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TOGETHER WE INSPIRE
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INTRODUCTION Our health services are under pressure to withstand unprecedented challenges. The pressure to provide effective healthcare continues to rise, just as our expectations do. With a growing population on top of this, we need innovative ideas to support these services to shape a thriving future of healthcare. World Health Innovation Summit (WHIS) is an international platform that supports a sustainable approach to good health and wellbeing (UN SDG3). It is a new, innovative way of working together that enables us all to openly share ideas and develop solutions. To expand their programmes and support communities further, WHIS has developed various stems to the organisation. As a branch from this, we created WHIS Inspire.
WHIS Inspire is a digital magazine that explores the fields of healthcare and sustainability to provide the tools and inspiration that empower individuals and their communities to make a difference to their lives and others. Through this platform, we provide inspiring content that is dedicated to the innovative advances across the globe, designed to inspire and share knowledge with everyone.
www.whis.uk Twitter
contact@whisinspire.com #WHIS
#togetherweinspire
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MEET THE TEAM THIS MAGAZINE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY A CREATIVE TEAM OF YOUNG PROFESSIONALS THAT ARE FULL OF INNOVATIVE IDEAS AND DESIGNS.
EMILY DODD
JOSH ENTWISTLE
ANNA CUTTERIDGE
Director & Editor in Chief
Executive Director of Design
Writer & Journalist
Emily has a demonstrated history in creative copy and content writing, with extensive experience in producing meaningful media for the voluntary sector. She has produced a comprehensive portfolio of written work for various clients at a local and national scale, and loves nothing more than creating content that inspires others.
Josh is a talented graphic designer who has worked with a range of clients and boasts a broad background in a variety of different industries. With a lifelong passion for the creative arts, Josh has a strong focus on editorial design and commercial branding. He takes pride in producing unique designs that reinforce a brand’s ethos and values.
Anna is a Journalist and content writer from London, currently training to be a psychotherapist. Having studied Psychology, and with experience working in NHS psychiatric hospitals, she writes articles and interviews exploring mental health and contemporary arts with her blog and seeks new and inspiring stories to share.
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GARETH PRESCH Founder & CEO of WHIS
Together, we can achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.
STRIVING FOR SUSTAINABILITY The world faces serious challenges at the moment. Climate change, poverty, pollution, healthcare inequalities, employment, biodiversity loss, access to quality education and COVID-19 - these are all but a few of the global challenges that we face today. In September 2015, 193 heads of state pledged their commitment to implement the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the United Nations. As Expert Leads for SDG3 (Good Health & Wellbeing), the World Health Innovation Summit are partners with the UNGSII Foundation whose mission is to assist and accelerate the SDG implementation process and ensure the world reaches its goal of sustainability by 2030. Balancing social, economic and environmental sustainability, these Global Goals are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030.
We believe the opportunity exists to establish a new sustainable health and social care model that creates value based on prevention, early intervention, and using different types of resources. This approach will enable people and communities to thrive and improve their health and wellbeing, support the existing health services, and create new and meaningful jobs while supporting the implementation of the UN’s 17 sustainable development goals. It is our duty to involve everyone in society and ensure that no one is left behind so that together, we can achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.
We believe the opportunity exists to establish a new sustainable health and social care model.
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TOGETHER, WE INSPIRE The Covid-19 pandemic has changed immeasurably the everyday lives of people throughout the world. Healthcare, education, research, business, the economy, recreation, home life, our own personal lives have had to change and adapt to new ways of working and living.
DR. AMIR HANNAN Chairman of WHIS
We have only one planet and there is only one plan that we all need to rally behind and support.
Whilst the focus has understandably been on meeting the challenge of COVID-19, people have continued to battle through the trials we were facing before the pandemic and continue to do so whilst we figure out what the new norm is. Problems such as inequalities, loneliness, the digital divide, social and other forms of injustice and hardships, an increasingly ageing population, a rising size of population and climate change remain. As people live longer and increasingly in more urban societies, the need to recognise and support those meeting these challenges and overcoming them becomes ever greater as we deliver social value beyond just shareholder profit and improve outcomes for all. Out of this disaster, we see a sense of hope and imagination, a new sense of collective responsibility where nations, multinational companies and others gather together to support those stricken and reduce the suffering. It is great to see cooperation from around the world with communities and individual action learning.
READ MORE
I would like to personally thank all the doctors, nurses, health care staff, those in the public sector such as law enforcement, local councils and private sector, voluntary organisations, governments, faith and nonfaith organisations and the individuals and groups who continue to battle through each day to support those in need, risking their own lives to help others selflessly. We have only one planet and there is only one plan that we all need to rally behind and support. I am a General Practitioner (Family Medicine physician) based in Hyde, UK and I am immensely proud of the work our teams are doing to support the wider work along with our Partners and friends. Please share what you are doing because these individual actions are a source of hope and can sustain us as we imagine and deliver a future and be the difference to enthuse others.
Thank you for all you do because Together, We Inspire.
