Category: Health

MIL-OSI USA: MATSUI APPLAUDS BIDEN ADMINISTRATION’S WORK TO LOCALIZE 988 CALLS

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-CA)

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-07) released the following statement in response to the Biden Administration’s announcement that wireless carriers will start to route callers to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by their approximate location, rather than their area code.

“Imagine the immense courage it takes to pick up the phone and dial 9-8-8 only to find you’re speaking with someone across the country,” said Congresswoman Matsui. “9-8-8 must be a reliable lifeline backed by a reliable crisis system. That’s why I’m thrilled that the Biden Administration took this significant step to ensure individuals in mental health crisis are linked with local support.”

Specifically, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced that geo-routing implementation began last week with two major U.S. wireless carriers that combined make up about half of all wireless calls to 988. Additionally, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel announced that next month, the FCC will vote on final rules to require geo-routing from all U.S. carriers in specified timeframes.

Congresswoman Matsui is a longtime champion of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and improving access to community mental health resources. She co-led the Local 988 Response Act of 2023, which would have required the FCC to promulgate regulations requiring carriers to geo-route 988 callers.

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MIL OSI USA News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI USA: Burgess, Carter on the Passage of the HEALTH Panel Act in the House Budget Committee

Source: United States House of Representatives – Congressman Michael C Burgess MD (R-TX)

Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX) released the following statement after the passage of the HEALTH Panel Act through the House Budget Committee.

Congressman Burgess and Congressman Buddy Carter (R-GA) introduced H.R. 9686, the HEALTH Panel Act which will give authority back to the House and the Senate to appoint the Panel of Health Advisors in the Congressional Budget Office. This bill will also require the CBO provide an annual report to the Budget Committee detailing the panel’s work and recommendations.

“The passage of the HEALTH Panel Act through the House Budget Committee is a major win for American patients, physicians, and the U.S. health care system,” said Congressman Burgess. “Unelected officials in the Congressional Budget Office should not have the power to influence the legislative process as it pertains to health care policies. This commonsense legislation will grant congressional authority to codify a bipartisan Panel of Health Advisors within the CBO that prioritize the needs of the patient and not their own partisan agenda. Thank you to Congressman Carter for joining me in revitalizing this panel with statutory authority.”

“It’s no secret that health care is expensive. As one of the primary drivers of our nation’s runaway $35 trillion in debt, it is critical that CBO have the authority required to accurately project the budgetary impact new health care policies will have. The HEALTH Panel Act is a necessary, common-sense step to improve both cost estimates and congressional oversight of this key panel, and I hope to see it on the House floor soon,” said Congressman Carter.

Click HERE for bill text.

Background:
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Panel of Health Advisors was informally established 20 years ago and consists of healthcare experts and stakeholders that advise CBO on issues pertaining to health care policy.

The core purpose of the panel is to provide technical and functional expertise and recommendations to CBO to improve its studies, analyses, and cost estimates related to health care issues and policies. Yet, there is no statutory authority for this panel, nor is there any clear guidance on the responsibilities of the panel.

This bill will establish congressional appointment authority and require the panel report to the Budget Committee.

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MIL OSI USA News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI USA: Senator Collins Joins Bipartisan Legislation to Honor WWII Nurses with Congressional Gold Medal

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Maine Susan Collins
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins joined 32 of her Senate colleagues in supporting the bipartisan WWII Nurses Congressional Gold Medal Act, a bill to recognize the work and sacrifices of World War II nurses by presenting them with a Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian award bestowed by the United States Congress. The bill would award this honor to the more than 59,000 Army Nurses and 14,000 Navy Nurses who served in World War II.
Awarding this medal is a well-deserved commemoration of the service of nurses like Alize Zwicker, who was born in Brownville, and during the war, was held in a Japanese internment camp in the Philippines for three years after the nation was seized by Japan in 1942. Alize was the only Maine servicewoman held as a prisoner of war in either of the two world wars.
“The brave and resilient women who answered the call to serve the nation during the Second World War deserve to be remembered alongside our country’s greatest patriots,” said Senator Collins. “This bipartisan effort would ensure that the adversity overcome by Maine nurses like Alize Zwicker is properly memorialized in our history.”
The WWII Nurses Congressional Gold Medal Act is endorsed by the American Red Cross, Friends of the National World War II Memorial, and the National Military Women’s War Memorial.
In addition to Senator Collins, the WWII Nurses Congressional Gold Medal Act is sponsored by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Steve Daines (R-MT), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Mike Braun (R-IN), Jon Tester (D-MT), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Joe Manchin (I-WV), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), John Cornyn (R-TX), Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), Tina Smith (D-MN), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), John Barrasso (R-WY), Edward Markey (D-MA), Mark Warner (D-VA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Angus King (I-ME), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Peter Welch (D-VT), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Laphonza Butler (D-CA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

MIL OSI USA News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI USA: McConnell, Kaine Applaud Final Rule To Raise Minimum Age For Tobacco Sales Set By Their Bill

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Kentucky Mitch McConnell
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, applauded a final rule issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding ID requirements for the purchase of tobacco products at retail establishments. The rule, which will go into effect on September 30, was required by McConnell and Kaine’s Tobacco-Free Youth Act. Signed into law in December 2019, the bipartisan McConnell-Kaine legislation raised the minimum age to buy all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, from 18 to 21.
Last week, Senator McConnell delivered remarks on the Senate floor highlighting a recent survey by the FDA and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) which concluded the number of young people in America smoking e-cigarettes dropped to its lowest level in the last decade.
“Youth e-cigarette use was at its peak just five years ago. That’s when I introduced legislation along with Senator Kaine to raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco products to 21. Today, the number of young people smoking e-cigarettes dropped to its lowest level in a decade,” said Senator McConnell. “I’m glad to see the FDA finally produce this rule that will help keep even more children from getting their hands on addictive vaping devices. While more work remains, I’m grateful to see our bipartisan legislation making a big impact.”
“I’m glad the FDA issued final guidance to implement our bipartisan legislation to raise the tobacco age to 21,” said Senator Kaine. “I was proud to work with Senator McConnell to get this legislation signed into law. Our bipartisan bill has already made a huge difference in keeping tobacco products away from young people, and this final rule will only further these efforts.”
In 2022 and again in 2023, McConnell and Kaine pushed the FDA to issue this final rule. The final FDA rule requires retailers to ask for photo identification for anyone under the age of 30 and prohibits retailers from selling tobacco products via vending machines in facilities where individuals under 21 are present or permitted to enter at any time.

MIL OSI USA News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI USA: Baldwin, Shaheen Lead Bill to Make Affordable Care Act Premium Tax Breaks Permanent, Lowering Costs for Millions of Americans

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Wisconsin Tammy Baldwin
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) introduced the Health Care Affordability Act—legislation to make permanent the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits (PTCs) for millions of Americans who use the Health Insurance Marketplace for coverage. The enhanced PTCs, which have made health care more affordable and accessible for millions of Americans, are currently set to expire at the end of 2025. If this provision expires, over 20 million Americans will see a sudden increase in their health insurance costs, an estimated three million Americans could lose their health insurance entirely, and nearly nine million people will pay more—roughly $406 per person—for coverage.
“I’m focused on the kitchen table issues that keep families up at night and the skyrocketing cost of health care and prescription drugs is high on that list. I fought hard to cut health care costs for Wisconsinites – saving thousands of families hundreds of dollars each year – and I refuse to let us go backward,” said Senator Baldwin. “Our legislation will stop millions of hard-working Americans from having their healthcare costs jacked up, giving families peace of mind that they can get the quality health care they need at a price they can afford.”
“For years, the ACA enhanced premium tax credits have significantly lowered costs and increased access to health insurance for families in New Hampshire and across the country. But let’s be very clear: if Congress fails to act before these tax credits expire, tens of millions of Americans will suffer a substantial increase in health care costs and millions of individuals could lose their health insurance entirely,” said Senator Shaheen. “It’s time to extend these highly effective tax credits to keep costs from skyrocketing and ensure health care is within reach for every American, and I’m proud that our Health Care Affordability Act does just that.”
In Wisconsin, over 230,000 Wisconsinites are receiving advanced premium tax credits, averaging a monthly savings of over $500. Senator Baldwin first voted to expand the premium tax credit in the American Rescue Plan Act. This expansion of premium tax credits marked the biggest improvement to the ACA since it became law over a decade ago. When the tax credits were set to expire at the end of last year, Baldwin voted to extend their authorization through December 2025 in the Inflation Reduction Act.
Cosponsors of Shaheen and Baldwin’s bill include U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR), and U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), John Fetterman (D-PA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tina Smith (D-MN), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Peter Welch (D-VT), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Laphonza Butler (D-CA), John Tester (D-MT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Gary Peters (D-MI), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Tom Carper (D-DE), Bob Casey (D-PA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Ed Markey (D-MA), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), George Helmy (D-NJ), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Patty Murray (D-WA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Martin Heinrich (D-NM).

MIL OSI USA News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI USA: Warner, Connolly Introduce Legislation to Promote Federal Worker Safety

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Commonwealth of Virginia Mark R Warner
WASHINGTON – With winter cold, flu, and COVID season upon us, U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) is leading Senate introduction of the Chai Suthammanont Healthy Federal Workplaces Act, legislation requiring federal agencies to establish and publish workplace protections in the instance of a public health emergency declared for an infectious disease. Companion legislation was also introduced today in the House of Representatives by U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA).
The legislation is named for Chai Suthammanont, a kitchen staff worker at a childcare facility on Marine Corps Base Quantico, who died from coronavirus-related complications in May of 2020 after being exposed to COVID-19, likely in the tight kitchen space he shared with additional staff. Confusion and uncertainty regarding best practices and agency policies, as well as a general lack of communication with federal workforce staff, likely contributed to his death.
Joining Sen. Warner in Senate introduction are Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), and Sherrod Brown (D-OH).
“Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, federal employees remained hard at work, ensuring that the American people could continue to count on their government. But unfortunately, the pandemic highlighted that our federal agencies were widely unprepared to protect these essential workers,” said Sen. Warner. “It’s crucial that we learn from our mistakes. We owe it to our federal workforce to ensure a safe workplace, and when faced with another public health emergency, we must be prepared.”
“On May 26, 2020, Chai Suthammanont, my constituent and a kitchen staff worker at a childcare facility on Marine Corps Base Quantico, died from COVID-related complications,” said Rep. Connolly. “Confusion and uncertainty surrounding agency guidance during the pandemic emerged as two of the largest contributing factors to Chai’s death. These factors, combined with a general lack of communication with federal workforce staff, led to tragedy. Our Chai Suthammanont Healthy Federal Workplaces Act will ensure federal employees are informed and better protected during any future public health emergency. I want to thank Senator Warner for his partnership, and I want to thank Chai’s widow, Christina, for her continued efforts to transform her family’s loss into a charge to help others.”
Specifically, the Chai Suthammanont Healthy Federal Workplaces Act would:
Require each federal agency to develop and maintain a plan that details public health protocols the agency will take during a nationwide infectious disease PHE declaration. The plan must include guidelines for testing, cleaning, occupancy limits, use of personal protective equipment, notification of individuals who may have been exposed, and protections for employees who travel off-site;
Require each agency to publish the safety plan on its website and communicate its plan to employees, contractors, and subcontractors;
Ensure accountability and oversight by requiring the Office of the Inspector General for each agency to report to Congress on plan implementation. The Government Accountability Office would also issue a report on the lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic to improve future protocols.
This bill has been endorsed by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), and the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE).
Bill text is available here.

