Athulya Senior Care launches Palliative care services in South India in association with Pallium India

Bengaluru, India, February 17, 2023: In a landmark move to address the growing need for specialized palliative care in India, Athulya Senior Care and Pallium India have joined forces to launch palliative care service in the organized senior care sector in South India. With the aging population and the increasing prevalence of serious health-related suffering in the country, this partnership is poised to bring about a significant change in the lives of elderly individuals and their families. The launch of this service comes at a time when access to Palliative Care in India remains limited, with less than 2% of the country’s 1.2 billion people having access to this critical service.

At a press conference held today, Mr  Srinivasan G , Founder & CEO of Athulya Senior Care, said, “Palliative care is expected to become a critical sector for senior care centers in India, and we are proud to be a comprehensive senior care centre in South India to offer Palliative Care services for seniors. With our partnership with Pallium India, we aim to provide the best possible care to our patients and their families, and we believe that this is just the beginning of our journey to improve senior care in the country.”

Dr. Sreedevi Warrier, Head of the Education and Skill building division of Pallium India, spoke about the role of Pallium India in the partnership, saying, “At Pallium India, our goal is to make Palliative Care accessible to all who need it. By working with Athulya Senior Care, we are bringing this critical service to senior citizens in South India and training the clinical team to provide the highest quality care.” As a part of the partnership, Pallium India will train the doctors, nursing staff and other key members at all Athulya Senior Care centres to provide Palliative Care services to senior citizens. This includes training in pain and symptom management, end-of-life care, and communication skills, among other critical areas.

Palliative care is not restricted to those at the end of life and is recommended to be initiated at the time of diagnosis. It also aims to reduce overall health-related suffering for patients and families living with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions. The absence of palliative care services in healthcare institutions, especially in the private sector, is a major challenge, particularly for the working families.

Mr. Srinivasan added, “We are committed to expanding our reach and providing this service to [4:20 pm, 17/02/2023] Sanjay V4 Mediia:  senior citizens in new cities soon. We believe that access to Palliative Care should not be limited by geography or financial constraints, and we will continue to work towards this goal.” 

The launch of Palliative Care Service from Athulya Senior Care marks a significant step forward in the efforts to bring specialized care to seniors in need in India, and underscores the company’s commitment to providing high-quality care to its seniors.

For more details : https://athulyaseniorcare.com/

 

Andhra Pradesh looks to attract domestic and global investment across a dozen sectors, aims for a 10% share in India’s exports soon

: Andhra Pradesh's successful Investors Meet in Bengaluru, held ahead of its "Global Investors Summit 2023," offers 48,352 acres of land bank for industrial development, as well as ready-built infrastructure to shorten the time required to set up new facilities.

Bengaluru, 14th February 2023: The state of Andhra Pradesh showcased its rich natural resources, large investments in infrastructure, land bank, and intensive reforms in rules and regulations at a successful investors meeting held in Bengaluru. These efforts, taken together, position Andhra Pradesh as the state where abundance meets prosperity. The event is one of many such meets being organised in the run-up to the Global Investors Summit on March 3rd-4th 2023 in Visakhapatnam.

Speaking on the occasion Shri Gudivada Amarnath, honourable Minister for Industries, Infrastructure, Investment & Commerce, IT, Handlooms & Textiles highlighted the state's export potential. Honourable minister said, “According to LEADS Report 2022, the state's exports increased by 15.31% from the previous year in 2021–2022, classifying it as "Achievers" in the Coastal States. With the completion of new ports and also further development of infrastructure for the last-mile connectivity, the state’s share in exports can reach up to 10% of India’s total exports.”

Addressing the investors Shri. Buggana Rajendranath honourable Minister for Finance, Planning, Commercial Taxes, Skill Development, Training & Legislative Affairs assured the investors of the fast-paced implementation of projects in the state. “We strongly believe reducing the time to start a business will have a significant impact on the manufacturer’s profitability. The state is building numerous plug-and-play facilities which will have ready-built factory sheds with quality power and water supply and help speed up setting up of manufacturing units,” said the honourable minister.

Shri. Amarnath also added that in the last 3.5 years, the state has approved investments to the tune of Rs.1.9 lakh Crore. “That would go on to create employment for around 90,000 people in the state in the future,” he said.

Key functionaries from various departments, ministries, and state government institutions had an open interaction with the investing community in Bengaluru today. Promising to handhold potential investors and facilitate the fastest turnaround time the presentations showcased the present and upcoming infrastructure and the conducive policy environment of the state.