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Silent Night by Marimba Youth Orchestra, Africa
2020
https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=c4_y-NTe45g&t=141s
January • •
Gareth Presch attends the Agape Foundation International Conference, FaithInvest WHIS travels to Davos to attend the UN’s SDG Lab
March •
WHIS UPDATES STAY UP TO DATE AND VIEW OUR VIDEOS & WEBINARS, LISTEN TO OUR WHIS PODCASTS OR WATCH OUR WHIS TALKS. Watch the TV interview discussing the implementation of the SDGs with Roland Schatz, CEO UNGSII and Prof Dieudonne Musibono, Special Advisor President of DRC
here.
Gareth Presch becomes an appointed Member Pope Francis’s Vatican COVID-19 Commission.
November •
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WHIS takes part in the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence, themed ‘Orange the World’ Gareth Presch discusses the challenges of Covid-19 on SDG 3 in an article with Investment Monitor. Gareth Presch wins the Global Presence Humanitarian Award for his pioneering contributions in the field of global health and wellbeing
September • •
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Gareth Presch joins the Virtual SDG Champion’s Conference Gareth Presch attends the World Wellness Weekend and is presented with a Wellness Champion Award Gareth Presch spoke at the 2nd International Health Congress on non-communicable diseases
October • •
Roland Schatz speaks about SDG Projects in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Africa.
LISTEN HERE
WHIS hosts health session at The Good Summit, Dublin Gareth Presch meets Pope Francis to discuss the Common Good in the Digital Age
December •
Gareth Presch discusses Joe Biden’s ESG pledges and how the environment and people’s wellbeing can be improved in the US, in an article with Investment Monitor.
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2021 February •
25th - Virtual Launch of the Global Social Prescribing Alliance
March •
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Gareth Presch gives a keynote ‘From Family to UN SDGs’ at the UK’s first Child Health Technology Conference WHIS hosts the Social Prescribing Champions Scheme Webinar WHIS hosts a Webinar on Art Programmes in the Health Sector with WHO WHIS attends the 3rd International Social Prescribing Network Conference ‘Social prescribing & community beyond the pandemic’ WHIS Talks shares its Webinar on Digital Healthcare Telemedicine Gareth Presch discusses the opportunities to develop Nigeria’s healthcare infrastructure in an article with Investment Monitor.
April •
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Gareth Presch joins the panel discussion at the World Sepsis Congress WHIS hosts a Webinar on Fitness and Social Prescribing
WHAT’S NEXT? 2021 AT A GLANCE May •
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June •
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Gareth Presch meets the Pope
7th: WHIS will host its next Art Programmes in the Health Sector Webinar with WHO 14th: WHIS will host its Social Prescribing Champions event for Portugal 19th-20th: Gareth Presch will be speaking on SDGs at the World Humanitarian Forum London 27th-28th: Gareth Presch will be Chairing the Health Session at the Global Solutions Summit in Berlin
27th-30th: Gareth will be Chairing the SDGs and Cities at the World Health Summit Regional Meeting in Uganda 7th-25th: Arts for SDGs exhibition takes place (partnered with WHIS)
September •
18th-19th: World Wellness Weekend takes place (WHIS partner)
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CONTENTS WHIS INSPIRE Page 01
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Brazil – Solar Ear A holistic solution for hearing loss in developing countries
India – Mental Health Understanding India’s mental health problem
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England – Fostering Response-Ability Maintaining resilience in the face of a public health crisis
Ireland – Financial Wellbeing Humanity’s emotional, ethical and financial turning point
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England – Accessible World Opening the door to a more accessible world
Ireland – WithNature2020 Addressing global biodiversity loss
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C O N T R I B U TO R S THANK YOU TO ALL OUR CONTRIBUTORS Page 13 Italy – Health Literacy Why does it matter?
Page 15 Nepal – Dhairya Cancer Foundation Cancer in Nepal
Howard Weinstein John Perry WeCanAccess Anna Cutteridge
Page 17 San Marino – Lemonade.Care A telemedicine application
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Peter Mcgahan Regeneration Dublin
USA – Applied Bioplastics A major breakthrough in cellulose processing
Manuela Boyle
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Terisa Temang
Global – Solutions Initiative Global Solutions Summit May 27-28, 2021
Page 22 Global – GSPA Global Social Prescribing Alliance
Lemonade.Care Alex Blum Global Solutions Initiative
Page 23 Global – UN-Habitat System-wide urban monitoring framework
Global Social Prescribing Alliance UN-Habitat
Page 25 Global – World Sepsis Congress An innovative virtual 2-day global event
Global Sepsis Alliance
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SOLAR EAR A HOLISTIC SOLUTION FOR HEARING LOSS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES The mission of those in humanitarian audiology is to get a child (0 to 3 years) a hearing aid so that she can learn to hear, develop speech which gives her the opportunity to attend a public school. Only through education that one can break the cycle of poverty. However, there are many roadblocks. Only 3% of the 624 million people (170 million children) who need a hearing aid can afford or gain access to required services. The World Health Organisation recommends the cost be no more than 3% of Gross National Income (GNI), meaning $960 in Australia but less than $90 in Cambodia. Today, the average starting price is $1500. Solar Ear’s aids start at $100.
