that cannot be removed by surgery, or which has spread to other parts of the body.
It targets cancers linked to a protein called HER2. This approval is an exciting development because it could save lives and offer hope to patients who may have run out of treatment options.
The drug has been authorised for use in the UK on the back of positive data, where patients were randomly assigned to this drug or the previous existing best treatment, which Ihave ledstudies onwith large teams of researchers.
Cancer is one of the biggest healthchallenges we face today. While there are many treatments available, not all cancers respond well to them. Some cancers grow and spread very quickly, making them harder to control. Others stop responding to treatments that initially worked, leaving patients with few options. For people with these types of cancers, new drugs can make a huge difference. They can help patients live longer, improve their quality of life, and provide hope when other treatments fail.
Targeted treatment
One reason new drugs are so important is that they often offer better ways to treat cancer. Older treatments like chemotherapy can be effective but often harm healthy cells along with cancer cells, causing unpleasant side effects. Newer drugs are more targeted, meaning they focus on killing cancer cells while leaving healthy cells alone as much as possible. This makes treatment less harsh and more effective. Drugs like Enhertu represent this new generation of targeted therapies, though it can have very serious side effects.
To understand how it works, it’s helpful to know about HER2. HER2 is a protein found on the surface of some cells in the body. It helps cells grow and divide normally, but in certain cancers, there’s too much HER2. This overproduction causes the cancer to grow faster and become much more aggressive. These types of cancers are called HER2-positive cancers, and they can occur in places like the breast, stomach and lungs.
Enhertu is part of a newer type of cancer treatment called antibody-drug conjugates (ADC). It works like a delivery system for medicine, even a “biologic missile”. Imagine you’re trying to deliver a package (a powerful cancer-killing drug) directly to a specific house (the cancer cell). You don’t want the package to end up at the wrong house (healthy cells), because it could cause damage there. An ADC uses an antibody, a special protein that acts like a guide, to make sure the package is delivered to the correct address.
Trojan horse
First, the antibody part of the drug finds and attaches itself to HER2 on the surface of cancer cells. Once attached, the drug gets pulled inside the cancer cell like a Trojan horse. Inside the cell, it releases its chemotherapy agent, a strong medicine that kills cells and destroys the cancer from within.
The drug can also kill nearby cancer cells that might not have as much HER2 but are still part of the tumour. This precise targeting means fewer healthy cells are harmed during treatment.
The approval of Enhertu in the UK is great news for patients with advanced HER2-positive cancers that have spread or cannot be removed by surgery. Up to 20% of breast cancers are HER2 positive and many of these are cured before they spread. What’s even more exciting is that this drug also works for people with lower levels of HER2 (called HER2-low cancers), which means it could help even more patients in the future.
For patients with advanced or hard-to-treat cancers, this approval offers new hope. Many people with HER2-positive cancers have already tried treatments like chemotherapy or surgery. Most of those will have had other anti-HER2 drugs but will still need help because their cancer has come back or spread further. This drug has shown in clinical trials that it can shrink tumours and help patients live longer than standard treatments. It gives doctors another option when other treatments aren’t working anymore.
This approval also highlights how international collaboration can speed up access to life-saving drugs. The investigators here worked collaboratively across numerous countries in the world to undertake these studies.
But while Enhertu brings hope to many patients, it’s important to remember that no drug is perfect. Like all medicines, it comes with some risks and side effects. Common side effects include nausea, fatigue and low blood counts. A rare but serious side effect is interstitial lung disease, which affects the lungs and can be dangerous if not treated quickly. Doctors will carefully monitor patients taking this drug to catch any problems early and stop the drug if necessary.
Despite these risks, in most situations doctors and patients feel that the potential benefits outweigh them. It offers a chance for better outcomes, in those for whom it is suitable.
This approval also represents progress in how we treat cancer using personalised medicine (an approach where treatments are tailored specifically for each patient based on their unique biology or the genetic makeup of the cancer) to treat the right person at the right time with the right drug.
Every breakthrough like this brings us closer to a world where fewer people die from cancer, and where those who do face it have better chances of living longer and healthier lives.
Justin Stebbing does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Source: United States Senator Peter Welch (D-Vermont)
Bill would establish a tax credit for home modifications that increase safety and accessibility
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Angus King (I-Maine) recently introduced the Home Accessibility Tax Credit Act, legislation to help prevent dangerous and costly falls. The Senators’ bill would establish a refundable tax credit for eligible home modifications designed to improve accessibility—saving both Americans with the highest risk of falling, as well as taxpayers, from the high medical costs associated with falls. In recent years, Vermont has ranked 49th in the nation for highest fall rates per capita, with over one-third of Vermonters over 65 years old reporting at least one fall in a calendar year.