MIL OSI USA News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI USA: Schatz Leads Bipartisan Group Of Senators In Urging Senate Leaders To Take Up Legislation To Permanently Extend Telehealth Flexibilities, Expand Access

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Brian Schatz
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) led members of the bipartisan Senate Telehealth Working Group in calling on Senate leaders to take up legislation to permanently extend telehealth flexibilities for Medicare beneficiaries that are set to expire at the end of the year. Specifically, the senators urged for the passage of the bipartisan CONNECT for Health Act which Schatz leads with U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and was reintroduced last year with the support of 66 bipartisan senators. The letter follows Telehealth Awareness Week and comes after the House Energy & Commerce Committee unanimously advanced a two-year telehealth extension. In addition to Schatz, the letter is signed by Wicker and U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), and Mark Warner (D-Va.).
“At least 66 Democratic and Republican Senators support permanently expanding telehealth access, and similar provisions have passed on a bipartisan unanimous basis in committees of jurisdiction in the House of Representatives. The Senate must quickly act to advance these policies, which protect access to telehealth services and align with your objective to advance bipartisan legislation that promotes the health and well-being of Americans,” the senators wrote.
They continued, “Medicare beneficiaries have come to rely on expanded access to telehealth services and are satisfied with the care they receive. We must provide patients and clinicians with long-term certainty of their ability to access and provide care through telehealth. The CONNECT for Health Act will help us achieve this shared goal and has strong, bipartisan support in the Senate.”
The CONNECT for Health Act makes permanent telehealth flexibilities made temporarily available during the COVID-19 pandemic and later extended. Additionally, it expands access to telehealth services by removing unnecessary barriers and enabling doctors, particularly in rural and underserved communities, to leverage telehealth to better serve their patients. The bill was first introduced in 2016 and is considered the most comprehensive legislation on telehealth in Congress. Several provisions of the bill have since been enacted into law or adopted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
The full text of the letter can be found below and is available here.
Dear Leader Schumer and Leader McConnell:
With the end-of-year expiration of telehealth flexibilities rapidly approaching, we write to urge you to prioritize policies that ensure all Medicare beneficiaries retain access to telehealth services. At least 66 Democratic and Republican Senators support permanently expanding telehealth access, and similar provisions have passed on a bipartisan unanimous basis in committees of jurisdiction in the House of Representatives. The Senate must quickly act to advance these policies, which protect access to telehealth services and align with your objective to advance bipartisan legislation that promotes the health and well-being of Americans.
Under your leadership, Congress has recognized the critical role of telehealth in health care delivery by expanding coverage during and after the COVID-19 public health emergency. Most recently in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, Congress enacted a two-year extension of Medicare telehealth services coverage. This ensured continuity of care and provided time for experts to evaluate the effects of expanded telehealth serves. Recent studies by leading researchers and the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) are clear: Telehealth provides essential access to care and improves outcomes, including reduced emergency department utilization and improved medication adherence.
Access to telehealth is at-risk, as noted by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in the Calendar Year 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule: “absent Congressional action, beginning January 1, 2025, statutory restrictions on geography, site of service, and practitioner type that existed prior to the COVID-19 PHE will go back into effect”.   Consequently, Congress must advance policies from our consensus bipartisan bill, the CONNECT for Health Act, before the coverage extension lapses. We urge you to prioritize the following provisions from our bill, which would improve American’s access to and quality of care:
Telehealth should be available to all Medicare beneficiaries, regardless of where they live. Therefore, Congress should permanently remove geographic restrictions on telehealth services and permit the home and other clinically appropriate settings as originating sites. If budget constraints make permanent policy out of reach, given the significant costs required to ramp up and provide high quality telehealth programs, Congress must provide the maximum extension possible at an adequate length for providers to make necessary investments.
Practitioners should be able to provide clinically appropriate telehealth services. The flexibility to provide telehealth, within state scope of practice laws, is particularly critical given high rates of provider shortages across disciplines. Therefore, Congress should expand the authority for practitioners eligible to furnish telehealth services.
Federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics should be able to provide telehealth services, free from unnecessary barriers and disincentives. Therefore, Congress should include federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics as distant site providers and telehealth should be integrated into these providers’ payment systems.
Telemental health services should be accessible, free from barriers. Telehealth has transformed mental and behavioral health care, now accounting for 40 percent of telehealth services provided under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule.   Notably, just 20 percent of Medicare beneficiaries with a telemental health visit in the preceding quarter would satisfy the requirements to access these services under current statute.   Therefore, Congress should permanently repeal the six-month in-person visit requirement for telemental health services.
Patients receiving hospice care should be permitted to receive assessments by telehealth. Therefore, Congress should allow for the use of telehealth in the recertification of a Medicare beneficiary for hospice.
Medicare beneficiaries and providers should be supported as health care continues to transition. Therefore, Congress should provide resources to improve beneficiary engagement and health care professional use of telehealth. Congress should also task the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to ensure that telehealth quality is effectively measured, and that limited outlier billing patterns are addressed.
Medicare beneficiaries have come to rely on expanded access to telehealth services and are satisfied with the care they receive.   We must provide patients and clinicians with long-term certainty of their ability to access and provide care through telehealth. The CONNECT for Health Act will help us achieve this shared goal and has strong, bipartisan support in the Senate. Further, the Ways & Means and Energy & Commerce Committees have unanimously advanced telehealth legislation. We appreciate your collaboration and leadership on this issue and look forward to working with you to ensure access to telehealth services is retained by the end of 2024.
Sincerely,

MIL OSI USA News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI USA: Senate Passes Schatz-Wicker Resolution Designating Telehealth Awareness Week

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Hawaii Brian Schatz
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Senate passed a bipartisan resolution authored by U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawai‘i) and Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) designating September 15-21 as “Telehealth Awareness Week.” The resolution recognizes that telehealth has helped millions of Americans across the country access quality health care, and has become a critical component of health care delivery.
“Telehealth helps people access quality health care when and where they need it, and our resolution highlights the broad, bipartisan support for raising awareness of and expanding access to telehealth,” said Senator Schatz, co-chair of the Senate Telehealth Working Group.
“Telehealth is a cost-effective way for people in rural and underserved areas to access health care. Increasing the services available to patients remains one of my top priorities,” Senator Wicker said.
The resolution affirms the bipartisan support in Congress for telehealth and encourages expanded access to telehealth services for all people, including members of rural and underserved communities. It notes that 25 percent of Medicare beneficiaries used telehealth services at least once in 2023, and that nearly 90 percent were satisfied with their experience. It concludes that “Telehealth Awareness Week” unites the efforts of patients, caregivers, health care providers, policymakers, and other stakeholders to advance the role of telehealth in health care.
The resolution is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Ben Cardin (D-Md.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.).
Schatz has led efforts to expand access to telehealth, including reintroducing the CONNECT for Health Act, the most comprehensive bipartisan telehealth legislation in Congress. Since its first iteration in 2016, several provisions from the bill have been signed into law.
The full text of the resolution is available here.

MIL OSI USA News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI USA: Durbin Questions Judicial Nominees In Judiciary Committee Nominations Hearing

US Senate News:

Source: United States Senator for Illinois Dick Durbin
09.25.24
WASHINGTON – During today’s Senate Judiciary Committee nominations hearing, U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, questioned Sarah Morgan Davenport, nominated to be a United States District Judge for the District of New Mexico, about her unique background. Durbin also began his remarks by highlighting the rigorous vetting process nominees undergo to be considered for a judicial nomination.
“Among our nominees is Ms. Davenport, who graduated from New Mexico State University with a bachelor’s in music and who was a music teacher before going to law school and then [becoming] a prosecutor. She went from professor to prosecutor. Can you tell me about your background in music [that lead to your nomination]?” Durbin asked.
Ms. Davenport replied that she wanted to go down a different career path after serving as a music teacher—which led her to attend law school and pursue a career as a prosecutor.
Durbin then asked Keli Marie Neary, nominated to be a United States District Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, about a case where she represented the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in Federal Trade Commission et al., v. Penn State Hersey Medical Center et al. The Commonwealth, along with the FTC, sued to block a merger of the Penn State Hershey Medical Center with the Pinnacle Health System.
“Can you tell us about that case?” Durbin asked.
Ms. Neary responded, “that was one of two very important cases I worked on during my career that involved health care and providing care to many people across Pennsylvania. In that particular case, we were working to make sure that no hospital became a monopoly in order to maintain prices in Pennsylvania, to ensure affordable health care in central Pennsylvania.”
She continued to say, “The other case I referenced is a case involving two large insurance companies in Pennsylvania and the hospital systems that participated in those insurance companies, and through my work on behalf of the Commonwealth, we were able to garner an agreement that resulted in affordable health care for many Pennsylvanians in the western part of the state.”
Durbin then questioned Judge Anthony J. Brindisi, nominated to be a United States District Judge for the Northern District of New York, about his background as a congressman and his service on the bench.
“Can you compare those legal experiences?” Durbin asked.
Judge Brindisi responded that the key to being a good congressman is to be a good listener, work in a bipartisan way to get work done, and to sit down with individuals you might disagree with to better understand their ideas on bills. He continued to say that he took the lessons he learned from Congress to the bench.
Durbin then questioned Elizabeth C. Coombe, nominated to be a United States District Judge for the Northern District of New York, about her legal experience, noting that she has tried almost 40 cases to verdict or final decision.
Ms. Coombe responded that given her experience litigating in both D.C. and New York federal courts, she was exposed to many bench trials and jury trials. She continued to say, “I love being in the courtroom presenting cases to juries and seeing the power of the jury work its magic… And I think that my experience as a trial lawyer in front of juries will be helpful if I am fortunate enough to be confirmed. I would bring that practical experience from the courtroom with me.”
Video of Durbin’s questions in Committee is available here.
Audio of Durbin’s questions in Committee is available here.
Footage of Durbin’s questions Committee is available here for TV Stations.
The hearing continues the Committee’s work filling judicial vacancies with highly qualified, diverse candidates who help ensure the fair and impartial administration of the American justice system.
Under the leadership of Chair Durbin, the Senate has confirmed 212 judges to lifetime appointments on the federal bench during the Biden-Harris Administration. Following the confirmation of Michelle Court to be U.S. District Judge for the District of California and last week’s executive business meeting, 18 lifetime judges – including four circuit court nominees and 14 district court nominees – are eligible for a vote on the Senate floor.
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MIL OSI USA News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI USA: Final Rule on Mitigating the Impact of Significant, Anomalous, and Highly Suspect Billing Activity on Medicare Shared Savings Program Financial Calculations in Calendar Year 2023 (CMS-1799-F)

Source: US Department of Health and Human Services

On September 24, 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the final rule entitled, “Medicare Program: Mitigating the Impact of Significant, Anomalous, and Highly Suspect Billing Activity on Medicare Shared Savings Program Financial Calculations in Calendar Year 2023” (CMS-1799-F). This final rule is part of a larger strategy to address significant, anomalous, and highly suspect (SAHS) billing activity within Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) reconciliation. A proposal in the calendar year (CY) 2025 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) proposed rule addresses SAHS billing activity for CY 2024 onwards. This fact sheet summarizes the Medicare Shared Savings Program (Shared Savings Program) policies that are included in this final rule.

MIL OSI USA News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-Evening Report: Mixing it up: hybrid work models can offer the best of both worlds for worker wellbeing and productivity

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephen Blumenfeld, Director, Centre for Labour, Employment and Work, Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon sparked debate on the future of work in New Zealand this week when he ordered public service employees back to the office.

But Luxon’s edict neglects a broader transformation in work culture.

Work from home (WFH) arrangements have grown considerably over the past decade, propelled by an increase in dual-income households and rapid technological advancements.

The COVID pandemic acted as a catalyst for further change, proving that many jobs could successfully be performed remotely.

Our upcoming article in the New Zealand Journal of Employment Relations addresses the pros and cons of remote work. We highlight how a hybrid model – mixing days in the office with days working from home – can improve wellbeing, engagement and productivity.

We found embracing a hybrid approach may lead to better outcomes as society shifts with technology and employment expectations. And, despite the prime minister’s demands on public service workers, it may be too late to go back.

Embracing flexibility

Under current rules, employees can request flexible working arrangements. Employers must provide valid reasons if they decline the request.

According to a 2023 survey from Human Resources New Zealand, 40% of HR professionals noted productivity gains as a critical advantage of WFH arrangements.

And some professional organisations have embraced work from home or hybrid work arrangements.

The New Zealand Law Association, for example, has emphasised the significant benefits of flexible work for their members, including increased employee engagement, productivity, and overall wellbeing.