SDGs
In developed countries, there is one audiologist for every 20,000 people. In developing countries, there is one for every 2-6 million people. Therefore, if there is no professional to help, the process stops. Some hospitals cannot afford to set up an audiology department as the equipment costs over $80,000.
Solar Ear - BBC World TV - Solar Powered Hearing Aids in Brazil Their components come from the same suppliers as the major manufacturers, and they work on a 100% mark-up versus 500 to 3000% from such manufacturers who have a 90%+ market share.
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SOLAR EAR’S STRATEGY Even with its low price, many roadblocks still exist. At $100, it is still too expensive, due to a lack of audiologists, costs of testing equipment, and variable import regulations. Alexander Graham Bell invented the first telephone thinking of his mother, who was deaf. Solar Ear is bringing his invention forward by 125 years. We are developing five different professional grade hearing tests, including inventing the first one for newborns! The consumer’s or hospital’s Android phone is the platform. Our apps will range from being free to $1.50. We are developing our diagnostic products for secondary healthcare workers, which are therefore simple to use.
Solar Ear - Al Jazeera - Solar Powered Hearing Aids in Brazil
HOWARD WEINSTEIN Founder of Solar Ear VIEW CONTRIBUTOR’S BIO
“To hear again means to transform dreams into sounds, which translates into more education and work opportunities.”
With test results, we will be able to remotely programme the user’s phone (using ear buds) to become a hearing aid. A cell phone is like a hearing aid, as it has a built-in microphone and receiver. This app will also include speech language therapy exercises. We will share the Big Data from test results with the Ministries of Health, with the goal of making newborn screening part of public policy. Given that 50% of hearing loss can be prevented, and 80% occurs after birth, we will have a free maternal hearing loss prevention app. To close the loop, we will tie into global teleaudiology networks, offering help in real time, solving the mother’s worry of, “What Next?”.
READ MORE
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SDGs
FOSTERING ‘RESPONSE -ABILITY’ AS FEATURED IN THE NATIONAL ACADEMY FOR SOCIAL PRESCRIBING IDEAS HUB.
Maintaining Resilience and Wellbeing in the face of a public health crisis: Fostering ‘Response-ability’ by remembering that we are capable of choosing our response to challenging situations. This is based on Epictetus’ understanding that ‘People are disturbed not by things but by the view they take of them.’ Hence, the key to emotional intelligence and wellbeing is not to avoid challenging situations; but rather to choose an effective attitude towards them.
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The A-B-C Model is a core model in Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy, which is one of the most effective therapies for helping people to live effectively with situations which are not as they would choose.
THIS INSIGHT IS THE BASIS OF THE A-B-C MODEL OF EMOTIONAL HEALTH: A The ‘Activating Event’ e.g. Change in working patterns due to the coronavirus pandemic;
B the ‘Belief’ i.e. the attitude the person takes towards this event – what they ‘tell themselves’ about it; and
C the ‘Consequence’ eg. frustration, despair, givingup – or a determination to make the best of the situation, even whilst accepting that it’s not ideal.
Clearly, the ‘Consequence’ at point ‘C’ is determined not by the Activating Event itself, but rather by the ‘Beliefs’ and self-talk that the person subsequently engages in at point ‘B’.
For example, if someone activates Beliefs along the lines of: ‘This is so frustrating! I can’t stand spending so much time in PPE! It’s awful to have to live and work this way!’ they will generate a great deal of upset. Equally, if, instead, they activate Beliefs along the lines of: ‘It’s disappointing not to be able to interact with my colleagues, family and friends as I’d like to; but the important thing is to stay safe and to help others to stay safe too – and actually, this is a real opportunity to make a significant contribution to public health’, they will generate positive feelings of motivation instead. From this perspective, negative feelings are best viewed as verbs, not nouns – i.e. they are things people ‘generate’, rather than things that people ‘have’. The key thing is how to help people to choose beliefs that work for them rather than against them; so that they can stay resourceful even when things aren’t the way they would like them to be.
JOHN PERRY Freelance Wellbeing Consultant, Counsellor, Coach, Speaker, Facilitator and Supervisor.
To see an example of how to empower someone through the way that we engage with others, read the full article here.
READ MORE
VIEW CONTRIBUTOR’S BIO
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OPENING THE DOOR TO A MORE ACCESSIBLE WORLD VIEW CONTRIBUTOR’S BIO
WeCanAccess is a community social enterprise built on creating and enabling a positive social shift towards “accessible and inclusive urban space” for people with disabilities.
SDGs
Accessibility is vital from both an economic and social standpoint. Every day we need to get clean, get dressed, move around, make and eat food, and communicate. To make these things accessible we choose certain products that suit us but we all have access issues at some point in our lives or we are likely to care for someone else who has. Maybe you are too short to ever reach items on the upper shelves in the supermarket, maybe you can’t read this text if you misplace your glasses, or maybe you can’t get a job because you get too anxious in interviews. When your access to education, healthcare and employment is impaired because of a physical or attitudinal barrier, you are more likely to be dependent on others, live in poverty and have poor health. Around 15% of the world’s population has a recognised disability but this figure does not count people who are not necessarily considered as having a disability but who do have access issues, like those mentioned above. The number of people with disabilities and additional needs is also growing due to improved healthcare and the impacts of ‘long COVID’. It is becoming increasingly clear that a social shift in attitudes is essential both socially and economically, a shift whereby inclusion and accessibility is the norm.