“Accessible living spaces can make a big difference when it comes to preventing falls–but making structural changes to a home doesn’t come cheap. We need to do more to meet the needs of aging Vermonters, including helping folks pay for lifesaving home modifications that keep them safe,” said Senator Welch. “I’m proud to partner with Senator King on this legislation to ensure New Englanders can live safely in their homes.”
“I often say, ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,’ and the cheapest way to treat a broken hip is to prevent it from happening in the first place,” said Senator King. “The Home Accessibility Tax Credit Act is important legislation that would ease the financial burden of accessibility-focused home improvement projects — such as modifying doorways or installing grab bars. This is a commonsense step forward to help save Maine people from the physical danger and financial costs that can result from all-too-common falls.”
The tax credit would be equal to 35% of the cost of the qualified home modification, with a cap of $10,000 per taxable year and $30,000 in lifetime limit across all taxable years. The tax credit is targeted toward middle income families and will become phased out for higher-earners.
Eligible home modifications would include zero-step entrances, ramps, widened doors and hallways, modified counters, bathroom accessibility improvements, and the installation, replacement, or modification of appliances to make them more accessible to individuals with a vision impairment. The list of approved modifications could be updated by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and Health and Human Services (HHS).
Three groups would be eligible to receive the tax credit:
Individuals 60 and older;
Individuals under retirement age but entitled to social security disability insurance (SSDI), supplemental security income (SSI) or veterans disability compensation; or
Individuals at any age with a disability certification.
by Father Massimo Miraglio*Pourcine Pic Makaya (Agenzia Fides) – Every morning, around 250 children walk for hours along steep and dangerous paths to reach the primary and nursery school in Pourcine Pic Makaya, where the village is located. They come from hamlets scattered throughout the area: some climb from the nearby valleys, others descend from the top of the plateau, facing stony and slippery paths that become almost impassable in the rain or dew.“Every morning, at 7:30, I stand at the entrance to the schoolyard to welcome our young heroes, aged between 4 and 14,” says a missionary present in the community. “Many arrive punctually and dressed up, within their means. Even the little ones, who travel long distances, have washed at the public fountain and put on their school uniforms.” Punctuality, however, is not always possible. “Are you late, Jean?” the missionary asks a child. “Father, I live in Loran. This morning my mother sent me to the fountain to get water, then I took the goat to graze… and the path is very slippery,” the little boy replies. It’s barely 8:30 in the morning, and this seven-year-old has already covered several kilometers and completed multiple family chores.“Falling ill at Pourcine Pic Makaya is a tragedy that must be avoided. The hospital is inaccessible and reserved for the most serious cases, who are carried by hand on a stretcher to the bottom of the valley (a six-hour walk) and then… by motorbike, or if you are lucky enough to meet one of the very rare cars that pass by, you can hope to reach the hospital in Jérémie, but many often die along the way.”Illnesses, especially those that are not too serious, are treated at Pourcine Pic Makaya with traditional medicine, which combines the use of medicinal plants with rituals and beliefs that are more difficult to understand. In many cases, this medicine is effective and decisive, but there are situations that, due to their severity, require immediate treatment and the presence of professional personnel. In these cases, continuing to administer traditional remedies can have fatal consequences.“In recent months, several people have died because of these ‘false beliefs’ fueled by cults. In Pourcine Pic Makaya, the parish priest’s house has become a point of reference for all those who fall ill, whether it’s a toothache, bronchitis, or a wound that needs treating… not to mention schoolchildren: parasites, fever, cough, wounds, and some then, with so much hope in their hearts, come from far away to seek a solution to even serious health problems.” “For the time being,” he continues, “what we can do is monitor the symptoms and help the person reach the bottom of the valley where, with luck, they may be able to reach the hospital. Every time I am amazed to see how a person in very poor health manages to make such an arduous and difficult journey. They arrive at the parish feverish or seriously injured, and from there they set off to reach the hospital. A people of heroes.”“In 2024 and in this first part of 2025, some steps have been taken to improve the living conditions of the local community (see Fides, 5/3/2025). During 2025, we will continue along this path, despite the country’s enormous difficulties. We will begin the literacy project for adults, maintenance work on some sections of the paths and mule tracks in the area, the second section of the aqueduct, and the safety of two other sources, the coffee nursery. The greatest challenge remains: building a small clinic to meet the population’s significant health needs.”(Agenzia Fides, 15/4/2025)* Father Massimo Miraglio is a Camillian missionary of the Order of Ministers to the Sick, parish priest of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Pourcine Pic Makaya.