Manufacturing, food processing, ports, IT and Electronics, handlooms, and textiles sectors attracted significant interest at the event. Andhra Pradesh is India’s gateway to the southeast with its 974 km long coastline, the second longest in the country, 6 existing ports, and 4 upcoming ports. However, it has also emerged as the fastest-growing state in India, as per the number released so far, with double-digit growth of 11.43% in 2021-22. The state has embarked on a rapid growth path under the able leadership of Sri Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, Honourable Chief Minister. Thanks to the governance reforms and formulation of investor-friendly policies by the government, the state has emerged on top in terms of ease of doing business (EoD) for three consecutive years.

Consistent improvement in the governance framework to create hassle-free investing is augmented by hard infrastructure as three of the country's eleven industrial corridors are being built in Andhra Pradesh alone. The improvements have been duly recognised and the state has received various awards over the last one year alone. To name a few the LEADS award for logistics 2022, the Inertia Award for Energy 2022, the ET award for for port-led, and the infrastructure project 2022.

The event was also graced by the key functionaries of state government including Dr. Srijana Gummalla, IAS, Director of Industries, Commerce & Export Promotion Vice Chairperson & Managing Director AP Industrial Infrastructure Corporation CEO, AP Economic Development Board, Sri. L Sridhar Reddy, CEO, AP Food Processing Society; Sri. Ravindranath Reddy, Deputy CEO, AP Maritime Board; Smt. K. Sunitha, IAS, Principal Secretary, Handlooms & Textiles Government of Andhra Pradesh.…

BLOOD CANCER SURVIVOR MEETS HIS “LIFE SAVER FOR THE FIRST TIME”

Mandeep, a techie from Bengaluru reinstates faith in humanity by donating his stem cells to save a blood cancer patient

Bengaluru, 9 February 2023: A surreal story unfolded as Mandeep, a blood cancer survivor met his lifesaver also named- Mandeep for the first time. An event was organised by DKMS BMST Foundation India, to mark World Cancer Day and celebrate the first meeting between the stem cell donor and his recipient. 

Mandeep, blood cancer survivor, 35-year-old, a farmer from Punjab was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia in 2009. Unfortunately, though Mandeep was advised for a stem cell transplant, he could not find a Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) matched stem cell donor within his family. Mandeep had to wait for over 3 years before an HLA matching unrelated donor was identified with the help of DKMS BMST Foundation India and he underwent stem cell transplant in January 2020.

Mandeep (blood cancer survivor), said, “Cancer was a big shock to me and everyone around me. I was healthy and doing well, when suddenly everything just crashed. I was advised a stem cell transplant by the doctors, but we could not find any matching donor from my family. After a colossal struggle of over a decade against cancer, my struggle ended when a matching unrelated donor was identified with the help of DKMS-BMST. I was treated under the expertise of Dr. Dinesh Bhurani, Director, Department of Haemato-oncology & Bone Marrow Transplantation, at Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Center, New Delhi. And it was amazing that I was able to get the transplant done in January 2020. Today, I am completely cured. I have waited for over two years to meet my genetic twin, whose stem cell donation saved my life, and coincidently he is my namesake. I am very grateful to Mandeep (Donor), because of him, I got a second chance at life.”  

As per the International guidelines, the identity of both the blood stem cell donor and recipient are kept anonymous for a period of two years and thereafter depending on their interest they are introduced to each other.      

Mandeep (Stem Cell Donor, 39-Year-old) said, “It was truly wonderful to meet with Mandeep (blood cancer survivor). After my stem cell donation in December 2019, I had always wondered about the well-being of my stem cell recipient, and finally today we get to meet. My wife is also a cancer patient, and I do understand the pain and agony of the family members. I registered as a stem cell donor in a registration drive organised by DKMS-BMST in my office in 2018. After being identified as a match, DKMS-BMST team guided me in every step and I donated my stem cells in a hassle-free manner.”

Patrick Paul, CEO, DKMS-BMST Foundation India, said “It is always a very happy occasion for us when we introduce the cancer survivor with their lifesaver for the first time. So far, DKMS-BMST has registered over 80,000 potential donors and has helped 80 patients in India with a second chance at life. It is our endeavour to provide blood cancer and blood disorder patients with a second chance at life. India has one of the highest burdens of these life-threatening diseases in the world, and every year. over one lakh new patients are being diagnosed.  These diseases are one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths among children. Most people are unaware that a life-threatening disease like blood cancer can be treated by a stem cell transplant.” 