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WeCanAccess strives to enable people to access the world physically, socially and economically by providing an online platform where people with access needs, their carers and professionals can share, discuss and trade. Their work focuses on two core aims:
1. To create a social shift in attitudes by demonstrating that accessibility and inclusion are vital for a more economically and socially sustainable future.
2. Improve the health and wellbeing of the community by enabling people to come together to share lived experiences and create opportunities for economic and social interaction.
When you make things accessible for one person, you are likely making life more accessible for all. For example; the wheelchair user, the child with their leg in a cast, the pensioner with arthritic knees, and the parent with a buggy are all from very different demographic cohorts and only one, maybe two of those people would be considered ‘disabled’. However, all have the same requirement for stairless access. It is also important to remember that accessibility and inclusion are not just about ramps and disabled parking spaces. Accessibility is about ensuring that people can learn, access healthcare and the jobs market. Inclusion is about being part of the community and being able to make a contribution. Attitudes to people with disabilities and access issues are influenced by society and culture. By showing how good accessibility facilitates better inclusion and better economic and social outcomes, we can promote good practice without challenging or threatening people’s way of life. WeCanAccess is building a community to create and enable that social shift by sharing stories, experiences and new ways of approaching activities.
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page 7 This piece discusses suicide which some people might find disturbing.
TRIGGER WARNING: SUICIDE
HOW CAN WE UNDERSTAND INDIA’S MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEM? ANNA CUTTERIDGE IN CONVERSATION WITH MARIWALA HEALTH INITIATIVE (MHI)
In a 2016 Lancet Global Health study, suicide was found to be the leading cause of deaths among young people in India. In the following year, India enacted the National Mental Healthcare Act, “to provide for mental healthcare and services for persons with mental illness and to protect, promote and fulfil the rights of such persons during delivery of mental healthcare and services.”
SDGs
VIEW CONTRIBUTOR’S BIO
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Yet, India’s mental health crisis is still rife, and it is time for a change. Mariwala Health Initiative (MHI) is a mental health advocacy and funding agency which aims at making mental health accessible to marginalised groups in India. Their motivation is to create a “big picture of mental health”, away from narrow medicalised views, and towards “more inclusive, holistic, and empathetic practices”.
Its director is Raj Mariwala, board advisor for BluePrint Group - a global joint advocacy and learning coalition on mental health, as well as for Lancet Commission on Stigma and Discrimination. In this interview, Mariwala shares her views on the mental health situation in India as it stands, and how she sees it evolving.
In 2017, India enacted the National Mental Healthcare Act “to provide for mental healthcare and services for persons with mental illness and to protect, promote and fulfil the rights of such persons during delivery of mental healthcare and services.” – How effectively do you feel this act has been adhered to? Having the MHCA means that access to mental health care is an enactable right – free and good quality of mental health care to ALL citizens, with or without belowpoverty-line proof. It also mentions making psychiatric medication available for free state-run facilities. There are some important provisions that are critical, such as state mental health authorities and mental health review boards that remain to be set up. The MHCA mandates a national suicide prevention policy as well, which remains uninitiated. There are some provisions which I am personally excited by, such as Advance Directives and the right to a Nominated Representative. However, policies do not work if they remain unimplemented, which is the current state of affairs.
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MHI fully funds a programme by the Centre for Mental Health Law and Policy which provides training to stakeholders like lawyers, mental health professionals, social workers and the judiciary on the MHCA. For some states like Chhattisgarh and Gujarat, they have been open to, and thus received training on, the MHCA for multiple arms of government and judiciary. The most recent development is an #MHCA e-Legal Support Unit in Chhattisgarh, in collaboration with Directorate of Health Service to provide remote guidance and support to stakeholders for legal queries on the implementation of the Mental Healthcare Act.
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VIEW CONTRIBUTOR’S BIO
PETER MCGAHAN Chief Executive of Worldwide Financial Planning
SDGs
FINANCIAL WELLBEING
HUMANITY’S EMOTIONAL, ETHICAL AND FINANCIAL TURNING POINT
There is no denying that the last 14 months has been an experience of a lifetime for many! We can dwell on it, or look for the opportunities to make this chapter a mental, emotional and ethical turning point for humanity. It’s our call. In the future we can see that this planet, thirsty for change, took this opportunity by just stopping and paying attention to the countless messages that have existed for some time about life, its balance and humanity. In a normal day, we say 16,000 words. How many more are thought, and how many are talked at us in noisy, noisy data? Financial planning is often talked about in terms of numbers, reducing debt, maximising more wealth. Is that a disconnect, a disconnect that means we never reach contentment?
Understanding yourself and what matters is the first and foremost skill in financial planning. Lockdowns have had a catastrophic impact on our nine emotional needs. Psychology shows that if just one of these nine needs are not being met, we can suffer significant distress and anxiety. Most importantly, when they are not being met, we turn to unhealthy solutions: Alcohol, drugs, spending for that one extra pair of shoes are one of the many, most of which are followed by guilt and debt, which of course creates a negative downward feedback loop.