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The Province is accelerating the future of patient care and advancing testing for cancer, heart disease, transplants and infections with eight new genomics research projects, in partnership with Genome BC and Genome Alberta.
Genomics is the study of an organism’s genetic material and how genes work together. In medicine, genomics is used to develop personalized treatments based on a person’s genetic makeup. Researchers from B.C.’s health authorities and the University of British Columbia are involved in all eight genomic research projects.
“Genomics is transforming health care, offering new ways to diagnose, treat and prevent diseases,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “By supporting Genome BC, we are helping to advance research to improve patient outcomes and make precision medicine more accessible to people across British Columbia. These efforts will contribute to faster diagnoses, more precise treatments and improved health-care outcomes for patients.”
The eight research projects are part of Genome BC’s and Genome Alberta’s Healthy Outcomes through Genomic Innovations program, which aims to help new innovations in genetic testing and precision medicine reach hospitals and clinics faster.
“This initiative is designed to drive the adoption of genomics-based technologies into clinical practice, focusing on projects that deliver tangible patient benefits in the near future,” said Suzanne Gill, president and CEO, Genome BC. “Whether it’s detecting cancer earlier, improving transplant success or tailoring medications to an individual’s genetic makeup, these projects are about making health care work better for everyone.”
These projects, valued at almost $6 million, of which $1.7 million came from the Province via Genome BC, will allow care providers to get new tools to enhance diagnosis, treatment and patient care sooner. The projects focus on:
safer chemotherapy for children;
improving kidney transplant monitoring;
more precise cancer testing;
heart-failure detection;
at-home lung cancer screening;
faster diagnosis of blood-stream infections;
combating drug-resistant infections in hospitals; and
standardizing formats for genetic drug sensitivity test results.
“Genomic research is advancing our understanding of the genetic underpinnings of disease, driving precision medicine and transforming health care,” said Dr. Paul Keown, lead researcher on one of the projects and professor in the faculty of medicine at the University of British Columbia, speaking on behalf of fellow researchers Dr. James Lan and Karen Sherwood. “We are working on innovations that are close to adoption by the health-care system. These projects will deliver meaningful results that directly improve patient care.”
The research projects are part of B.C.’s Life Sciences and Biomanufacturing Strategy and the broader StrongerBC Economic Plan, which seeks to foster innovation, create high-paying jobs and enhance health and pandemic preparedness domestically and internationally.
Genome BC is a not-for-profit organization that has advanced genomics research and innovation since 2000, growing a world-class life-sciences sector in B.C. The organization strives to enhance health care and address environmental and natural-resource challenges, improving the lives of British Columbians. Genome BC supports responsible research and innovation, fostering an understanding and appreciation of the life sciences among educators, students and the public.
Learn More:
For details about the eight genomic research projects, visit: https://www.genomebc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/BACKGROUNDER-Healthy-Outcomes-Through-Genomic-Innovations-Announcement.pdf
For information about Genome BC, visit: https://www.genomebc.ca/
To read the Life Sciences and Biomanufacturing Strategy, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/british-columbians-our-governments/initiatives-plans-strategies/technology-industry/life-sciences-biomanufacturing/bc_life_sciences_biomanufacturing_strategy_final_april_2023.pdf
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Charles Wratto, Associate Professor of Peace, Politics, and Conflict Studies, Babes Bolyai University
The use of child soldiers is a profound human tragedy that continues to scar generations across the world.
According to the United Nations, over the years, thousands of children, some as young as six years old, have been manipulated, indoctrinated and coerced into joining armed groups.
Many of these children have fought against peacekeeping troops in Liberia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of Congo and US-led coalition soldiers in Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia.
The devastating effect of this grave, yet persistent, tragedy extends beyond the individual child. It tears communities and families apart and leaves generations scarred with the trauma of war long after the guns fall silent.
The United Nations has published a list to “shame” governments and non-state actors that enlist minors in their armies.
Despite these efforts, the problem persists as governments and insurgent groups recruit minors in various regions of the world.
One of the reasons may be that children’s presence on the battlefield throws the training and ethics of professional soldiers off balance. Children are widely considered innocent, harmless, and deserving of care and protection. Harming them can cause severe emotional and psychological distress that conventional soldiers are ill-equipped to handle. Armed groups who use children can get a strategic advantage if they make adult soldiers feel guilt, terror, shame and cowardism.
As a researcher in peace, politics and conflict studies and a former child soldier in the Liberian civil war, I have centred my studies on children in armed conflict and how states respond to crises and conflict.
I am passionate about protecting children in conflict zones because I know what it means to experience violence at a very young age.
I also understand, from my own experience, what it means to return to a society that saw me as a dangerous and irredeemable person and to find purpose in a world that labelled people like me as a “lost generation”.