Dr. Govind Eriat Nair, Consultant Hematology Hemato-Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant Gleneagles Global BGS Hospital, Bengaluru, informed, “Stem cell transplantation from a related or unrelated donor is a standard treatment for blood cancer and disorder patients. 

This stem cell transplant after 3 to 4 months of chemotherapy helps the patients to recover from the disease. Without the stem cell transplant, the chances of relapse are quite high. When matching donor is not available within the family, a search is carried out with help of registries like DKMS-BMST to find a matching unrelated donor, just like in the case of Mandeep. Therefore, the need of the hour is to increase awareness and encourage more Indians to register as stem cell donors so that more lives can be saved.”

Today, more than 40 million potential unrelated donors are listed worldwide with stem cell donor centres and registries. Of which only 0.04% are Indians. This situation can only be changed by recruiting many potential blood stem cell donors from India. If you’re between 18 and 55 and in general good health, take the first step to register as a blood stem cell donor by ordering your home swab kit at www.dkms-bmst.org/register .

Ujjivan Small Finance Bank launches ‘Hello Ujjivan’- India’s first Voice, visual, vernacular banking app Introduces industry-first mobile banking app for individuals who have limited reading and writing skills

 Ujjivan Small Finance Bank launched Hello Ujjivan, India's first mobile banking application with 3 V's – voice, visual, vernacular-enabled features – to provide banking access to individuals who have limited reading and writing skills. 

The app is designed to instil banking habits in our MicroBanking and Rural customers who are digitally challenged. Hello Ujjivan, co-created with Navana.AI, is accessible by voice in eight regional languages, including Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Tamil, Gujarati, Kannada, Oriya, and Assamese. Customers can speak to the app in their native language to perform banking transactions and access services such as paying loan EMIs, opening FD and RD accounts, transferring funds, checking account balance, and updating passbooks, among others. The app's intuitive AI and machine learning capabilities enable it to comprehend customers' unstructured banking requests and provide the desired result. The application engine adapts to the various dialects of the user and has the capacity to learn and respond to their particular dialect. The app also provides a visual representation, along with a recorded voice guide in the user's preferred language at every step, allowing them to transact without fear or reliance on others, thereby removing the anxiety associated with online banking transactions

. As per our research, the app addresses the digital divide on the banking needs, aspirations, and behaviours of the MicroBanking and Rural customers. Ujjivan SFB is utilising its 600 branches and close to 9000 Microbanking and Rural Banking staff to educate the customers on using the Hello Ujjivan app. In its initial phase, Hello Ujjivan will be available to its existing MicroBanking customers. In the subsequent phase, the company will continue to add more languages and banking features and solutions, such as opening new customer accounts, paying utility bills, availing repeat loans, mobile and DTH recharge.

 Speaking on the launch, Mr. B A Prabhakar, Chairman of Ujjivan Small Finance Bank, said, "The launch of the mobile app represents a significant advancement in our efforts to provide our MicroBanking and Rural customers with the advanced technology and the high level of convenience and security. We are confident that we will be able to empower our customers, towards meeting their banking needs. This application also demonstrates our dedication to promoting financial literacy and independence across all social strata." Speaking on the launch, Mr. Ittira Davis, MD & CEO, Ujjivan Small Finance Bank, said, "The introduction of Hello Ujjivan reinforces our commitment to promote financial and digital inclusion throughout the nation.

 As a mass market bank, we are confident that this innovation .will further simplify the banking experience for individuals who are digitally inclined, but challenged. "We will continue to focus on deploying innovative technology solutions to empower the unserved and under-served customers to achieve financial independence," he added. Ujjivan SFB has developed a comprehensive digital strategy to simplify banking services throughout India. Our digital strategy of the bank is built to bridge the digital divide between metro vs semi urban and rural customers, who are often left out.

 The bank currently serves over 72 million customers through its 600 branches across 25 states and union territories in India. As of December 31, 2022, the gross loan book is valued at INR 21,895 cr. and the deposit base is valued at INR 23,203 cr. About Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Limited Ujjivan Small Finance Bank Limited is one of the leading small finance banks. Ujjivan Small Finance Bank began operations in February 2017 and currently serves 72+ lakh customers through its 600 branches and 16,700+ employees. The bank remains committed to serving un-served and under-served segments through financial and digital inclusion, as a massmarket bank. Ujjivan SFB is offers comprehensive banking solutions along with a personalised customer experience. The strengthened digital interfaces across regions and languages have empowered Ujjivan SFB customers to seek timely and easy access to finance at all times.