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Right now, if I was to ask you to score yourself out of ten to the degree of which they are being met, it probably wouldn’t be pretty, so it’s normal to feel bewildered. Society is right now. Taking a positive stance to these needs is key. Being effective involves leaning into feelings rather than, ‘chin up, stiff upper lip, be positive’.
THE NINE NEEDS ARE: 1.
Security safe territory and an environment which allows us to develop fully
2.
Attention (to give and receive it) — a form of nutrition
3.
Sense of autonomy and control having volition to make responsible choices
4.
Emotional intimacy to know that at least one other person accepts us totally for who we are
5.
Feeling part of a wider community
6.
Privacy
If we chill in our ‘being-effective hammock’, we learn what’s important to us and how financial planning can assist us. These emotions guide you to which values really matter, and allow you to approach solutions in a valuesdriven and productive, purposeful way - a way that is meaningful to you and allows you to be mindful in the process. For example, does buying a new debtdriven car alter the emotional need of a ‘sense of status in social groupings’? If we approach financial planning in a way that means we are taking care of our emotional needs, we can be targeted and meaningful to ourselves. This gives our goals a meaning to our subconscious and as such, ensures success because they matter. Moreover, if we are in control of those nine emotional needs, the wheels are less likely to fall off in the first place.
opportunity to reflect and consolidate experience
7.
Sense of status within social groupings
8.
Sense of competence and achievement
9.
Meaning and purpose which come from being stretched in what we do and think.
Understanding yourself and what matters is the first and foremost skill in financial planning.
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SDGs
Global species population sizes have declined an average of 68% since 1970 - World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Living Planet Report 2020
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DO WE STAND WITHNATURE? ADDRESSING GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY LOSS In September 2020 the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity released their fifth outlook report, alarming the world at its failure to halt the unprecedented loss to biodiversity as a result of destructive behaviours. As significantly worsening trends threaten the livelihood of billions, the report urges nations to shift away from the ‘business as usual’ mantra, and prioritise a transition into systemically sustainable practises in a post-COVID world. Concurrently, this progress has been stunted by the fallout of the pandemic with government activity focused on keeping the economy afloat, and public activism forced to virtually mobilise, or all too often, delay until next year. Such was the case for the UN biodiversity conference (COP15), which was set to take place on the 22nd May 2020, coinciding with the International Day for Biodiversity and plans for a global effort to propel the crisis of biodiversity loss into centre stage. In response to the indefinite suspension of urgent action, ‘WithNature2020’ is a project conceived as a plea to steer the earth away from ecological collapse.
We have gained support from Irish curlew conservationists who are willing to help disseminate all relevant information regarding the bird and its conservation, and are hoping to cap off the event by hosting a talk to discuss the future for the curlew and birds alike in Ireland.
Headed by British artist Emma K. Thomas and developed in collaboration with a global network of volunteers, a worldwide artwork will be unveiled on the 22nd May 2021 with participants showcasing large mosaics depicting an endangered species from their local area. The event will be documented by the BBC World Service and streamed live on YouTube. Regeneration Dublin and The Good Summit are hosting the event for Ireland, which will be held on the Trinity College campus. We have chosen to represent the curlew, a charismatic bird threatened by extinction in Ireland as a result of poor land management. We hope to involve upwards of 400 participants from the Dublin community, shedding light on the nationwide issue of unsympathetic environmental practises whilst tying the project to a worldwide appeal for action.
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VIEW CONTRIBUTOR’S BIO
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HEALTH LITERACY WHY DOES IT MATTER? Health literacy is a term introduced in the 1970s, literally meaning placing one’s own health and that of one’s family and community into context, understanding which factors are influencing it, and knowing how to address them. An individual with an adequate level of health literacy can take responsibility for one’s own health as well as one’s family health and community health. The development of health literacy is even more topical than ever to prepare individuals for situations that require rapid reaction. For the public to understand what public health experts and politicians say poses a range of challenges. Making sense of COVID-19 news and official recommendations, for example, is particularly difficult given the current high degree of knowledge uncertainty on many levels. A major challenge comes as to how the individual can integrate this sea of information into personal behavioural actions. The best scientific knowledge on COVID-19 needs time to grow, and particularly the understanding of the appropriate public health interventions are bound by time constraints. Therefore, as difficult as it may be, health experts themselves are challenged to help the public accept uncertainty where it is a yet unavoidable fact. Similarly, political action is difficult to define not only for the uncertainty in the scientific basis of COVID-19 but also due to the profound changes in the social conditions of dealing with infectious disease crises.
MANUELA MALAGUTI BOYLE Clinician and certified practitioner of Functional Medicine.
VIEW CONTRIBUTOR’S BIO
The development of health literacy is even more topical than ever to prepare individuals for situations that require rapid reaction.