Based on my personal experiences and interaction with child soldiers, I identify six ways society can help protect children in conflict zones. They are: cutting off arms sales to conflict regions; providing continuous education during conflict; providing life-saving essentials; working with local communities; listening to children’s voices; and involving child soldiers in the implementation of disarmament and reintegration programmes.
Armed groups often rely on the constant flow of small arms and light weapons to maintain their operations.
The availability of these weapons enables groups to enlarge their forces, often using vulnerable children. Stopping weapons sales would undermine the effectiveness of these groups.
If there are fewer arms, warlords will find it harder to lure children with false promises of protection and power. Warlords might have to create pathways for peace talks, and children could be demobilised.
Under Charles Taylor, Liberia was a regional hub for illicit weapons trade and child soldier recruitment. The UN arms embargo in 2001 limited Taylor’s ability to resupply his troops, leading to his eventual exile and an end to the war in 2003. While an effective arms embargo may not end a war or child recruitment immediately, it can erode armed groups’ combat ability, pressuring them to negotiate, collapse, or lose their grip over vulnerable children.
Provide life-saving essentials
In war-torn places, poverty and starvation sometimes push families to hand over their children to armed groups in exchange for food.
Given life-saving essentials such as food, shelter and medical care, families can be shielded from poverty. This will reduce voluntary enlistment.
Microfinance initiatives that support small businesses, and provision of vocational training programmes, can also lift families from poverty.
Continuous education during conflict
Governments and multilateral institutions must provide emergency education
and train teachers and caregivers in camps for internally displaced people.
Being able to carry on with schooling in a safe environment can curb child recruitment and empower young people for the post-war reconstruction of their nations. Such sanctuaries should also include mobile counselling and trauma therapy centres where children can process their grief and experiences to rebuild trust.
Governments, NGOs and policymakers must address existing grievances and empower local communities to assist in reintegrating former child soldiers. Reintegration involves not only children returning home but also ensuring communities are better prepared and equipped to welcome them.
Partnering with local communities can also strengthen awareness about the dangers of child (re) recruitment.
Ex-child soldiers as part of disarmament and reintegration
Governments and humanitarian agencies must include former child soldiers in the design and implementation of disarmament, demobilisation, and reintegration programmes.
Their firsthand knowledge of the conscription process, combat realities, fears, nightmares and reintegration struggle offers unique insights. They can help create programmes that meet real needs.
Educational institutions, governments and peacebuilding agencies must take children’s contributions to peacebuilding seriously.
Children bear the wounds of war. They have seen the destruction firsthand and have experienced various forms of loss and pain. This makes them not only observers of violence but also powerful advocates for peace.
My experiences have taught me that no child is beyond redemption, particularly when given the right support and care they need.
Child soldiers, though shaped by unfortunate circumstances, are not inherently violent. They should not be feared or stigmatised. They are victims who deserve healing, love and education.
I was not given a gun because I was strong. I was handed one because I was weak, because children, stripped of alternatives, can be manipulated and turned into weapons of war.
I survived not because I was better than others, I survived because someone, a Nigerian, refused to reduce me to the war I was forced into. This is why I believe everyone can play a role to protect children in conflict zones. Those who can, but refuse to, are no different from the warlords who enlisted the children.
Charles Wratto is affiliated with the Center for Peace and Violence Prevention.
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Charles Wratto, Associate Professor of Peace, Politics, and Conflict Studies, Babes Bolyai University
The use of child soldiers is a profound human tragedy that continues to scar generations across the world.
According to the United Nations, over the years, thousands of children, some as young as six years old, have been manipulated, indoctrinated and coerced into joining armed groups.
Many of these children have fought against peacekeeping troops in Liberia, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of Congo and US-led coalition soldiers in Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia.
The devastating effect of this grave, yet persistent, tragedy extends beyond the individual child. It tears communities and families apart and leaves generations scarred with the trauma of war long after the guns fall silent.
The United Nations has published a list to “shame” governments and non-state actors that enlist minors in their armies.
Despite these efforts, the problem persists as governments and insurgent groups recruit minors in various regions of the world.
One of the reasons may be that children’s presence on the battlefield throws the training and ethics of professional soldiers off balance. Children are widely considered innocent, harmless, and deserving of care and protection. Harming them can cause severe emotional and psychological distress that conventional soldiers are ill-equipped to handle. Armed groups who use children can get a strategic advantage if they make adult soldiers feel guilt, terror, shame and cowardism.
As a researcher in peace, politics and conflict studies and a former child soldier in the Liberian civil war, I have centred my studies on children in armed conflict and how states respond to crises and conflict.