A report from Te Kawa Mataaho Public Service Commission noted the public service’s success in delivering quality services during the pandemic while working remotely.

The commission’s current guidance on hybrid work arrangements supports flexibility that allows working from home to focus and working together when necessary.

Does WFH reduce efficiency?

Luxon argues forcing workers back to the office will promote efficiency. But there is little evidence suggesting New Zealand’s productivity has significantly declined with WFH or hybrid arrangements.

Instead, we found office-only arrangements risked introducing new inefficiencies for the government. These included new layers of permissions and reporting on arrangements that have already been agreed to.

The assumption that office work suits everyone is also contradicted by experiences during and after COVID.

During the first year of the pandemic, many workers felt the void of casual interactions that once sparked creativity. They also struggled with isolation. This was especially pronounced for caregivers, often women, who had to juggle professional duties with increased childcare responsibilities.

Despite this, a University of Otago survey conducted during the pandemic noted 67% of participants preferred a hybrid work model.

Many expressed optimism regarding remote work’s continuation, with significant portions reporting stable or increased productivity, although some struggled with home distractions.

And our research found taking a hybrid approach to work – with one or more days at home – reduced the risks from professional and social isolation and improved collaboration.

Opportunities to work at home some of the time also allowed time for focused work, reduced commuting time and improved wellbeing.

Boosting productivity from home

Luxon’s assertion that working from home is “not an entitlement” aligns with traditional views on work. These include the belief that time at a desk is a measurement of productivity, rather than measuring the outcomes from work.

However, a growing body of evidence indicates remote work can elevate both productivity and employee satisfaction.

Eliminating daily commutes allows employees to redirect time toward focused work, positively impacting job satisfaction and mental wellbeing.

Moreover, remote work fosters inclusivity, enabling organisations to source talent from a broader geographic area, which in turn enhances diversity and innovation.

A report from McKinsey & Company found businesses adopting flexible work arrangements are better positioned to navigate future uncertainties, sustaining or even boosting productivity.

A survey by the Australian Council of Trade Unions exploring WFH revealed nearly 48% of participants experienced enhanced productivity, attributed in part to the elimination of commuting.

However, it also highlighted challenges. Some 40% of respondents said they were facing longer work hours, which can lead to burnout. Addressing these issues is essential to maintaining employee wellbeing.

The future of work

Instead of enforcing strict office attendance, leaders should adapt to the changing work landscape.

Promoting flexible arrangements can foster a more productive and engaged workforce, ultimately benefiting New Zealand’s public service in today’s dynamic environment.

Balancing both office and remote work presents the most promising path forward.

Joanne Crawford receives funding from the Health Research Council and the NZ Industrial Relations Foundation Trust.

Roya Gorjifard receives funding from the Victoria University of Wellington for Doctoral Research.

Chris Peace and Stephen Blumenfeld do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

– ref. Mixing it up: hybrid work models can offer the best of both worlds for worker wellbeing and productivity – https://theconversation.com/mixing-it-up-hybrid-work-models-can-offer-the-best-of-both-worlds-for-worker-wellbeing-and-productivity-239710

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

September 29, 2024
MIL-Evening Report: Why are we seeing more pandemics? Our impact on the planet has a lot to do with it

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Olga Anikeeva, Research Fellow, School of Public Health, University of Adelaide

ImageFlow/Shutterstock

Pandemics – the global spread of infectious diseases – seem to be making a comeback. In the Middle Ages we had the Black Death (plague), and after the first world war we had the Spanish flu. Tens of millions of people died from these diseases.

Then science began to get the upper hand, with vaccination eradicating smallpox, and polio nearly so. Antibiotics became available to treat bacterial infections, and more recently antivirals as well.

But in recent years and decades pandemics seem to be returning. In the 1980s we had HIV/AIDS, then several flu pandemics, SARS, and now COVID (no, COVID isn’t over).

So why is this happening, and is there anything we can do to avert future pandemics?

Unbalanced ecosystems

Healthy, stable ecosystems provide services that keep us healthy, such as supplying food and clean water, producing oxygen, and making green spaces available for our recreation and wellbeing.

Another key service ecosystems provide is disease regulation. When nature is in balance – with predators controlling herbivore populations, and herbivores controlling plant growth – it’s more difficult for pathogens to emerge in a way that causes pandemics.

But when human activities disrupt and unbalance ecosystems – such as by way of climate change and biodiversity loss – things go wrong.

For example, climate change affects the number and distribution of plants and animals. Mosquitoes that carry diseases can move from the tropics into what used to be temperate climates as the planet warms, and may infect more people in the months that are normally disease free.

We’ve studied the relationship between weather and dengue fever transmission in China, and our findings support the same conclusion reached by many other studies: climate change is likely to put more people at risk of dengue.

COVID was not the first pandemic, and is unlikely to be the last.
Jaromir Chalabala/Shutterstock

Biodiversity loss can have similar effects by disrupting food chains. When ranchers cleared forests in South America for their cattle to graze in the first half of the 20th century, tiny forest-dwelling, blood-feeding vampire bats suddenly had a smörgåsbord of large sedentary animals to feed on.

While vampire bats had previously been kept in check by the limited availability of food and the presence of predators in the balanced forest ecosystem, numbers of this species exploded in South America.

These bats carry the rabies virus, which causes lethal brain infections in people who are bitten. Although the number of deaths from bat-borne rabies has now fallen dramatically due to vaccination programs in South America, rabies caused by bites from other animals still poses a global threat.

As urban and agricultural development impinges on natural ecosystems, there are increasing opportunities for humans and domestic animals to become infected with pathogens that would normally only be seen in wildlife – particularly when people hunt and eat animals from the wild.

The HIV virus, for example, first entered human populations from apes that were slaughtered for food in Africa, and then spread globally through travel and trade.

Meanwhile, bats are thought to be the original reservoir for the virus that caused the COVID pandemic, which has killed more than 7 million people to date.

Climate change can affect the distribution of animals which carry disease, such as mosquitoes.
Kwangmoozaa/Shutterstock

Ultimately, until we effectively address the unsustainable impact we are having on our planet, pandemics will continue to occur.

Targeting the ultimate causes

Factors such as climate change, biodiversity loss and other global challenges are the ultimate (high level) cause of pandemics. Meanwhile, increased contact between humans, domestic animals and wildlife is the proximate (immediate) cause.

In the case of HIV, while direct contact with the infected blood of apes was the proximate cause, the apes were only being slaughtered because large numbers of very poor people were hungry – an ultimate cause.

The distinction between ultimate causes and proximate causes is important, because we often deal only with proximate causes. For example, people may smoke because of stress or social pressure (ultimate causes of getting lung cancer), but it’s the toxins in the smoke that cause cancer (proximate cause).

Generally, health services are only concerned with stopping people from smoking – and with treating the illness that results – not with removing the drivers that lead them to smoke in the first place.

Similarly, we address pandemics with lockdowns, mask wearing, social distancing and vaccinations – all measures which seek to stop the spread of the virus. But we pay less attention to addressing the ultimate causes of pandemics – until perhaps very recently.

Often we treat the proximate causes of illness, but not the ultimate causes.
Basil MK/Pexels

A planetary health approach

There’s a growing awareness of the importance of adopting a “planetary health” approach to improve human health. This concept is based on the understanding that human health and human civilisation depend on flourishing natural systems, and the wise stewardship of those natural systems.

With this approach, ultimate drivers like climate change and biodiversity loss would be prioritised in preventing future pandemics, at the same time as working with experts from many different disciplines to deal with the proximate causes, thereby reducing the risk overall.

The planetary health approach has the benefit of improving both the health of the environment and human health concurrently. We are heartened by the increased uptake of teaching planetary health concepts across the environmental sciences, humanities and health sciences in many universities.

As climate change, biodiversity loss, population displacements, travel and trade continue to increase the risk of disease outbreaks, it’s vital that the planetary stewards of the future have a better understanding of how to tackle the ultimate causes that drive pandemics.

This article is the first in a series on the next pandemic.

Olga Anikeeva receives funding from Green Adelaide.

Jessica Stanhope receives funding from the Ecological Health Network and Green Adelaide. She is affiliated with the Environmental Physiotherapy Association.

Peng Bi receives funding from the Australian Research Council, National Health and Medical Research Council, National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility, AusAID,

Philip Weinstein receives funding from competitive external granting bodies. He is affiliated with Nature Foundation, Australian Entomological Society, and the South Australian Museum.

– ref. Why are we seeing more pandemics? Our impact on the planet has a lot to do with it – https://theconversation.com/why-are-we-seeing-more-pandemics-our-impact-on-the-planet-has-a-lot-to-do-with-it-226827

MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Russia: Moscow doctors have introduced the latest method of treating a common disease in men

MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

Doctors of the urology center of the Moscow Multidisciplinary Scientific and Clinical Center (MMNCC) named after S.P. Botkin have introduced the latest minimally invasive method of treating prostate adenoma. This is the most common disease in men, which significantly affects the quality of life. It occurs in about a third of patients aged 40-45 years and in 70 percent after 60.

The method of the capital’s doctors is based on the use of sterile high-temperature steam. It is delivered to the prostate through the urethra using special instruments under local anesthesia. The procedure does not require surgical incisions. Sterile steam passes through the tissues of the enlarged prostate and reduces its size, improving the quality of urination. The operation takes about 15 minutes and does not require long-term hospitalization.

The Urology Center of the S.P. Botkin MMNCC was the first among the clinics of the capital Department of Health was equipped with high-tech equipment to perform such operations. Urologists underwent specialized training to perform them.

According to the head of the urological center, professor and academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Dmitry Pushkar, the new method of treating prostate adenoma is the most modern and most gentle of all those that exist today. More than 100 patients have already received high-quality care.

The Moscow Urology Center, the S.P. Botkin MMNCC, began operating in November 2023. Doctors can perform up to 17,000 urological surgeries per year, including endourological, laparoscopic, and robotic interventions. The center includes a consultative and diagnostic department, three general urology departments and two oncourology departments, as well as seven operating rooms equipped with expert surgical equipment, and an intensive care unit. The minimally invasive surgical interventions used here allow patients to quickly recover and maintain a high quality of life.

Moscow Mayor Talks About Implementation of New Moscow Healthcare Standard

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.

Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

http://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/144392073/

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

MIL OSI Russia News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Russia: How the area near the therapeutic building of the S.S. Yudin City Clinical Hospital is being transformed

MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –

The specialists of the municipal services complex have improved the area near the therapeutic building of the S.S. Yudin City Clinical Hospital by more than half. This was reported by the Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Housing and Public Utilities and Improvement Petr Biryukov.

“The main task is to create a comfortable environment for patients that will facilitate their speedy recovery, and make the space convenient for visitors. The improvement boundaries also include the area around the building of the Moscow Multidisciplinary Palliative Care Center. At present, 60 percent of the total volume of planned work has been completed. It is important that the area will be fully adapted for people with limited mobility,” noted Pyotr Biryukov.

Thus, during the improvement, they will organize places for patients, visitors and staff to rest, where they will install benches (some will be under awnings) and plant flower beds. In addition, they will tidy up the paths, install modern lanterns with energy-efficient lamps, arrange flower beds, plant trees and shrubs. Overhead wires will be removed underground – this will transform the space and ensure safe operation of communications.

To enable patients to be taken out for walks not only in wheelchairs but also on wheelchairs, a lifting platform will be installed next to the building. A special area will be set up on the top floor, where various events will be held.

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.

Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

http://vvv.mos.ru/nevs/item/144423073/

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

MIL OSI Russia News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Australia: Doorstop – Launceston

Source: Australian Executive Government Ministers

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Well, it’s fantastic to be here with the Premier of Tasmania, Jeremy Rockliff, with my Education Minister, Jason Clare, with Senator Helen Polley and with Deputy Premier, Michael Ferguson here this morning. And this is a big day for the Commonwealth and a big day for Tasmania. The two services that are most important to people’s lives are health and education. And today, we have some fantastic announcements on both. First of all, it’s great to be here at Launceston General Hospital. I do want to thank the administration and the staff, the doctors, the nurses, the volunteers who’ve shown us around here this morning. It’s been a great privilege, and I do want to take the opportunity to thank them for the difference that they make to people’s lives here in Northern Tasmania. But I want to say that it’s a good day for them too, it’s a good day, most importantly, for the people of Northern Tasmania. Because this announcement today of $120 million from the Federal Government for a Northern Heart Centre will make an enormous difference. People in Northern Tasmania should not have to cross the Bass Strait to the North Island in order to get the health care that they deserve. They should get it here in their local community and this Northern Heart Centre, which is well advanced in terms of its planning, will make an enormous difference for research. Most importantly, to be able to get that early detection and early care here, so that if you avoid a traumatic incident, then you actually save money as well as saving lives. And that’s why I’ve been talking with the Premier about the importance of this. This will mean more beds and less pressure on the hospital’s Emergency Department. The Centre will have its own dedicated lab that can diagnose and treat various heart conditions, allowing patients to bypass the Emergency Department with its own access to the intensive care unit and medical imaging. That will make an enormous difference here in Northern Tasmania. And I’m very proud that this is a part of my Government’s commitment to strengthening Medicare and providing better healthcare for all Australians, regardless of where they live. Further today I can announce that my Government and the Tasmanian Government have signed a historic agreement that means all Tasmanian public schools will be fully and fairly funded. We promised we would fully fund schools in Tasmania and today we deliver. Tasmania is the third state now after Northern Territory and Western Australia to sign up. The Commonwealth has $16 billion on the table to make sure that every school can reach that designation of fair funding that was first put forward by Gonski, by David Gonski, in his Review. The other thing that it will do of course, is the nature of education as well. Because we want to make sure it’s not just about dollars, it’s about how education is delivered. And the signing up of this agreement will make sure that the priorities that parents talk about, making sure that the basics are looked after, make sure that we lift literacy and numeracy right across Tasmania, but right across the country, is what we want to see. We want to make sure that if a child falls behind that a school is in a position to be able to lift them up. Simple as that. During the election campaign in 2022, I spoke about no one being left behind and no one held back. And that’s what education and health are at the centre of. Making sure that no one’s left behind. Every child has the opportunity to fulfil their potential, but also making sure that people are looked after in terms of their healthcare. So, this is a really exciting day and it’s a good day. And I do want to thank Jeremy for the relationship that we have, in spite of the fact we’re from different political parties, we’re just concerned about getting things done. And that’s what this is about today. Getting things done in the interests of Northern Tasmanians when it comes to healthcare and getting things done on behalf of all younger Australians, Tasmanians and their families, importantly going forward as well. So, I want to thank Jason Clare as well for the extraordinary work that he has done. Mark Butler, our Health Minister has worked hard on this as well, and that is a very good thing that we’ve been able to achieve this today. I’ll hand over to Jeremy, I will then hand to Jason Clare, the Education Minister, and then I’m happy to take some questions and I’m sure that Jeremy will as well. And then we have some document signing that we’re going to do to fulfil this delivery that we’re announcing today.

JEREMY ROCKLIFF, PREMIER OF TASMANIA: Thank you very much, Prime Minister. And it’s great to be here with the Deputy Premier, Michael Ferguson, Federal Minister for Education, Jason Clare and Senator Helen Polley. Thank you Fiona, for your commitment and passion to healthcare across the North. As Chief Executive of the Launceston General Hospital, can I say to you a big thanks to all the people that you work with on a daily basis. From administration to the healthcare professionals, to the volunteers that make up this wonderful institution, the Launceston General Hospital, delivering healthcare for many, many thousands of Tasmanians across north and north west Tasmania. This is a great day for healthcare. This is a great day for our schools, education and public investment in education. And I want to thank the Prime Minister for the great collaboration that we have had over the course of the last couple of years. It’s not the first time I’ve stood alongside the Prime Minister when it comes to announcing key partnerships in health. Whether that be GP recruitment, whether that be Urgent Care Clinics. It’s not the first time, of course – we’ve also got partnerships when it comes to urban renewal projects as well. And so what Tasmanians expect is their federal and state governments to work together in the very best interests of them and in this case the best interests served in healthcare and indeed our schools across Tasmania. We made a very clear commitment at the last election that we will deliver a $120 million Heart Centre and that is exactly what will be delivered at this site over the course of the next few years. That commitment has been realised through the strong collaboration and working relationship with the Federal and State Governments. A $120 million commitment from the Federal Government. And can I say Prime Minister, thank you to you, to Mark Butler – who I worked with very closely as Health Minister for a number of years – but also on behalf of all Tasmanians that will of course be cared for through this facility. Northern and north western Tasmania have the highest rates of cardiovascular disease in the country. This is why this investment is so critical and the partnership will endure. The partnership of capital investment from the Federal Government and of course the operational investment from the Tasmanian Government means that this will be delivered. It will be delivered by 2029 and will be servicing Tasmanians, particularly Northern Tasmanians, for many, many decades to come. Can I also pay tribute to Jason Clare, the Federal Minister for Education, and of course our State Minister for Education, Jo Palmer, who would be here if it wasn’t for Budget Estimates in southern Tasmania. I know Jason and Jo have worked very closely in securing this Agreement on behalf of families across Tasmania, our students, of course, in public schools. There is no better investment in productivity and wellbeing than education. And having been Education Minister for seven years, I can well and truly appreciate the need for fair funding when it comes to our public schools, particularly our schools of disadvantage across the country and indeed in Tasmania. That’s why I was very proud to be part of the Gonski Two Agreement as Education Minister, where you apply that fair funding model to support students across our public school environment. What this will mean is an additional $300 million into our public schools over the course of the next five years, focusing on early intervention when it comes to numeracy and literacy, focusing on students well being as well. And when students have good wellbeing, they have a very strong learning environment as well. And so we are committed as a Tasmanian Government, in partnership with the Federal Government, to deliver significant uplift in funding for our public schools over the next five years or sooner. So, thank you for working with us, Prime Minister and Federal Education Minister, Jason Clare. It is a great example of federal and state governments working together. At the end of the day, what Tasmanians care about is good quality services and what they want to see is cooperation in partnership between federal and state government, irrespective of political colour, to deliver for them. And today we have delivered in spades for our public schools and healthcare across Northern Tasmania. And with those few words, I’ll hand to Jason.

JASON CLARE, MINISTER FOR EDUCATION: Thanks Premier. Can I start by paying credit to the Prime Minister and the Premier. These are two leaders who know how to get the job done and these are two leaders who understand the power of education. The power of education to change children’s lives. And this investment, this announcement that we’re making today, will change the lives of children here in Tasmania. Can I also thank you Deputy Premier. And can I thank my dear friend, the Education Minister of Tasmania, Jo Palmer, who, as the Premier said, can’t be with us because of Estimates. She is a great Education Minister. It’s a privilege to work with her and I’m looking forward to implementing this Agreement that we’ll sign today with her. This is a historic day for Tasmania. It’s a historic day for public education in Tasmania. Today we sign agreements that will make sure that every public school in Tasmania is fully funded, as the Prime Minister said, at that level that David Gonski set for us all those years ago. And the Premier talked about the money, about $300 million. But he also made the point, and I’m glad you did, Premier, about what this money will be invested in. Because it’s not just about the money, it’s what it does. This money will help us to invest in things like a phonics check and a numeracy check in year one or in the early years, to identify children who are falling behind when they’re little and then make sure that we intervene and provide them with the sort of supports that will help them to catch up and to keep up and to finish school. Things like catch up tutoring. We know that when a child’s falling behind in a classroom of 20 or 30, if you take them out of that classroom, into a classroom of two or three, with one teacher, four days a week, 40 minutes at a time, that they can learn as much in six months as they’d normally learn in a year. In other words, they catch up. And if children catch up when they’re young, they’re more likely to go on and finish high school and then go on to TAFE or to university. And the investment in health and wellbeing is just as important. There’s a real and obvious link between education and health. You see it in these two announcements today, but we also see it in our classrooms. Because children that are experiencing mental health challenges are more likely to not be at school, to be absent from school. And by year nine, they’re about a year and a half or three years behind the rest of the children in their class in literacy and numeracy. So, investments in things like psychologists and counsellors to provide that wrap around support at schools can make all the difference in whether a child finishes school or not. Can I end where I began – this is a fantastic example of our two governments working together. And most importantly, it shows what we can achieve when we work together. And when Parliament returns, I’ll introduce legislation to make this extra investment in our children and in Tasmania a reality.

PRIME MINISTER: Thanks, Jase. Happy to take questions.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, has your Government asked Treasury –

PRIME MINISTER: We’ve got an announcement to help every child in school and can we have questions about this first? And then I’m happy to go down whatever direction you want. Are there any questions about today’s announcements?

JOURNALIST: The Education Union has been calling on this for some time. Why are you choosing to fund it now?

PRIME MINISTER: We’ve been in government for two years and we’re getting it done. We’ve got it done now with the Premier, Roger Cook. We’ve got it done in the Northern Territory, which in particular required a substantial lift up per person in the Northern Territory because so many schools there, particularly in remote areas, have missed out. And we’ve got this done in Tasmania and we’re hopeful of getting it done in other states as well, are imminent. I’ve been speaking with Premiers and Chief Ministers. At the last meeting of the National Cabinet, the Premier and I, as well as other Premiers and Chief Ministers, spoke about how important this was, that we get this done. David Gonski did this work some time ago in the Gillard Government to look at what the level of funding was needed to bring every child up to the best of their potential. And that’s what Jason has spoken about – practical differences that it makes. I think it helps, the fact that Jeremy’s been the Education Minister and gets it. And so I’d encourage the other states to sign up. We’ve got $16 billion on the table. This means that the Commonwealth contribution will be lifted up to 22.5 per cent of that standard and the state contribution will be lifted to 77.5 per cent. Making sure that this is realised, because this is so important and we’ve been able to get it done and we’re getting it done today.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, on the Heart Centre. We know right across Australia, Tasmania is no exception, that there is a critical shortage of healthcare workers. How confident are you that there will be the workers that are needed to make this Centre a success?

PRIME MINISTER: We’re very confident that that can be done. One of the things that we’re doing as well is making sure that we train additional doctors, that we train nurses and healthcare professionals. I’ve been into TAFEs here in Tasmania, for example, I met young people and people retraining to go back into the health system. That has been very important. So we’ll work as well, we have – as Jeremy said, we had quite an innovative plan for additional GPs here that we announced. I think just down the road in Devonport at the Mercy Hospital. We are working with the Tasmanian Government to make sure that we have that capacity. We do need an appropriate workforce in order to deliver. But the other thing is, if you don’t do the right thing, sometimes you can end up chasing your tail. So, emergency departments get more and more pressure on them, which creates more difficulties in the system. So, we have, for example, our four Urgent Care Clinics that have opened here in Tasmania. We’ve got a fifth coming and there’s a potential of more there. They have seen tens of thousands of Tasmanians – all Tasmanians have needed is their Medicare card, not their credit card. They’ve got the care that we need. I’ve been into the Urgent Care Clinic there in Hobart that has been an enormous success. There’s one here in Lonnie. And what we do if you do that is you stop people going to the emergency departments of hospitals, if they have a broken arm or the kids fall off the bike or the skateboard, or they cut themselves preparing dinner – they can get that care on the spot when they need it, where they need it and for free as part of our commitment to extending Medicare. So, that’s made a difference as well to the system. Okay. Happy to take other things.

JOURNALIST: Have you asked for a modelling on the impacts of negative gearing, Prime Minister?

PRIME MINISTER: Look, I’ve seen those reports and what we do is we value the Public Service. So, from time to time I’m sure the Public Service are looking at policy ideas. That’s because we value them. But we have our housing policy. It’s out there for all to see. It’s currently being blocked. At the risk of being partisan here, it’s currently being blocked by a No-alition of the Liberals, the Nationals and the Greens in the Senate. They’re blocking our Help to Buy scheme that’s about increased home ownership. They’re blocking our Build to Rent scheme. I mean, why you would block – the Greens position is that they’re blocking the Build to Rent scheme because if you have medium density housing built, it’ll be built by developers. Well, yeah, hello. I’m not sure who they think builds houses and medium density housing and increases supply. So, our focus as a Government is on supply.