SDGs
page 14
Complex terms such as ‘herd immunity’ need to be carefully conveyed to a public challenged to understand. While accepting to sacrifice some part of one’s own individual freedom for the sake of a collective good may be seen as a matter of humanistic social values, in the case of the COVID-19 pandemic there is little time for philosophical rationales. Although critical health literacy argues that individuals put into context the information available and evaluate that against their basic values, in the case of an urgent pandemic an emphasis on concerted action is critical as well. Reflection should focus, for the moment, on the pandemic itself and how the individual defines their role in it. The hope, of course, is that such prompt attention to this event will promote self-reflection on the role of health literacy in one’s own life. Public health experts from all disciplines should contribute to creating a broader understanding that allows accepting complexity and a high degree of unpredictability in arising global health challenges. Included in forward thinking should be efforts to strengthen values and attitudes of collective responsibility to reduce carelessness and prevent over-reactions. Critical health literacy understood as individuals’ ability to reflect on complex health issues and critically assess the information available, can be a piece in the puzzle on how to promote, enhance and encourage behaviours that are (more) adequate during a crisis such the current COVID-19 crisis.
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page 15 This piece discusses suicide and suicidal intentions which some people might find disturbing.
TRIGGER WARNING: SUICIDE
DHAIRYA CANCER FOUNDATION SUPPORTING CANCER PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES IN NEPAL When I was 18 years old, I came across a national news broadcast about a teenage boy who had taken his own life, jumping from a hospital building. He had been suffering from kidney cancer, and had left a letter to his mother mentioning that he did not want to burden his family. This news touched my heart, and a sense of inspiration grew inside me. I was determined to do something for cancer patients. However, I was confused about how I could help. I am from Nepal, a developing country where we do not generally get proper services from hospitals and there are no specific counseling centers.
SDGs
AUTHOR: TERISA TEMANG VIEW CONTRIBUTOR’S BIO
page 16
During a trip to the United Kingdom, I attended an SDG conference which focused on the UN’s 17 goals where I chose SDG 3, Good Health & Well Being, and talked about the mental health of cancer patients. My eyes were opened to the way cancer sufferers and their families deal with the illness and the recovery process. I got the chance to learn that between 2005-09, cancer survival rates lagged ten years behind the rest of Europe, although survival rates continue to increase in the UK. I then thought of doing something in the course of preventative measures; treating mental illness of cancer patients and in turn improving the quality of life of our loved ones and reducing the burden on the healthcare system. From that experience and my curiosity onwards, I founded the Dhairya Cancer Foundation in Nepal in 2017. The name ‘Dhairya’ means hope and endurance, which often seems lost in cancer patients. We have impacted the lives of 3,000 people, patients, schools, villages and government hospitals through the health programmes at DCF. Peer support programmes for cancer patients and survivors are facilitated by psychiatrists, with sessions involving shared experiences to help reduce mental pressure. We have also carried the cancer awareness programme to the rural community, and we are arranging delivery of personal hygiene products and education in various hospitals to cancer sufferers, free of cost. Art therapy for children with cancer has produced amazing results. During lockdown, we were able to source PPE and KN95 masks to help protect doctors and nurses at Kanti Children’s Hospital and the Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu, provided groceries to cancer patients, and gave woolen socks to children living with cancer. It is common for people receiving chemotherapy to suffer from constantly feeling cold, especially their feet, so our colourful socks help cancer patients cope with this.
The more challenges we encounter, the stronger we become.
Cancer problems, particularly in Nepal, are due to low income per capita ($1,071). The majority of Nepalese people are bound to struggle to afford cancer treatment in the absence of a proper health insurance system. At the same time, cancer patients are suffering from mental disorders because they lose hope. Due to the lack of mental health programmes, awareness programmes, ignorance about the disease, and its high treatment cost, numerous cancer patients choose to die by suicide in Nepal. But that is not the solution. My ambition is that no cancer patient should have to sacrifice their life through mental illness. For this, I, along with my team at Dhairya Cancer Foundation, would be going ahead organising cancer awareness programme all over Nepal, as well as specific counseling for cancer centers. My next important dream is to build an affordable cancer hospital with a counseling center. I am passionate enough to make a difference. Where there is a will, there is often a way, and for me, this is just the beginning.
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THE LAUNCH OF “LEMONADE.CARE” A TELEMEDICINE APPLICATION Lemonade.Care is a Mobile-Based Patient-Reported Outcome (mPRO) platform for smart management of the wellbeing of patients in remote monitoring, so as to enhance caregiver-patient communication in a seamless and intuitive way. It is comprised of a mobile interface for patients and a web dashboard for the healthcare personnel, powered by intelligent algorithms.
THE CORE TENETS OF LEMONADE. CARE ARE: Patient Empowerment Patients are empowered through an educational process that lasts throughout their recovery process and allows them to verify whether their caregivers have seen the data sent by patients. This allows for constant feedback and communication to and from the patient and caregivers themselves.
Instant Triage Via the dashboard for healthcare personnel, now able to prioritise care according to complex and smart algorithms developed and improved through a constant validation of data and the experience of the caregivers who are working with us and support us every day.
Ease of Use For both patients and healthcare personnel.