I am passionate about protecting children in conflict zones because I know what it means to experience violence at a very young age.
I also understand, from my own experience, what it means to return to a society that saw me as a dangerous and irredeemable person and to find purpose in a world that labelled people like me as a “lost generation”.
Based on my personal experiences and interaction with child soldiers, I identify six ways society can help protect children in conflict zones. They are: cutting off arms sales to conflict regions; providing continuous education during conflict; providing life-saving essentials; working with local communities; listening to children’s voices; and involving child soldiers in the implementation of disarmament and reintegration programmes.
Armed groups often rely on the constant flow of small arms and light weapons to maintain their operations.
The availability of these weapons enables groups to enlarge their forces, often using vulnerable children. Stopping weapons sales would undermine the effectiveness of these groups.
If there are fewer arms, warlords will find it harder to lure children with false promises of protection and power. Warlords might have to create pathways for peace talks, and children could be demobilised.
Under Charles Taylor, Liberia was a regional hub for illicit weapons trade and child soldier recruitment. The UN arms embargo in 2001 limited Taylor’s ability to resupply his troops, leading to his eventual exile and an end to the war in 2003. While an effective arms embargo may not end a war or child recruitment immediately, it can erode armed groups’ combat ability, pressuring them to negotiate, collapse, or lose their grip over vulnerable children.
Provide life-saving essentials
In war-torn places, poverty and starvation sometimes push families to hand over their children to armed groups in exchange for food.
Given life-saving essentials such as food, shelter and medical care, families can be shielded from poverty. This will reduce voluntary enlistment.
Microfinance initiatives that support small businesses, and provision of vocational training programmes, can also lift families from poverty.
Continuous education during conflict
Governments and multilateral institutions must provide emergency education and train teachers and caregivers in camps for internally displaced people.
Being able to carry on with schooling in a safe environment can curb child recruitment and empower young people for the post-war reconstruction of their nations. Such sanctuaries should also include mobile counselling and trauma therapy centres where children can process their grief and experiences to rebuild trust.
Governments, NGOs and policymakers must address existing grievances and empower local communities to assist in reintegrating former child soldiers. Reintegration involves not only children returning home but also ensuring communities are better prepared and equipped to welcome them.
Partnering with local communities can also strengthen awareness about the dangers of child (re) recruitment.
Ex-child soldiers as part of disarmament and reintegration
Governments and humanitarian agencies must include former child soldiers in the design and implementation of disarmament, demobilisation, and reintegration programmes.
Their firsthand knowledge of the conscription process, combat realities, fears, nightmares and reintegration struggle offers unique insights. They can help create programmes that meet real needs.
Educational institutions, governments and peacebuilding agencies must take children’s contributions to peacebuilding seriously.
Children bear the wounds of war. They have seen the destruction firsthand and have experienced various forms of loss and pain. This makes them not only observers of violence but also powerful advocates for peace.
My experiences have taught me that no child is beyond redemption, particularly when given the right support and care they need.
Child soldiers, though shaped by unfortunate circumstances, are not inherently violent. They should not be feared or stigmatised. They are victims who deserve healing, love and education.
I was not given a gun because I was strong. I was handed one because I was weak, because children, stripped of alternatives, can be manipulated and turned into weapons of war.
I survived not because I was better than others, I survived because someone, a Nigerian, refused to reduce me to the war I was forced into. This is why I believe everyone can play a role to protect children in conflict zones. Those who can, but refuse to, are no different from the warlords who enlisted the children.
– I was a child soldier – here’s what it’ll take to protect young lives in conflict zones – https://theconversation.com/i-was-a-child-soldier-heres-what-itll-take-to-protect-young-lives-in-conflict-zones-245517
. Pillen Takes Second Opportunity to Spread Pro-Life Message
LINCOLN, NE – Today marked the second opportunity in a week for Governor Jim Pillen to showcase Nebraska’s culture of love and life. He addressed state senators, members of Nebraska Right to Life and others at the Governor’s Residence. The organization’s Pro-Life Legislative Day gave attendees the chance to interact with elected officials, and later, watch the live floor debate at the State Capitol.
“The pro-life community across our state is growing, thanks to the prayers and efforts of countless Nebraskans,” said Gov. Pillen. “Suzanne and I are proud to be part of this movement because we believe that we must do what we can to protect the most vulnerable among us. Protecting babies and helping moms in need is the right thing to do.”
One of the bills heard by the group this afternoon was LB632, introduced by Senator Ben Hansen. The bill aims to ensure that the remains of aborted infants are treated with dignity by stipulating disposal through cremation, interment or other means as directed by the Board of Health. It was designated a priority bill by Senator Dan Lonowski.