JOURNALIST: (inaudible)

PRIME MINISTER: Sorry?

JOURNALIST: Is your Government considering making changes to negative gearing and capital gains tax concessions?

PRIME MINISTER: What our Government is considering is fixing housing supply by getting our legislation through the Senate. That’s what we’re considering.

JOURNALIST: Would you rule out changes to negative gearing and property taxes this term or next?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, what we’re doing is doing the legislation that we have before the Senate. So, I talk about what we’re doing, not what we’re not doing. And what we’re doing, is trying to get through that legislation through the Senate.

JOURNALIST: But just to confirm, Prime Minister, your Government has asked Treasury for modelling?

PRIME MINISTER: No, I didn’t confirm that. Treasury, I’m sure, like other departments do a range of proposals, policy ideas. I want a Public Service that is full of ideas.

JOURNALIST: The RBA is looking through your rebates (inaudible)?

PRIME MINISTER: Sorry?

JOURNALIST: The RBA is looking through your rebates. Have your attempts to get a rate cut failed?

PRIME MINISTER: What we’ve done is to reduce inflation to half of what it was. Half of what we inherited. Now, there’ll be new figures out tomorrow, or today, actually, we will wait and see what they show in a couple of hours’ time. But we know that the last time around, the monthly figures showed a rate of 3.5 per cent. Which is half, basically, of what we inherited. And we’ve done that, putting that downward pressure on inflation, by producing two budget surpluses, turning a $78 billion deficit into a $22 billion surplus last year. And this year, the financial year just finished, another surplus that will be in double digits in terms of the figures when they’re finally released or finalised in a couple of weeks’ time. So we have as well, we indicated on Monday, that has seen debt decreased by the Commonwealth by around about $150 billion from what was predicted in PEFO, the Pre-Election Forecast, that were there in Treasury of what the former Government was going to deliver. And we’ve done all of that whilst we have given cost of living support. Whether it’s a tax cut for every taxpayer, Energy Bill Relief for every household, 500,000 Fee-Free TAFE places, Cheaper Child Care. While we have delivered all of those measures, as well as delivering important funding, such as what we’ve been able to deliver here in Tasmania. Making sure we’re working to deliver proper services in health and education. That’s what happens when you have responsible economic management. And the Reserve Bank, of course, set interest rates independent of the government – that is their job. Our job is to put downward pressure on inflation, but also look after people. We have had now 980,000 jobs created on our watch. More jobs created since I’ve been elected as Prime Minister than in every previous term of any Prime Minister since Federation. I’m very proud of that. It’s been a difficult economic task, but we have delivered what we have set out to do, which is that downward pressure on inflation whilst we’ve been helping with cost of living relief.

JOURNALIST: On cost of living, will you introduce new cost of living measures in a pre-election Budget?

PRIME MINISTER: Well, one of the things that we are going to do, and you will have seen on Monday when it comes to cost of living as well, is take on businesses when they’re not doing the right thing by consumers. Now, this action by the ACCC in taking Woolworths and Coles to court in order to hold them to account for what the ACCC alleges has happened. When you have a packet of Oreos lifted up in prices and by triple the amount in which they’re then decreased and a sign put on them saying that it’s a special, then that is not doing the right thing by consumers. Now people out there are under financial pressure and they’re looking for value, they’re looking for bargains. And so when they go into a supermarket and see ‘special’ or ‘prices down’, they trust that that is the truth. Now it’s not the truth if a supermarket has increased the price by $1.50 from what it was and then a month later put it down by fifty cents and purported to argue that they have decreased the price. That is a breach of trust, it’s a breach of faith. Australians are rightly angry about it, as they should be, and my Government is taking action. The ACCC are taking them to court. We have released on Monday as well exposure drafts of our changes to legislation, as well as our changes to the mandating of the code of conduct for supermarkets, as recommended by Dr Craig Emerson. It is extraordinary that under the former Government you had a voluntary code of conduct, just expecting that people would voluntarily do the right thing. Quite clearly, that’s not good enough, which is why we’re mandating. That’s a part of dealing with cost of living pressures. So we want wages to increase and we’re delivering that, including in Jason’s area, a 15 per cent increase in the wages of early educators in childcare. We have delivered a substantial increase in the wages of aged care workers. We’ve delivered tax cuts on top of that. So we want people to earn more and to keep more of what they earn. That’s all a part of our cost of living measures.

JOURNALIST: Here in Tasmania, will you exempt the Macquarie Point Stadium from GST calculations?

PRIME MINISTER: No.

JOURNALIST: Why not?

PRIME MINISTER: Because if we did that, we’d have to do the same for the Olympic sites in Queensland, for every infrastructure project in the country.

JOURNALIST: Wasn’t that done for a stadium in Jim Chalmers electorate?

PRIME MINISTER: We won’t, well I’m not sure what stadium with hundreds of millions of dollars you’re referring to in Jim’s electorate in Logan. I’m very familiar with the electorate. So we will be, can I make this point. We’ll be exempting this contribution to the hospital, to the Northern Tasmania Heart Centre from the GST. It’s very different. But infrastructure projects, of course, it all adds up. It all evens out. I’m not sure this is understood fully by people in these positions, but when you have the GST equalisation, if you have a proportion of funds invested around the country, then it evens itself out. This is a separate thing which we’ve agreed to exempt from the GST because it’s about healthcare. But infrastructure across the board is not exempt. I was an Infrastructure Minister for six years, I assure you there was no GST exemptions during that period.

JOURNALIST: Prime Minister, with the Heart Centre comes a lot of money for Northern Tasmania. How concerned are you about your prospects in Lyons?

PRIME MINISTER: I think Lyons, what I’m doing in every seat, in every state, in the one country of Australia, is governing. We’re doing things here regardless of the political colour. I don’t have a colour coded spreadsheet to determine my funding proposals. And I am working and delivering here in Northern Tasmania, in North West Tasmania, in Hobart. We’re delivering at UTAS down the road here, $65 million each to fix up UTAS and to make it into a much better stadium. We are investing in Macquarie Point, we’re investing throughout Tasmania. We’ll continue to do so and I believe there’ll be an election at some time. If you keep your eye on that white car with the little flag on the front on the day it goes to Yarralumla, then we’ll call an election sometime before, or on or before May, and we’ll put our case to the Australian people. But we have a serious plan for health, a serious plan for education, a serious plan for energy. We’re working here as well. The Marinus Link Project is a great example of the cooperation that was talked about for a long period of time. Well, myself and this Premier have actually got it done. Thanks very much.

MIL OSI News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Canada: Senior leadership appointments in the Government of Yukon public service
Source: Government of Canada regional news

Premier Ranj Pillai has made two senior leadership appointments.

Matt King has been appointed Deputy Minister of Health and Social Services. The dual Deputy Minister roles in Health and Social Services have been consolidated to enhance efficiency and optimize operations.

Damien Burns has been appointed as acting Deputy Minister of Community Services for a period of six months.

Both of these senior leadership appointments are effective September 20, 2024.
- Read more about Senior leadership appointments in the Government of Yukon public service
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MIL OSI Canada News –
September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Walk challenge enrolment starts Oct 1

Source: Hong Kong Information Services

The Department of Health announced today that it will organise a walking challenge under the “10,000 Steps a Day” Campaign in November to encourage people to increase their physical activities. The enrolment will start on October 1.

As this year’s event coincides with the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Health Bureau and the department will, for the first time, partner with the Greater Bay Area Mainland cities to organise walking activities during the same period.

Target participants of the event in Hong Kong are adults aged 18 or above.

With the slogan “Shall We Walk & Talk”, the walking challenge aims to raise public awareness of the physical and mental health benefits of walking, encourage friends and colleagues to support each other and walk 10,000 steps daily, the department explained.

Participants are required to enrol in the event and record their step count during the challenge period through “e+Life”, the recently launched health challenge platform under the eHealth app.

Participants reaching a daily average of 10,000 steps during the challenge period will be awarded an electronic certificate of achievement.

Interested individuals can enrol through “e+Life” by logging into the eHealth app from October 1 to 31, while interested workplace organisations can register with the department on or before October 15.

After successful enrolment of the workplace organisation, their staff will be able to select their respective organisations when enrolling through “e+Life”, and the step counts of participating staff will be attributed to the organisation they choose.

According to the Population Health Survey 2020-22, nearly a quarter of persons aged 18 or above performed an insufficient level of physical activities, and about one in seven persons aged 15 or above reported spending 10 hours or longer sitting or reclining each day, the department noted.

It added that walking brings us plenty of health benefits including improving cardiopulmonary function, strengthening muscles and bones, reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, hypertension and diabetes, as well as relieving symptoms of anxiety and depression.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: New “Cross-boundary Health Record” and “Personal Folder” functions of eHealth to be extended to three additional medical institutions under Elderly Health Care Voucher Greater Bay Area Pilot Scheme starting next Monday

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The Health Bureau (HHB) announced today (September 25) that the new functions of the “Cross-boundary Health Record” and “Personal Folder” in the eHealth mobile application (eHealth App) will be extended to the Nansha Division of The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University (FAH-NS), Dongguan Tungwah Hospital (Tungwah Hospital) and Shenzhen New Frontier United Family Hospital (NFUFH) under the Elderly Health Care Voucher Greater Bay Area Pilot Scheme (Pilot Scheme) starting from next Monday (September 30) to enhance the continuity of medical care for Hong Kong citizens through facilitating their secure use of electronic health records (eHRs) across the boundary.

Starting from next Monday, eligible elderly persons who use Elderly Health Care Vouchers at the three aforementioned hospitals can apply for their eHRs deposited in eHealth over the past three years through the “Cross-boundary Health Record” function in advance. Upon verification of an elderly person’s authorisation, a “File QR Code” and “Password QR Code” will be sent to the elderly person via the eHealth App. Healthcare professionals can then access and browse the relevant eHRs by scanning the two QR codes presented by the elderly person at the time of consultation at designated medical institutions to assist in diagnoses and treatment. Following system enhancements, the time required for verification of applications and preparation for eHRs has already been reduced to no more than 24 hours. Elderly persons should submit their applications one day prior to their consultations at the designated medical institutions to ensure that their eHRs will be ready for use at the time of the consultations.

Moreover, elderly persons can deposit medical-related records obtained during consultations received in medical institutions outside Hong Kong into their eHealth personal accounts through the “Personal Folder” function to facilitate storage and use of personal medical-related records obtained in and outside Hong Kong, including access by authorised healthcare providers in Hong Kong through eHealth during follow-up consultations.

The HHB has already set up support stations at the FAH-NS, Tungwah Hospital and NFUFH to assist Hong Kong citizens to get a better grasp of how to use the relevant functions. Citizens may visit the eHealth thematic website for more information.

The Government piloted the new “Cross-boundary Health Record” and “Personal Folder” functions of the eHealth App at the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital in July this year and extended the functions to the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University and Zhongshan Chen Xinghai Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine under the Pilot Scheme on September 6. The feedback has been positive. Taking into account the implementation experience, the Government will further streamline the workflow and enhance the user experience in a bid to better support citizens’ cross-boundary healthcare needs.

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Russia: NSU postgraduate student develops catalyst for converting diesel fuel into synthesis gas

MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Novosibirsk State University – Novosibirsk State University –

4th year postgraduate student Faculty of Natural Sciences of NSU Vladislav Shilov has developed a structured catalyst for converting diesel fuel into synthesis gas, which currently has no industrial analogues. In 2023, the results of his work on this topic were awarded a scholarship from the Novosibirsk Region government. The researcher developed this device as part of his dissertation work under the scientific supervision of the head of the heterogeneous analysis department of the Boreskov Institute of Catalysis of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Chemical Sciences Pavel Valerievich Snytnikov.