VIEW CONTRIBUTOR’S BIO
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SDGs
Our app is codesigned and tested by doctors on the basis of real care experience and solid know-how With Lemonade.Care, patients are granted 24/7 automated monitoring and a direct line with their caregiver, in a system consisting of smart and dynamic questionnaires, encrypted video/photo, feedback mechanisms for the empowerment of patients and selective use of wearable hardware to provide data for the software algorithms. Because of this, caregivers can quickly check the received data on their dedicated dashboard, with intelligent signalling used to indicate changes in the patient’s wellbeing, and therefore prompt a follow-up. Moreover, the smart Dashboard also acts as a triage tool, ranking patients from the one who needs more care to the least concerning ones.
Lemonade.Care’s team, aiming to make our world better and safer, is happy to donate the COVID-19 modules (preventative quarantine and positive patient management) to any caregivers for their use.
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Our app is co-designed and tested by doctors on the basis of real care experience and solid know-how, to offer the best possible patient-centred solution, tailored to real needs. We are currently preparing the official launch of the first of our COVID-19-related modules, which will make the Republic of San Marino the first country in the world to manage COVID entirely with telemedicine. The project was borne out of a collaboration with the San Marino State Hospital’s COVID team. Pushed by the necessity to help cope with such an emergency, we set off to create a platform to support the managing of patients remotely. Lemonade.Care’s team is set to manage chronic and temporary diseases such as: day surgery, cancer patients, pre-post pregnancy, rehabilitation, gastroenterology, and bariatricrelated conditions. We are in constant development of new technology, including the ability to gain predictive insight through the use of AI and, in collaboration with international partners, are developing smart hardware to detect heart failures and other conditions.
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APPLIED BIOPLASTICS A MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH IN C ELLULOSE PROCESSING VIEW CONTRIBUTOR’S BIO
SDGs Let’s talk about the economic expansion driven by plastic over the last century. Planes, trains, and automobiles; toys, tools, and technology, all cheaper, lighter, more accessible to more people. Plastic is an amazing invention, and that’s why, even though it’s already everywhere, demand for plastic is still growing faster than the expansion of the human race. It enables our growth, and vice versa— when economies expand to include more people, those people demand more plastic. One of the primary downsides of this incredible growth is a major negative externality - a large volume of carbon emissions associated with the plastic’s production. In 2015, plastic production accounted for 1.8 billion metric tons of CO2 emissions. If projections hold, emissions will reach 6.5 billion metric tons per year by 2050 - over 15% of the total budget. Of particular concern is polypropylene-- it makes up a staggering 23% of all plastic produced annually. Yet most biopolymer companies are focused on reducing single use plastics like LDPE and PET, which leaves a major hole in the sustainable plastics market. Currently, the only alternatives available to durable goods manufacturers are either sold at a huge premium-- wiping out the main advantage of polypropylene: it’s cheap!-- or require extensive changes to the methods they use to manufacture everyday items. Manufacturing is already a low-margin business, so forcing unwelcome change on that industry would drastically change the price and availability of the durable products that everyone on the planet uses.
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With our technology, plastic manufacturers can bind cellulose with existing plastics, reducing the carbon footprint of each kilogram of final product by a minimum of 43%. ALEX BLUM Co-founder and Chief Impact Officer of Applied Bioplastics
So this is quite a conundrum. How do we reap all the amazing benefits of polypropylene without mortgaging our future? At Applied Bioplastics, we make plastic for manufacturers that is cost competitive, globally scalable, and most importantly, emits significantly less carbon dioxide than traditional plastic. Our product is a thermoplastic that is melted and injection molded to create a huge range of durable products-including the toys, tools, and technology mentioned earlier. The cost and quality are the same, but the carbon footprint is vastly reduced compared to traditional polypropylene production in several ways.
Firstly, the cultivation of large amounts of plant fiber sequesters carbon in the soil, as well as in the plant itself. Secondly, by reducing the amount of propylene required to make the final plastic goods, we reduce the amount of extraction and refining required. Lastly, our plant fiber does not degrade within our durable polymer composites, trapping the carbon inside. We are able to compete directly with legacy plastics on price because we use abundant, renewable, and most importantly, inexpensive and widely available plant material. This means we are able to improve sustainability without changing the cost or method of manufacturing.
READ MORE Read more & discover the company’s inspiration and how this building material is also used to create sustainable housing.
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GLOBAL SOLUTIONS SUMMIT
VIEW CONTRIBUTOR’S BIO
MAY 27-28, 2021 The Global Solutions Summit 2021 supports the T20 and G20 under the Italian G20 Presidency. It brings together top researchers, policymakers, business leaders and civil society representatives in a renowned global problem-solving process. The Summit builds bridges between past G20 Presidencies and Indonesia and India in the coming two years. It will focus heavily on a Great Realignment in the postCOVID world, in the spirit of recoupling economic progress with social prosperity and environmental sustainability.
The Global Solutions Summit will take place virtually on May 27 and 28, 2021. Contributions and panels will be available as video-on-demand after the Summit. Registered participants have free access to the live webstream programme, chat discussions, polling and networking formats connecting all participants.
A NG E LA ME R K E L German Chancellor
A NTÓ NI O G U T E R R ES UN SecretaryGeneral
F RA NS T I MME R MA NS Executive VP for the European Green Deal, EU Commission
If you’d like to join the Global Solutions community in this, please apply.