Last week, Gov. Pillen took part in a panel discussion as part of Catholics Day at the Capitol. He thanked attendees for supporting the gift of life through Initiative 434 — and leading the historic defeat of the pro-abortion Initiative 439 in November’s election, making Nebraska the first state to vote an abortion ban into its Constitution.
Gov. Pillen Addressing Nebraska Right to Life and others at the Governor’s Residence
Gov. Pillen Participating in Last Week’s Catholics at the Capitol Panel Discussion
Headline: Panamanian Doctor Pleads Guilty in Criminal Fraud Case Expected to Save U.S. Government $25M
Based on assistance provided by the United States, Panamanian authorities have obtained a criminal plea from Dr. Rolando Chin, a surgeon residing in Panama, in connection with a widespread fraud scheme perpetrated against the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) by Dr. Chin and others in Panama.
Windham High School students had the opportunity to learn about what a career in physical therapy could look like for them through an event co-hosted by UConn’s Physical Therapy Program and ConnCAP (Connecticut Collegiate Awareness and Preparation).
On Saturday March 8, 15 Windham High School students visited the UConn Storrs campus where they learned about what physical therapy is and the many paths to get into the field.
“I thought it was a great opportunity to give them another perspective about physical therapy and what we do within the profession,” says Evans Payen, a first-year student in the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program and the event organizer.
Payen also coordinated the event with Upward Bound, a program that helps prepare first-generation and low-income students for college.
During the event, DPT students and faculty gave presentations about what physical therapy is, what kinds of prerequisites students need to enter a physical therapy graduate program, and potential careers in physical therapy.
“The way it’s able to open their eyes and provide them with a broader scope of careers and field opportunities instead of just seeing what’s right in front of you,” Payen says. “Because sometimes physical therapy can be kind of unknown, especially at a young age, unless you’ve had an experience with physical therapy yourself.”
Students also participated in a demonstration of diagnostic ultrasound technology, learning about how it works, what it’s used for in physical therapy, and even trying it out on their own arms.
“It was cool to bring in professionals from different aspects of physical therapy,” one student who participated in the event says. “It was nice knowing the different ways and techniques to diagnose different injuries. It was a fun activity using the diagnostic ultrasound.”
“I really enjoyed the hands-on activity,” says another student participant. “I liked the preparation and explanation of careers and opportunities.”
The students who participated in the event come from historically underrepresented racial and ethnic groups.
“It’s crucial to have a diverse physical therapy background because it leads to better health care,” Payen says “Having physical therapists who look like their patients can lead to better outcomes.”
A recent study compared national racial and ethnic diversity to representation in various healthcare professions. Physical therapy was one of the least representative with only 3.3% of physical therapists being Black, compared to 12% of the general U.S. population; and 3.3% Hispanic, compared to 18.7%.
“It has really spurred the American Physical Therapy Association to have an even more concerted effort to taking action to improve representation in our student body and in our profession with the hopes of reducing health disparities,” Cristina Colón-Semenza, assistant professor of kinesiology says.
The physical therapy program has collaborated with ConnCAP for the past three years. Each summer, ConnCAP brings high school students to UConn’s campus to learn about potential careers, one of which is physical therapy. This event represents an expansion of this partnership. The physical therapy program also hosted an event in the fall with ConnCAP.
Colón-Semenza and Payen say they hope to make these expanded events a part of their annual collaboration with ConnCAP.
“Many of our students, though interested in the medical field, are undecided on what path to take. Since attending the workshop, I have multiple students wanting to dive in deeper,” says Erick Castillo, ConnCAP academic coordinator for Windham High School. “It is apparent that there is true value in hearing and interacting with experts in the field. It is a positive recruitment opportunity for everyone involved and can eventually change lives.”
This work relates to CAHNR’s Strategic Vision area focused on Enhancing Health.
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Emmanuel Sarpong Owusu, Doctoral Researcher and Lecturer, Aberystwyth University
Superstition, an irrational belief in paranormal influences or a false attribution of events, is an age-old phenomenon found in probably all human societies or cultures. It encompasses a wide range of beliefs, practices and behaviours. Some of these have harmful or even deadly consequences.
In many African communities, there are widespread beliefs relating to the use of human body parts for traditional healing rituals. Human body parts and blood are said to enhance the potency of traditional medicines and rituals that supposedly guarantee wealth, business success, fertility, protection and longevity, among others.
Ritual killings, including those of children, are reported regularly around Africa. A case in point is the targeting of children with albinism for ritual purposes in Tanzania. One research report says one in five people in Mozambique and one in four people in South Africa believe that rituals and traditional medicines made with human body parts are more potent and effective than those using nonhuman objects.