This year, the department’s research team, with the participation of Vladislav Shilov, is creating a fuel processor for obtaining synthesis gas that runs on commercial diesel fuel. It integrates the developed catalyst for converting diesel fuel to obtain synthesis gas from diesel. In the future, in cooperation with consortium members within the framework of the NTI project “Hydrogen as the Basis of a Low-Carbon Economy”, it is planned to create a power plant based on planar solid oxide fuel cells, combined with a diesel fuel processor for generating electricity.

— We were the first to achieve complete conversion of commercial diesel fuel into hydrogen-containing gas suitable for fuel cells. When creating the catalyst, we encountered a serious difficulty: the conversion of diesel fuel into synthesis gas is a high-temperature process (about 700 – 1000 °C), as a result of which the active component of the catalyst quickly sinters. Therefore, for these applications, we were the first to use a metal substrate made of FeCrAl alloy as a structured carrier, which has good heat and mass transfer properties. This is what makes the system we developed unique. The method of applying layers of catalytic coating to a metal mesh is quite complex and was developed over several years. This was not an easy task — the coating of the active component peeled off or cracked. We needed to increase the adhesive (i.e., “bonding”) properties of the substrate surface so that each layer of the catalytic coating would reliably adhere to it. We found a technological solution to this problem. Now we have reached the level where we can carry out small-scale production of structured catalysts for various catalytic applications, said Vladislav Shilov.

When creating the diesel fuel conversion catalyst, experiments were conducted in a laboratory setup. Now the researchers are faced with the task of creating a model of the fuel processor into which it will be integrated. Diesel fuel, water and air will enter the system, which as a result of the catalytic reaction will be converted into synthesis gas suitable for use in solid oxide fuel cells. Now this work is in the active stage and is nearing completion. Next, scientists will have to evaluate the operation of the entire power plant in order to begin industrial implementation.

— The structured catalyst we developed also turned out to be highly active in converting light hydrocarbon fuels into synthesis gas, which interested our industrial partner, the InEnergy group of companies, which is engaged in the creation of power plants based on fuel cells. This year, the Boreskov Institute of Catalysis of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, together with InEnergy, launched small-scale production (about 600 units) of compact power plants TOPAZ-GAMMA M, operating on natural gas and propane-butane, where our development was used. One such power plant was presented by our research group at the International Forum of Technological Development “Technoprom”, where it aroused great interest, — said Vladislav Shilov.

Electrochemical generators running on diesel fuel can be used as a stationary, backup or auxiliary source of electric power, since it is a more convenient carrier of hydrogen. Compared to other alternative carriers, diesel fuel has the largest amount of hydrogen per unit volume, and its long-term storage is carried out at ambient temperature and pressure. In this regard, natural gas transported through gas pipelines and propane-butane are significantly inferior to this type of fuel. Electrochemical generators running on diesel fuel can be used as a stationary, backup or auxiliary source of electric power.

According to Vladislav Shilov, this technology will find application in remote northern regions, in the conditions of the Far North and in the development of the Arctic, as well as at other sites where diesel fuel is the main energy source. It is possible that this development will be of interest to the Russian Ministry of Defense, where most of the equipment also runs on this type of fuel. But in order to launch small-scale production of diesel electrochemical generators, it is necessary to complete work on creating a prototype in laboratory conditions and contact companies interested in launching these devices into small-scale production. The developers have no doubt that such investors will certainly be found.

— Such devices have a much higher efficiency compared to internal combustion engines. They are environmentally friendly — their emissions are carbon dioxide and water vapor. They are distinguished by silent operation, a long service life and do not require frequent maintenance. And the use of fuel cells to generate electricity allows it to be extracted from energy sources by directly converting the energy of chemical bonds into electrical energy. The efficiency of this process is higher than when using standard diesel generators, in which the energy of chemical bonds is first converted into heat, then into mechanical energy and only then into electrical energy. Increasing the efficiency of power plants will reduce the volume of resource-intensive delivery of diesel fuel to remote, Arctic regions. In addition, the use of the developed power plants will be more environmentally friendly due to the reduction in the volume of diesel fuel consumption, — explained Vladislav Shilov.

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.

Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

http://vvv.nsu.ru/n/media/nevs/science/postgraduate-student-nnsu-developed-a-catalyst-for-conversion-of-diesel-fuel-into-synthesis-gas/

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

MIL OSI Russia News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Time for fair work in the hospitality sector

Source: Scottish Greens

25 Sep 2024 Economy

Every worker deserves a real living wage and protections.

More in Economy

Every worker deserves a real living wage and protections, says Scottish Greens MSP Maggie Chapman, who has called on the Scottish Government to support and impelment recommendations from the Fair Work Convention’s Fair Work Hospitality Inquiry Report.

The report, launched yesterday, made 12 recommendations, including the creation of tax incentives for businesses who pay the Real Living Wage, developing accredited training for managers to champion fair work practices, and creating a single Fair Work Charter under which hospitality businesses can operate.

Speaking after the launch, Maggie Chapman said “The hospitality sector is a vibrant and essential part of our culture and economy, and those working in it deserve clear protections.

“The Fair Work Convention has shown what many already know about the hospitality sector: it is plagued by precarity, built into its structures, with a clear lack of collective bargaining and a low expectation for what is considered ‘fair’ in work.

“Hospitality workers come from such a diverse range of backgrounds in Scotland, from the small independent coffee shops to the big city centre bars and restaurants.

“The Scottish Greens look forward to working further with the Convention as well as trade unions, to ensure that the report’s recommendations are taken forward as quickly as possible.”

The recommendations are a response to significant reports of accidents, bullying, and job insecurity, due to a lack of clarity on the protections which hospitality workers are owed.

The Convention is also working directly with Unite Hospitality’s ‘Get Me Home Safely’ campaign, which is pushing for employers to ensure their workers can get home safely after late night shifts. This campaign was established after a Unite member was sexually assaulted while walking home from a late-night shift, having been refused a taxi by her employer.

Following the report’s launch, Inquiry member from Unite Hospitality, Bryan Simpson added: “This inquiry set a really important precedent, giving workers in the sector the voice they deserve.

“Unite Hospitality workers have been working hard to deliver better conditions for their colleagues, and it is high time these voices were heard at the same table as government ministers and industry leaders. For Scotland’s lowest-paid sector, it is vital that these workers are properly recognised.

“If the recommendations are accepted and rolled out, it will be transformational for the sector. Workers’ lives will improve. And the industry as a whole will be better for it.”

Ms Chapman has also submitted a parliamentary motion recognising the work of the Convention and its report.

Text of Maggie Chapman’s Motion

Title: Fair Work Hospitality Industry Inquiry

That the Parliament recognises what it sees as the important activities of the Fair Work Convention; notes that the Convention undertook an inquiry into fair work in the hospitality industry and how this could be improved for the benefit of both employers and workers; understands that the inquiry recommends the establishment of a voluntary Fair Work Charter for Hospitality that stipulates a range of workers’ protections, from payment of the Real Living Wage and recognition of Real Living Hours to effective voice through trade union access and recognition, robust anti-bullying procedures and “safe home” policies for all workers asked to travel to or from work after 11pm; further understands that Unite Hospitality’s Get Me Home Safe campaign has, and continues to promote, the adoption of “safe home” policies associated with the charter; believes that there is a continued requirement to raise awareness of the Fair Work Convention, its work and the Fair Work Charter for Hospitality, and commends and congratulates the Fair Work Convention on its ongoing work.

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Australia: Healthway’s new Executive Director

Source: Government of Western Australia

Healthway’s Chief Executive Officer, Colin Smith today announced Carina Tan-Van Baren as the new Executive Director of Healthway.

Carina has more than 30 years of experience as a lawyer, journalist, communications strategist, government advisor, and commercial executive and will be commencing in her new role on Monday 14 October 2024.

Carina has delivered positive strategic outcomes for listed and unlisted companies, not-for-profit organisations and government departments and agencies, many in the health sector. Carina brings a strong understanding of the roles played by the wide range of stakeholders participating in Health Promotion across Australia.

Healthway’s Chief Executive Officer, Colin Smith said that Carina’s multi-disciplined perspective and skill-set means she is well placed to lead Healthway through this next phase to deliver on our new strategic plan.

“Carina brings a strong understanding of the roles played by the wide range of health promotion stakeholders across Australia,” he said.

“Her experience will complement the depth and breadth of health promotion experience we already have here at Healthway, with a focus on advocacy, government and stakeholder relations.

“I look forward to Carina joining us and I’d also like to thank Joanne Graham-Smith for acting in the Executive Director role for 16 months and look forward to her valuable ongoing contribution to achieving our vision of creating a healthier WA together.”

MIL OSI News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Africa: Department of Health commemorates World Environmental Health Day

Source: South Africa News Agency

Wednesday, September 25, 2024

The Department of Health is joining the global community in commemorating World Environmental Health Day (WEHD).

The 26th of September 2024 marks the 13th WEHD to raise awareness about environmental health issues and promote actions to improve and protect the environment for the wellbeing of all living creatures, including humans.

South Africa’s WEHD kicked off today, 25 September, and will continue until tomorrow at the Wild Coast Sun International, in Port Edward, Eastern Cape.

According to the department, environmental health is critical in addressing climate change mitigation and adaptation, and disaster risk reduction to create resilient and sustainable communities.

“Climate change and disaster risks are fundamental threats to sustainable development, the living and health conditions for all humans on the globe and the reduction of poverty,” the department said.

The department believes the negative impacts of environmental health issues threaten to roll back decades of development gains.

“Building resilient and sustainable communities means addressing both climate change and disaster risks, and integrating these risks and potential opportunities into development planning and budgeting.”

This year’s WEHD commemoration will focus on creating resilient communities through disaster risk reduction and climate change mitigation and adaptation, which has been adopted in alignment with all the environmental health functions.

The event will be attended by political principals and environmental health experts. – SAnews.gov.za

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MIL OSI Africa –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Vets Market Investigation: CMA updates on ‘behind the scenes’ progress
Source: United Kingdom – Executive Government & Departments

The CMA updates on information gathering and announces the appointment of a new advisory panel made up of 2 veterinary nurses and 4 veterinary surgeons.
iStock

In May 2024, the CMA confirmed its decision to launch a market investigation into veterinary services for household pets in the UK and published tips to help pet owners better navigate vet services.

There are 16 million pet owners in the UK and the unprecedented response – from the public and veterinary professionals – showed the strength of feeling on this issue. With this in mind, the CMA is updating on the work going on behind the scenes to deepen the Inquiry Group’s understanding of the issues. The Group, made up of independent experts and chaired by Martin Coleman, has been carrying out the investigation, supported and advised by CMA staff.

In July, the CMA published an issues statement which set out the scope of the investigation and the areas being explored – including the information pet owners receive when deciding on treatment options or making purchases, competition between vet practices, the profitability of different types of vet practices, and the regulatory framework which underpins the sector.

The CMA has used and will continue to use its formal powers to gather information, examine concerns in more depth and be in a position to shape any remedies, if needed, to address them.

The Inquiry Group has so far conducted:

Site visits: Over the summer members of the Inquiry Group and the case team have visited 20 different sites to talk to veterinary professionals to understand their work. These ‘behind the scenes’ visits happened across the UK – in Belfast, Edinburgh, Swansea, and various locations across England – and included visits to ‘first opinion’ local vet practices, veterinary hospitals, referral centres and practices that provide out-of-hours care. The team visited sites owned by larger corporate groups and several independently owned veterinary businesses, where they spoke to a range of veterinary professionals and observed several treatments and procedures first hand – including consultations, surgical procedures, and animal dentistry.

Roundtables: The CMA has held roundtable discussions with veterinary professionals at various stages of their careers, and representatives from animal charities. In-person roundtables were held in Edinburgh, Manchester, Swansea, and 4 virtual roundtables, to capture views on a variety of topics including the challenges faced by vets, how the sector has developed over the last 10 years, interactions with pet owners as well as costs and pricing. Roundtables with consumer groups will be held shortly.