APPLY FOR REGISTRATION
WHIS, CEO Gareth Presch is moderating the Sustainable Healthcare - Moving forward during COVID-19 session.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAK_ bKrhgB8&t=150s
GSPA GLOBAL SOCIAL PRES CRIBING ALLIANCE VIEW CONTRIBUTOR’S BIO The Global Social Prescribing Alliance is a group of worldwide partners who recognise that what keeps us well is more than medicine. The Alliance’s vision is to: “Enable thriving communities to deliver a social revolution for their health and wellbeing while generating value”. Its mission is to establish a global working group dedicated to the advancement of social prescribing through promotion, collaboration and innovation. The Alliance’s work supports the implementation of UN sustainable development goal 3 – “Good Health and Wellbeing”. Watch the virtual launch of the Global Social Prescribing Alliance with an address from Secretary of State for Health for Health and Social Care, The Rt Hon Matt Hancock MP
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page 23 SDG Champions Conference Espoo 2019
UN-HABITAT UN-HABITAT LEADS THE COLLABORATIVE DEVELOPMENT OF THE UNITED NATIONS SYSTEM-WIDE URBAN MONITORING FRAMEWORK
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SUPPORTING THE SDGS VIEW CONTRIBUTOR’S BIO
MICHAEL MØLLER Former UN Director General
The SCR500 Index was presented at the UN in New York on April 17th 2017. It illustrates that within the largest 500 stock listed corporations from around the world, the global goals has been accepted as a new guiding principle. It also demonstrated that being invested in those stocks and companies supporting SDGs brings competitive returns: the cumulative return after 4 years is 53%. At the World Urban Forum in Abu Dhabi in 2020, UNGSII and UN Habitat decided to team up with their SDGs Cities offering together with UNSDSN, UNICEF, UN Academic Impact, WHO, WHIS, and other SDG-related Excellence Partners. UNGSII’s 25+5 SDGs Leadership Platform is designed for cities and indigenous communities, and the UN Habitat Cities programme will support Mayors and their teams implement the SDGs by 2025 as Lighthouses.
UNGSII was initiated by former UN Director General Michael Moller to provide scientific data and know how for SDG Implementation in 2014.
Implementation and learnings will be shared at yearly events: the SDG Champions Conference (which takes part in once of the 25 selected Cities), the UNGSII SDG Lab in Davos, UN Habitat Urban Forum etc. These Front Runners such as Cottbus (Germany), Iasi (Romania) Kinshasa (DRC), Mendoza (Argentina), The state of San Marino, Sikkim (India) will help develop criteria and metrics inspiring the other 9975 cities with more than 100.000 citizens.
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SDGs
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WORLD SEPSIS CONGRESS 2021
SDGs
LOOKING BACK ON WORLD SEPSIS CONGRESS 2021 – AN INNOVATIVE V IRTUAL 2-DAY GLOBAL EVENT On April 21-22, 2021, close to 20,000 physicians, healthcare workers, policymakers, representatives of the industry, and members of the public came together for the largest scientific meeting on sepsis ever – the fully virtual and free World Sepsis Congress 2021, titled Advancing Prevention, Survival, and Survivorship of Sepsis and COVID-19.
Over the course of two days and 15 diverse and highly relevant sessions, over 90 speakers from more than 30 countries gave trenchant talks on all aspects of sepsis; from the impact of policy, the role of artificial intelligence and big data, patient safety, and long-term sequelae through to novel trial design, the latest research, and much more. In addition to presentations from clinicians, researchers, policymakers, and other interesting stakeholders, the congress also featured multiple panel discussions, including survivors of sepsis and COVID-19 as well as a diverse panel of healthcare workers, made up of those working, living, and driving change in high-income and in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). All sessions have been recorded and are being released for free on YouTube and as a podcast over the coming weeks – the full release schedule is available on the congress website, as is the programme and background on all speakers.
VIEW CONTRIBUTOR’S BIO
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ABOUT SEPSIS Sepsis accounts for a staggering 11 million lives lost every year around the world, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations such as young children in resource-poor countries. It can be triggered by any infection, including common bacterial illness but also by Ebola, Malaria, and COVID-19. This congress shone a light on sepsis as one of the world’s biggest killers, reminding us that sepsis and severe infection are a constant threat to mankind rather than a threat restricted to pandemics. Health systems that are resilient against sepsis and severe infection outside pandemics will be resilient against future pandemics.
ABOUT THE GLOBAL SEPSIS ALLIANCE The Global Sepsis Alliance is a non-profit charity organisation with the mission to provide global leadership to reduce the worldwide burden of sepsis. The GSA is the initiator of World Sepsis Day on September 13 and World Sepsis Congress, a series of free online congresses bringing knowledge about sepsis to all parts of the world, among other initiatives. The GSA works closely with its over 100 member organisations, patient advocacy groups, professional societies, healthcare authorities, and governments to implement changes on how sepsis is prioritised, diagnosed, and treated all around the world, guided by the WHO Resolution on Sepsis.
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