Children are particularly targeted for killing because they can’t repel attacks, and because of beliefs about the potency of their body parts. The victims in more than half of all the ritual murders reported in Ghana and Kenya in 2022 were children.
I am a legal scholar with years of research on superstition-driven crimes against vulnerable groups in African settings and the criminal justice response to such crimes. In a recent study I explored the magnitude, characteristics and motivations, as well as the socio-cultural and economic contexts, of ritual child murder in Ghana and Kenya. My study was carried out through in-depth analysis of news reports of ritual murders for a period of 10 years, coupled with semi-structured interviews with academics and other experts.
I found that the major factors contributing to the persistence of ritual child murders were superstition, economic hardship, illiteracy and inefficient criminal justice systems. A new consumerist ethos also plays a role: wanting a life of luxury and the admiration that comes with it.
The study seeks to enhance awareness of the ritual child murder phenomenon and encourage support for the enforcement of child rights protection laws. When policymakers know more about the scale and circumstances of ritual child murders, they are better equipped to act on it.
Ritual murders in Ghana and Kenya
Belief in juju is widespread in Ghana and Kenya. This is the belief that people can mystically control events by using incantations (“magic words”) and, sometimes, objects.
My study analysed data drawn from online news reports in eight media outlets in Ghana and Kenya. I used media content because the countries don’t have national data sets on ritual homicide, and empirical research is limited. Secondly, I interviewed 28 experts in criminology and criminal justice, sociology, African religions, and child and family welfare and social protection. These participants were selected using the purposeful sampling technique.
In Ghana, the media reported at least 160 ritual murders between 2012 and 2021. Of this number, 94 (about 58.8%) were children. This suggests that an average of 9.4 children fall victim to ritual murder each year in the country. Of the 102 ritual murders in Kenya in the study period, 66 (64.7%) were children. This represents an annual average of 6.6 in the country.
In both countries, most victims (over 80%) tend to be drawn from families of low socio-economic backgrounds in rural and semi-rural communities. In Kenya, children with albinism are also targeted.
The overwhelming majority of offenders are males. There are three main categories of perpetrators of ritual child murders:
the juju practitioner or traditional healer who usually prescribes the required body parts and effects the medicine or ritual
the client who consults traditional healers and stands to benefit directly from the ritual or medicine
the (hired) ritual murderer, who abducts the victim and extracts the required body parts.
Data from media reports show that most of the perpetrators apprehended are those directly involved in the killing. They are usually aged between 20 and 39 years and of low socio-economic status in rural communities. However, some interviewees insisted that some rich and prominent persons are also involved.
In Ghana, uncles, fathers and stepfathers were the dominant perpetrators in cases where victims and perpetrators were known to be related. Unlike other types of homicide, ritual child murder generally involves strangers nearly as often as it involves family members and acquaintances.
Motivations and responses
The dominant motivation for ritual murder is financial gain. This conclusion is drawn from the media accounts and the interviews. Perpetrators are promised money in exchange for specific human body parts. Others kill to use the body parts for rituals that are supposed to ensure a long life, fertility, business growth, or protection against evil. In Kenya, some perpetrators kill in fulfilment of their obligations as members of occult sects.
Other factors that sustain the practice – based on media reports and interviews – are superstition, unemployment and economic hardship. Adding to these are illiteracy, which fosters unfounded beliefs, and an inefficient criminal justice system, which enables these crimes to thrive.
Poor parental supervision is an important risk factor for ritual child murder. In both countries, over 70% of the ritual murder victims were under 10 years old. They were abducted or murdered while going to or returning home from school. Others were abducted while running errands such as fetching water from a stream unaccompanied. Some may have been playing outside their homes unsupervised, or running errands by themselves for relatives.
In both countries, the criminal justice system’s response is evidently ineffective. In Kenya, over 90% of perpetrators are not apprehended. Of 68 suspects arrested in Ghana, only four convictions were reported. Crime scenes are poorly managed and preserved by police officers and detectives in both countries.
Crime scene videos show the victims’ remains being removed by authorities and conveyed to the morgue without diligent forensic examination of the body and the crime scene for evidence.
What governments can do
The belief in the power of juju and associated rituals and medicines cannot be wished away. It can only be combated in various ways:
bringing the activities of traditional healers and occult-related sects under closer scrutiny
promoting education and awareness, emphasising the need for supervision of children
stronger criminal justice systems.