Teach-ins: Various organisations in the veterinary sector have presented their views to the CMA at ‘teach-in’ sessions and shared how the veterinary market works, their concerns about the investigation and how regulation is working. Participants included the large corporate vet groups, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, the British Veterinary Association, and the British Veterinary Nursing Association.

The CMA has also used its formal information gathering powers to require vets and vet businesses to provide large amounts of information about the way their businesses operate. This information is being analysed and will be an important part of the evidence relied on in the investigation.

Today, the CMA is also announcing the appointment of its veterinary advisory panel whose purpose is to provide the Inquiry Group with clinical and practical insight and analysis on an ad hoc basis throughout the course of the investigation. It is comprised of two veterinary nurses and four veterinary surgeons.

The advisory panel’s insight will help ensure the Group is fully informed on day-to-day matters when it comes to make its decisions, including but not limited to:

Operation of veterinary practices – including roles and relationships between veterinary professionals, other staff, and other related organisations

Interaction with pet owners – including how owners’ decisions might be informed in different treatment/service situations, communicating recommendations and potential costs, and how those in different professional roles within a vet practice may engage with customers

Clinical practice – such as possible treatment options for defined conditions or illnesses of household pets

Regulation – including the operation and application of regulations and regulatory bodies

Martin Coleman, Chair of the Inquiry Group said:

We know our investigation really matters to pet owners who are worried about costs and vet professionals who want to provide good care, which is why we’re updating on how this work is unfolding. I’m pleased with the progress we have made so far; we’re on target to make our provisional decision by the middle of next year.

This is far more than a paper exercise – hands-on site visits, teach-ins and roundtables are helping us build a true picture of how vet services operate day-to-day and where the challenges lie. Our new advisory panel – made up of practicing vet nurses and surgeons – will also bring immeasurable experience to the process, all of which will help us make well-informed decisions and reach the right conclusions.

The next steps are set out in the administrative timetable on the vets case page.

Notes to editors:

For information, brief biographies of each member of the advisory panel have been published online.

The site visits took place across the UK – in Belfast, Edinburgh, Swansea, and several locations in England including Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, East and West London, Greater Manchester, Somerset, and Surrey.

The 6 large corporate vet groups in the UK are IVC, CVS, Medivet, Pets at Home, Linnaeus, and Vet Partners which together account for 60% of the market. There are also around 350 smaller chains and a much larger number of independently owned practices. Sources: RCVS, IVC, CVS, Pets At Home, Medivet, Linnaeus – correct as of Oct 2023.

Read more about the CMA and its predecessors’ market investigations work here: Market investigations: 75 years of UK experience – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

For media enquiries, contact the CMA press office on 020 3738 6460 or press@cma.gov.uk.

All enquiries from the public should be directed to the CMA’s General Enquiries team on general.enquiries@cma.gov.uk or by phone on 020 3738 6000.

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Published 25 September 2024
MIL OSI United Kingdom –
September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Russia: Tatyana Golikova: Within the framework of new national projects, the Government will continue to work on modernizing children’s healthcare

MIL OSI Translation. Region: Russian Federation –

Source: Government of the Russian Federation – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.

Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova welcomed the participants of the first All-Russian forum “Children’s Health – Russia’s National Priority”.

Dear colleagues!

Today, the first All-Russian forum “Children’s Health – Russia’s National Priority” begins its work in Moscow. And I wholeheartedly welcome the participants, organizers, and guests of this major professional event.

Tatyana Golikova greeted the participants of the first All-Russian forum “Children’s Health – Russia’s National Priority”

12 hours ago

For leading scientists and doctors from different regions of the country, this is an opportunity to discuss a wide range of issues, exchange experiences, and outline new paths for joint activities.

Your forum is taking place in a significant year for the country – the Year of the Family.

We pay special attention to preserving and improving children’s health. It is important that every child has access to medical care, no matter where they live – in the city or in the countryside. Families and parents of children must be confident that the state will always provide them with help and support, surround them with attention. To this end, within the framework of new national projects, the Government will continue to work on modernizing children’s healthcare, strengthening the medical infrastructure, updating the material and technical base of perinatal centers, children’s clinics and hospitals, as well as creating a healthy environment around children, developing healthy lifestyle skills in them.

Particular attention will be paid to the introduction of modern technologies for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and medical rehabilitation of children, the creation of new drugs designed for convenient and comfortable administration by the child.

I am confident that discussions of the medical and scientific community, experts of various profiles will allow us to develop specific measures that will help the modern development of children’s healthcare, maintaining the health of millions of our young citizens.

I wish all participants fruitful work, constructive communication and success.

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.

Please note; This information is raw content directly from the information source. It is accurate to what the source is stating and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

http://government.ru/nevs/52790/

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and or sentence structure not be perfect.

MIL OSI Russia News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union MoS for Health and Family Welfare, Smt. Anupriya Singh Patel addresses High-Level Side Event on “Revitalized Multilateralism: Recommitting to Ending AIDS Together” at the 79th Session of UN General Assembly

Source: Government of India

Union MoS for Health and Family Welfare, Smt. Anupriya Singh Patel addresses High-Level Side Event on “Revitalized Multilateralism: Recommitting to Ending AIDS Together” at the 79th Session of UN General Assembly

India Reaffirms Commitment to End HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030

New annual HIV infections have decreased by 44% since 2010, outperforming the global reduction rate of 39%: Smt. Patel

“India offers comprehensive HIV and Syphilis testing to all pregnant women with more than 30 million free HIV tests being conducted annually”

“India currently supplies over 70% of global anti-retroviral medicines, ensuring affordable access for nations in need”

Posted On: 25 SEP 2024 9:10AM by PIB Delhi

Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Smt. Anupriya Singh Patel addressed a high-level side event at the United Nations on the theme “Revitalized Multilateralism: Recommitting to Ending AIDS Together.” The event was organized by UNAIDS, the Global Fund, and PEPFAR.

In her intervention, the Minister reaffirmed India’s commitment to achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of ending HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. The Minister outlined India’s progress and key strategies in the ongoing fight against HIV/AIDS, including the 5th phase of the National AIDS and STD Control Programme (2021-2026), fully funded by the Government of India. As per the recent India HIV Estimations 2023 report, over 2.5 million people are living with HIV in India, but thanks to concerted efforts, the adult HIV prevalence is at 0.2 % and estimated annual new HIV infections are at around 66,400. New annual HIV infections have decreased by 44% since 2010, outperforming the global reduction rate of 39%.

“India has made great strides in combating HIV/AIDS through innovative programs and robust partnerships,” the Minister said, pointing to a variety of youth-targeted initiatives like Red Ribbon Clubs in educational institutions and mass-awareness activities such as the annual RED RUN Marathon.

Smt. Patel pointed out that “India offers comprehensive HIV and Syphilis testing to all pregnant women with more than 30 million free HIV tests being conducted annually”. “In total, more than 1.7 million people are receiving free Anti-retroviral Therapy (ART) through public healthcare systems”, she said.

She also highlighted India’s role as the world’s largest supplier of anti-retroviral drugs. The country currently supplies over 70% of global anti-retroviral medicines, ensuring affordable access for nations in need. “We are proud to contribute to the global fight against HIV/AIDS by making quality treatment accessible worldwide,” said the Minister.

Smt. Patel said that “efforts to address stigma around HIV have been bolstered through the HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Act 2017, which ensures that all Indian states appoint ombudsmen to handle grievances and promote HIV prevention policies. Additionally, India’s approach to integrating national health programs, including efforts to tackle tuberculosis, viral hepatitis, and non-communicable diseases, is helping address co-morbidities faced by people living with HIV”.

The Minister concluded her address by urging continued global cooperation, stating, “Breaking silos and building synergies is the mantra of the Government of India. Through collaboration, we will strengthen the fight against HIV/AIDS and build a healthier world for all.”

The Government of India remains steadfast in its goal of ending HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 through inclusive strategies, partnerships, and renewed multilateralism.

***

MV

HFW/ MoS UNAIDS Side Event/25^th September 2024/1

(Release ID: 2058434) Visitor Counter : 415

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union MoS for Health and Family Welfare, Smt. Anupriya Singh Patel addresses High-Level Side Event on “Revitalized Multilateralism: Recommitting to Ending TB Together” at the 79th Session of UN General Assembly

Source: Government of India (2)

Union MoS for Health and Family Welfare, Smt. Anupriya Singh Patel addresses High-Level Side Event on “Revitalized Multilateralism: Recommitting to Ending TB Together” at the 79th Session of UN General Assembly

India Reaffirms Commitment to End HIV/AIDS by 2030

New annual HIV infections have decreased by 44% since 2010, outperforming the global reduction rate of 39%: Smt. Patel

“India offers comprehensive HIV and Syphilis testing to all pregnant women with more than 30 million free HIV tests being conducted annually”

“India currently supplies over 70% of global anti-retroviral medicines, ensuring affordable access for nations in need”

Posted On: 25 SEP 2024 9:10AM by PIB Delhi

Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Smt. Anupriya Singh Patel addressed a high-level side event at the United Nations on the theme “Revitalized Multilateralism: Recommitting to Ending AIDS Together.” The event was organized by UNAIDS, the Global Fund, and PEPFAR.

In her intervention, the Minister reaffirmed India’s commitment to achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of ending HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. The Minister outlined India’s progress and key strategies in the ongoing fight against HIV/AIDS, including the 5th phase of the National AIDS and STD Control Programme (2021-2026), fully funded by the Government of India. As per the recent India HIV Estimations 2023 report, over 2.5 million people are living with HIV in India, but thanks to concerted efforts, the adult HIV prevalence is at 0.2 % and estimated annual new HIV infections are at around 66,400. New annual HIV infections have decreased by 44% since 2010, outperforming the global reduction rate of 39%.

“India has made great strides in combating HIV/AIDS through innovative programs and robust partnerships,” the Minister said, pointing to a variety of youth-targeted initiatives like Red Ribbon Clubs in educational institutions and mass-awareness activities such as the annual RED RUN Marathon.

Smt. Patel pointed out that “India offers comprehensive HIV and Syphilis testing to all pregnant women with more than 30 million free HIV tests being conducted annually”. “In total, more than 1.7 million people are receiving free Anti-retroviral Therapy (ART) through public healthcare systems”, she said.

She also highlighted India’s role as the world’s largest supplier of anti-retroviral drugs. The country currently supplies over 70% of global anti-retroviral medicines, ensuring affordable access for nations in need. “We are proud to contribute to the global fight against HIV/AIDS by making quality treatment accessible worldwide,” said the Minister.

Smt. Patel said that “efforts to address stigma around HIV have been bolstered through the HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Act 2017, which ensures that all Indian states appoint ombudsmen to handle grievances and promote HIV prevention policies. Additionally, India’s approach to integrating national health programs, including efforts to tackle tuberculosis, viral hepatitis, and non-communicable diseases, is helping address co-morbidities faced by people living with HIV”.

The Minister concluded her address by urging continued global cooperation, stating, “Breaking silos and building synergies is the mantra of the Government of India. Through collaboration, we will strengthen the fight against HIV/AIDS and build a healthier world for all.”

The Government of India remains steadfast in its goal of ending HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 through inclusive strategies, partnerships, and renewed multilateralism.

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(Release ID: 2058434) Visitor Counter : 55

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union Minister of State (I/C), Ayush and Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Shri Prataprao Jadhav reviews programs undertaken under National Health Mission

Source: Government of India (2)

Posted On: 25 SEP 2024 3:13PM by PIB Delhi

Union Minister of State, Shri Prataprao Jadhav conducted a pivotal review meeting on the National Health Mission (NHM) with senior officials of the Union Health Ministry and state officials from Punjab, Karnataka, and West Bengal, here yesterday. Officers from National Health Authority and Ministry of Ayush were also present.

The agenda encompassed a comprehensive assessment of Financial Progress and Physical progress under National Health Mission including Infrastructure projects and human resources, 15^th Finance Commission, Emergency Covid Response Package, Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission, and Progress under AYUSH.

Shri Jadhav listened to the suggestions given by the States while also reiterating the need for States to comply with guidelines and ensure efficient utilization of funds being given by Center under various schemes. He further emphasized the need for collaboration and effective communication among states and Centre to address issues and improve healthcare services across the nation. He urged all officials to work diligently towards achieving the objectives of NHM for better health outcomes.

Shri Saurabh Jain, Joint Secretary, MoHFW; Shri Harsh Gupta, Principal Secretary Health, Karnataka; Dr Naveen, Shri Ghanshyam Thori and Shri Abhishek Tiwary (MDs NHM of Karnataka, Punjab and West Bengal respectively) and senior officials of the Union Health Ministry were present on the occasion.

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(Release ID: 2058581) Visitor Counter : 51

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI United Kingdom: Digital switch for community alarms

Source: Scotland – City of Perth

Digital telecare systems provide greater reliability as well as faster connections, which means they can send alerts more quickly than analogue ones.

More than 275,000 calls are made through the alarm system in Perth and Kinross each year.

In 2017, BT Open Reach declared the termination of analogue telephone networks by 2025, prompting a nationwide shift to digital networks.

The UK and Scottish Government’s Digital Office, have been collaborating with telecom providers to support this transition. The deadline for the complete switchover has been extended to the end of 2027 to accommodate various challenges faced by local authorities and businesses. However, Perth and Kinross are on track to meet the original 2025 deadline.

To support the transition in Perth and Kinross, the Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) secured £6 million funding from Perth and Kinross Council in February 2022.

This funding is supporting the replacement of 4,000 analogue alarm units to digital ones.

To date, 3,850 units have been purchased at a cost of £1.34 million, leaving only 39 units pending replacement.

The remaining £4.66 million will fund the next phase of the project, including the replacement of peripherals for more complex needs, and addressing future demand due to an ageing population.

As of June 2024, approximately 2,000 clients have been migrated to the digital network, with the remaining clients expected to transition by the end of the financial year.

Perth & Kinross HSCP has received national recognition from the Local Government Digital Office, earning a Gold Level 2 Implementation Award for migrating over 50% of clients to a digital service.

Perth and Kinross Health and Social Care Partnership Chief Officer Jacquie Pepper said: “We are committed to completing the digital telecare switchover, ensuring those who rely on this vital service continue to receive reliable and advanced telecare services.

“We anticipate all of our customers will be fully switched over to digital by the end of 2024. This will make Perth and Kinross one of the few Scottish local authorities to reach this milestone.”

MIL OSI United Kingdom –

September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Union MoS for Health and Family Welfare, Shri Prataprao Jadhav Presides over 69th Foundation Day Celebrations of AIIMS New Delhi
Source: Government of India

Union MoS for Health and Family Welfare, Shri Prataprao Jadhav Presides over 69th Foundation Day Celebrations of AIIMS New Delhi

AIIMS New Delhi is a pioneer in the field of medical education, research and healthcare in India whose legacy of excellence continues to inspire medical institutions worldwide: Shri Jadhav

“AIIMS continuous unchallenged status of being ranked number one among medical institutions of India for the seventh consecutive year is a remarkable achievement”

AIIMS New Delhi now serves as the National Resource Centre of the National Medical College Network of the Union Health Ministry

In the last 2 years, inpatient beds in AIIMS have increased by more than 30%, Intensive care and operation theatre services by nearly 40%

Posted On: 25 SEP 2024 2:49PM by PIB Delhi

“AIIMS New Delhi is a pioneer in the field of medical education, research and healthcare in India whose legacy of excellence continues to inspire medical institutions worldwide.” This was stated by Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Shri Prataprao Ganpatrao Jadhav as he presided over the 69^th Foundation Day ceremony of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, today.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Jadhav said, “AIIMS New Delhi has achieved remarkable milestones and is determined to achieve its goal of being one of the top-ranked medical institutions in the world.” Highlighting that for the seventh consecutive year since the National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF), AIIMS New Delhi has been ranked number one among medical institutions of India, the Union Minister said, “this Institute’s continuous unchallenged status is a remarkable achievement.”

He informed that AIIMS New Delhi now serves as the National Resource Centre of the National Medical College Network (NMCN) of the Ministry of Health and Family welfare. This has enabled linkages with more than 100 medical colleges for enhancing undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing medical education. “This objective is being facilitated by the creation of a National Learning Management & Information System, SAKSHYAM, which was launched last year”, he said.

Shri Jadhav highlighted that AIIMS New Delhi has established a Centre of Excellence for development of artificial intelligence in healthcare. Created by MOHFW, this centre is expected to deliver AI based solutions for evaluation of chest x-rays, early detection of diabetic retinopathy, and identification of skin lesions, among other tools, for enhancing national programs. He noted that “AIIMS is set to be the biggest robotic surgery skill training centre with 2 state-of-the-art robotic surgery equipment dedicated for training of surgeons.”

It was informed that over 900 extramural research projects are being funded by national and international agencies, amounting to a total grant of nearly Rs. 200 crores while AIIMS itself has funded over 240 intramural research projects apart from providing travel fellowships to students, residents, PhD scholars, and staff to participate in national and international conferences. AIIMS Delhi has also started the Centre for Medical Innovation & Entrepreneurship as a Bio-Incubator under the BIRAC – BioNEST Scheme.

Shri Jadhav said that AIIMS has planned for building a new hostel complex with 2200 rooms, with an estimated cost of approximately Rs 900 crores. He also highlighted new academic facilities that were added recently such as the Mother and Child Block, Surgery Block and the National Centre of Ageing which are fully functional now. Over the last 2 years, the inpatient beds have increased by more than 30%, Intensive care and operation theatre services by nearly 40%. These new facilities will improve the ability of AIIMS to cater to the huge clinical demand. AIIMS has also been entrusted with the responsibility to operationalize the Central Armed Police Forces Institute of Medical Sciences (CAPFIMS) at Maidangarhi.

The Union Minister kicked off the Foundation Day celebration by officially inaugurating an exhibition showcasing the innovative research and projects undertaken by various departments at AIIMS. He also took a tour of the exhibition.

The Union Minister also inaugurated the awards ceremony, recognizing the achievements of students and staff with medals and book prizes. Awards were also given for outstanding contributions to the Institute Day Exhibition, celebrating excellence in research and innovation.

AIIMS New Delhi has undertaken various IT initiatives and has developed various softwares in-house for a wide range of services. The SANTUSHT portal enables patients to register their grievances online, track the status, and provide feedback regarding the resolution. To increase transparency and to maintain the trust that the patients have in AIIMS, realtime dashboards have been developed and made available to the public. The management of IT infrastructure and network has also been digitized for prompt resolution of any hardware or network issues. Triage Register for Emergency Department is a web application which helps to keep the record of patient’s Disease Condition, Medical Examination and improves patient safety by ensuring timely cross-consultation by various departments. The Union Minister launched these digital initiatives during the event. He also inaugurated a fire station at AIIMS which will have a manpower of 6 men. It is the first such station exclusively for any medical institute.

Prof. M Srinivas, Director, AIIMS New Delhi said “AIIMS has already received NABH certification for some of its blocks and centers and is in the process of NABH certification of all the centers including the main hospital. He highlighted that NABL accreditation of all laboratories in a phased manner is under process. He also informed that AIIMS has also been the forerunner in the implementation of Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM). “It has overcome various challenges and has been a role model for the country by creating more than 7 lakh ABHA IDs and more than 20 lakh scan and share tokens”, he said.

Background:

Established in 1956, AIIMS was created with the vision of providing high-quality medical education and comprehensive healthcare services. The institute was established as part of a larger effort to address the critical need for well-trained healthcare professionals in India. Recognizing the challenges in healthcare access and quality, the Indian government aimed to create an institution that would set benchmarks in medical training and patient care.

From its inception, AIIMS has been a pioneer in developing innovative medical practices and cutting-edge research. Its comprehensive approach includes a focus on preventive, curative, and rehabilitative care, making it a model for medical institutions across the country. Over the decades, AIIMS has evolved to become not just a premier medical college, but also a leading research center, contributing significantly to advances in various fields of medicine.

Importance of AIIMS in National Healthcare

AIIMS, New Delhi, has played a pivotal role in shaping India’s healthcare landscape. Here are some key aspects of its importance:
1. Quality Medical Education: AIIMS has been instrumental in training thousands of medical professionals who have gone on to serve in various capacities across the country. Its rigorous academic programs ensure that students receive not only theoretical knowledge but also practical training, enabling them to provide high-quality care to patients.
2. Research and Innovation: The institute is known for its cutting-edge research in various fields, including cardiology, oncology, and neuroscience. AIIMS researchers have made significant contributions to medical science, often translating their findings into real-world applications that benefit patients.
3. Public Health Initiatives: AIIMS has actively engaged in public health outreach programs, focusing on preventive care and health education. These initiatives aim to improve healthcare access for marginalized communities, aligning with the government’s goals to promote health equity.
4. National Health Policies: AIIMS has served as an advisory body to the government on various health policies and programs. Its research findings and expert recommendations have influenced health policy decisions, ensuring that they are evidence-based and aligned with the needs of the population.
5. Response to Health Crises: During health emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, AIIMS played a crucial role in managing care, conducting research, and providing guidance on best practices. Its leadership in crisis management has been vital in safeguarding public health.
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(Release ID: 2058569) Visitor Counter : 118

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –
September 29, 2024
MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Seva Se Seekhen Program Empowering Youth and Fostering Culture of Compassion and Service in Community

Source: Government of India

Seva Se Seekhen Program Empowering Youth and Fostering Culture of Compassion and Service in Community

MY Bharat’s “Seva Se Seekhen” Initiative Gains Momentum in 24 States; Over 1700 MY Bharat Volunteers Engage in Healthcare Support across 319 Hospitals

“Through Seva se Seekhen program, our young MY Bharat volunteers are gaining invaluable experience while contributing to the well-being of our nation” – Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya

Posted On: 25 SEP 2024 2:54PM by PIB Delhi

In a significant move to engage India’s youth and bolster healthcare services, the Department of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports has launched the “Seva Se Seekhen” program under the MY Bharat initiative. Launched on September 17, 2024, this nationwide volunteering initiative aims to provide hands-on learning experiences for young people while offering crucial assistance to patients in hospitals.

(Chhattisgarh)

Talking about the program, Union Minister of Youth Affairs & Sports and Labour & Employment, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, commented, “This program exemplifies our commitment to nurturing a culture of seva while addressing the needs of patients across India. Through this program, our young MY Bharat volunteers are gaining invaluable experience while contributing to the well-being of our nation.”

(Rajasthan)

As part of the program, MY Bharat volunteers are being deployed across 700 locations, including both government hospitals and those empanelled under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY). With each hospital hosting 10-20 volunteers, the initiative targets not only to improve patient services but also to raise awareness of the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY). Volunteers assist with a variety of tasks, from helping patients access basic healthcare services to managing outpatient department (OPD) counters, operating information desks, and supporting PM-JAY documentation.

(Gujarat)

The “Seva Se Seekhen” program has seen swift progress since its launch, with 861 hospitals already onboarded on the MY Bharat portal. These facilities have generated 304 Experiential Learning Programmes and 2,649 volunteering opportunities.

Currently, 1732 volunteers are active across 319 hospitals in 24 states and union territories. Leading the charge, Gujarat has deployed 273 volunteers across 33 hospitals, followed closely by Rajasthan, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, and Uttar Pradesh, with a strong presence of volunteers supporting critical healthcare services.

(Odisha)

By engaging youth in such meaningful work, the “Seva Se Seekhen” program is expected to promote a culture of service and responsibility. It also seeks to boost the utilization of PM-JAY services, thereby enhancing healthcare accessibility for underprivileged communities. The success of this initiative will have long-lasting impacts, fostering a new generation of socially responsible leaders and reinforcing the importance of public service.

As MY Bharat continues to expand its reach and the “Seva Se Seekhen” program grows, the initiative promises to bring a transformative shift in both healthcare support and youth empowerment across India.

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Himanshu Pathak

(Release ID: 2058571) Visitor Counter : 136

MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

September 29, 2024