– Ritual murder of children: study in Ghana and Kenya explores who’s doing it and why – https://theconversation.com/ritual-murder-of-children-study-in-ghana-and-kenya-explores-whos-doing-it-and-why-249173
Source: The Conversation – Africa – By Relebohiseng Matubatuba, Lecturer in Marketing, University of the Witwatersrand
The shortage of blood for medical use is a global challenge. South Africa is not exempt. Blood collection organisations such as the South African National Blood Service struggle to meet the demand for blood products, because of insufficient blood donations and the scarcity of loyal blood donors.
To increase the numbers, the country’s blood donation organisations have focused on the recruitment of new donors and awareness initiatives, using research findings that look at what motivates, and what deters, people from donating blood. But little focus has been put on the behaviour of those who already donate.
I have conducted research in a bid to fill this gap. In a recent paper I examined factors influencing consumers’ intention to donate blood. In addition, in my recently completed PhD, I looked at the retention of existing blood donors and what drives their donation behaviour.
The research suggests that blood collection organisations need to shift focus from acquiring new blood donors to building relationships with existing blood donors. Existing donors are an important cohort because they are reliable, and have higher donation eligibility and lower recruitment costs.
The aim should be to drive loyalty.
I considered the use of technology to encourage people to donate blood regularly. I concluded from my findings that blood collection organisations should customise appeals to various types of donors. They need to appeal to people in a personalised way if they want to drive loyalty.
The drivers
To understand what drives donor loyalty, it was important to understand why people donate blood.
As part of my research, 658 blood donors completed the survey and I conducted interviews with 18 blood donors. The interviews revealed various reasons for donating blood. These included:
Awareness of the importance of donating blood
As one participant in my research put it:
I’ve been in and out of hospital for my kids and for my wife when she was pregnant. If I don’t donate, where are they going to get that blood from?
Contribution to society – saving or changing someone’s life
This was articulated by one person:
I’m past the point of only going for a reward, but I actually want to go, because I want to save someone’s life and do good in the community.
Moral responsibility
As one participant put it:
When I don’t donate blood, I feel bad because, as a universal donor, I could potentially be saving lives as my blood is not limited, as opposed to other groups.
Health-related benefits, like free health checks and the requirement to live a healthy lifestyle
Incentives
The gifts make me feel appreciated. It makes me want to donate more and more.
Beyond just donating blood, some donors also expressed that they shared their blood donation experiences with their friends, family, co-workers and on their social media platforms to encourage others to donate.
The use of technology
Findings from my PhD show that donors would like personalised communication from the blood collection organisations. This should include:
sharing information about blood donation achievements specific to them (the donor)
checking up on the donors who are not donating as they used to or may have stopped donating
following up on deferred donors to encourage them to return for a checkup and subsequent donation. Deferred donors are those who were unable to donate during a donation drive because they didn’t meet the donation requirements (for example they had low iron levels).
reminding donors of their upcoming donations.
Others shared that they would like more interactive communication beyond being told that they have saved three lives after donating blood. This could include sharing specific information about the impact of the donors donation – “your donation helped a cancer patient recover” – and stories to make their contribution more tangible.
What needs to be done
Research has shown that digital technologies have been used successfully to foster customer engagement, enhance customer experiences and satisfaction, facilitate communication and information-sharing, and offer opportunities to shape and influence behaviour. To achieve this, donor organisations have large amounts of donor data and other data (big data) which they can use to gain insights that can be used in the following ways.
Firstly, they should analyse donor data to identify patterns and segment donors based on factors such as how long an individual has been donating, donation frequency, blood type, location, and preferred communication channels.
This information can be used to tailor communication and engagement strategies to specific donor groups. Donors follow different donor paths over time and cannot be viewed as a single segment.
Secondly, organisations should monitor donation trends over time. This will help to understand seasonal fluctuations, identify peak donation periods, and anticipate potential donor needs. These insights can be used to plan targeted recruitment campaigns and allocate resources.
Thirdly, organisations should consider personalised communication. This could include:
Targeted nudging: timely and relevant communication, like reminders for upcoming donation appointments, personalised thank-you messages, information about the donation they have made or invitations to special donor events.
Multi-channel engagement: reaching donors through their preferred communication channels, such as email, SMS, or social media.
Loyalty programmes: rewarding frequent donors with exclusive merchandise, discounts or special recognition, based on individual donor preferences and donation history.
Gamification: using game-like elements to make communication and the donation process more engaging and fun, using challenges, leaderboards and badges to motivate donors and foster a sense of community.
Predictive analytics: using data history and past events to establish donor patterns and predicts future outcomes. This data can be used to identify donors who might lapse and reach out to them with personalised communication.
– South Africans don’t donate enough blood – technology can help drive the numbers – https://theconversation.com/south-africans-dont-donate-enough-blood-technology-can-help-drive-the-numbers-251827
