Latest news with #DDH
Time of India
11 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Odisha mangoes now in France, Belgium as exports soar
In a breakthrough, Odisha has successfully added France and Belgium to its list of mango export destinations, reinforcing the state's emergence as an agricultural export hub . This achievement adds to an already growing list of international markets, including Dubai, London, Birmingham, Rome, Venice, and Dublin. Gitashree Padhi, Deputy Director of Horticulture (DDH), Dhenkanal, said, 'The global acceptance of Odisha mangoes in markets like France and Belgium reflects the potential of our farmers and the strength of our horticultural ecosystem.' During the first week of June 2025, 13.4 metric tonnes (MT) of mangoes were exported to London and Dubai, significantly contributed by Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs). The exports were made possible through active involvement from the Saptasajya Farmer Producer Company, Dharitree Agro Plus Company, Kankadahad Farmer Producer Company and Sugandha Farmer Producer Company. Since exports began in May 2024, Odisha's agri-export volume is nearing 100 MT, with mangoes — especially Amrapalli and Dashehari varieties — making up a significant percentage of the total. Expanding into new markets has delivered direct benefits to Odisha's farming communities. Farmers have earned 40–60% higher prices for their mangoes, enabled by direct export access, improved quality standards, and aggregation through FPOs. In 2024–25, Odisha entered seven international markets. In the first few months of 2025–26, the state has already exceeded that number, both in terms of destinations and export volumes. This growing momentum reflects the Odisha government's focused efforts to establish the state as a leading agri-export centre.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Lane Blumenfeld of Data Driven Holdings Honored with OnCon Icon Top 50 Corporate Counsel Award
WASHINGTON, May 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Lane Blumenfeld, Chief Legal Officer of Data Driven Holdings (DDH), has been awarded the esteemed OnCon Icon Top 50 Corporate Counsel Award. The OnCon Icon Awards celebrate outstanding achievements of top organizations and executives worldwide. This prestigious recognition is determined through peer and community voting. Voters are instructed to select individuals they have seen make a significant impact on their own organization or within the broader industry, contribute to their professional community through thought leadership, drive innovation, and demonstrate exceptional leadership. Blumenfeld's commitment to legal excellence, strategic innovation, and strong leadership across DDH's portfolio, including its high-performing subsidiary, Team Velocity, has set him apart as a top corporate counsel. Under his guidance, DDH has scaled its legal operations to support rapid growth while upholding the highest standards of compliance and governance. About Data Driven HoldingsData Driven Holdings is a performance-focused technology and marketing company that empowers automotive and other retail brands to achieve measurable growth. With a suite of data-powered platforms and services, the company delivers intelligent customer experiences that drive engagement, retention, and ROI. Its portfolio includes Team Velocity, a market leader in digital retailing solutions for dealerships and OEMs, which helps businesses connect with customers through personalized, omnichannel campaigns. Data Driven Holdings is committed to innovation, operational excellence, and helping its partners thrive in competitive markets. About OnConferencesOnConferences is a leading organization that connects top professionals across various industries, promoting collaboration, innovation, and thought leadership. Through conferences, awards, and networking opportunities, OnConferences provides a platform for executives and organizations to exchange insights, fostering growth and development within their respective fields. For more information about the OnCon Icon Awards and to view the full list of winners, please visit View original content: SOURCE Team Velocity Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Irish Times
26-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Times
Hip surgeries: Parents call for independent review by international experts
Parents of children who received hip surgeries in two Dublin hospitals are calling for the establishment of a clinical independent review of surgeries by international experts, after an audit found almost 70 per cent of surgeries carried out at the healthcare facilities were not necessary. On Friday, the Health Service Executive (HSE) published an independent audit on hip surgery thresholds for children with developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). It examined 147 cases across three hospitals – Temple Street , the National Orthopaedic Hospital Cappagh (NOHC) and Crumlin Hospital . In Temple Street, some 60 per cent of surgeries audited did not meet the clinical threshold for surgical intervention, with this proportion being 79 per cent in NOHC. Two advocacy groups – the scoliosis advocacy network and Spina Bifida and/or Hydrocephalus Paediatric Advocacy Group – held a meeting with more than 70 affected parents on Sunday evening. READ MORE Notes from the meeting show families are unhappy with the HSE's plan to offer all families the opportunity to have their case reviewed by a specialist medical team, believing this will 'only delay meaningful review and support'. [ Hip surgery audit: Almost 70% of operations in two children's hospitals 'unnecessary' Opens in new window ] Parents expressed 'serious concern' about this proposed clinical review pathway because the clinicians who carried out the unnecessary surgeries were not named in the report. The families said they have 'no confidence' in a review process. Instead, the families have called for an independent clinical review of all DDH surgeries. 'This must be carried out by a panel of international paediatric orthopaedic experts, each with a minimum of 10 years' experience and qualifications equal to or exceeding those of Irish consultants,' the families said. 'A core group of parents will liaise directly with the relevant authorities to ensure the panel has the full confidence of families. The composition of the panel must be formally agreed with the parent group.' The two advocacy groups also reiterated their call for a full public inquiry into Children's Health Ireland (CHI), stating there was a specific need to examine 'the systemic governance failures that resulted in preventable harm to their children'. [ Hip surgery audit: How many more times will we hear 'this can never happen again'? Opens in new window ] 'This inquiry is not optional. Families will directly negotiate the terms of reference with the Minister for Health and will not accept any process that excludes their leadership, scrutiny and approval,' they said. Following the publication of Friday's report, Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill announced she has moved to 'strengthen governance and oversight' at CHI and NOHC. The Minister said this will be done by the appointment of two members of the HSE board to the board of CHI, strengthening the service level agreement between the two bodies and increasing involvement of the Dublin Midlands Region Regional Executive Officer. Further arrangements are also being considered in relation to this, Ms Carroll MacNeill said.
Irish Examiner
24-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Examiner
'Who am I to question the doctor?': Mother fears son's hip surgery may have been unnecessary
"You do what the doctors say," said the mother of one child who had hip surgery with Children's Health Ireland (CHI), but now she, like thousands more, is wondering was that the right option. More than 2,200 families including 1,800 from just two hospitals are being contacted by CHI in the wake of critical findings on Friday in an audit of surgery for children with Developmental Hip Dysplasia (DDH). The audit 'raises concerns' about reasons given for surgery 'in many of the cases' in CHI at Temple Street and the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Cappagh, the report states. Some 147 surgeries under 14 surgeons were analysed. It found 98% of CHI at Crumlin surgeries were for reasons which matched criteria retrospectively applied by the audit. However, it found 60% at Temple Street did not meet this criteria, and 79% at Cappagh did not meet this threshold. Many of these are expected to be found unnecessary with the HSE commissioning an external panel of experts to next assess children 'to determine if their surgery was necessary'. Áine Gladney Knox is anxiously waiting to see if her son Archie will be included, having already received a check-up invitation in March. He had hip dysplasia surgery aged just three in 2022 at Crumlin. 'When you're brought up in a family where what the doctors says, you do. And you go with what they're saying,' she said. 'If that's what they're advising, you feel 'who am I to question the doctor?'' She was not reassured by the report. 'I'm frustrated, I'd love to put this to bed now and have clear answers,' she said, adding they were originally told Archie would get follow-up when he is older. He experienced complications after his surgery. Archie was treated in their local hospital in Kilkenny and then rushed by ambulance back to Crumlin, she explained. He was in so much pain, he was screaming 'help me mammy.' It was one of the hardest things for us to go through. She feels the surgery is being minimised by people unfamiliar with it. Ms Gladney Knox, a Sinn Féin candidate for Carlow-Kilkenny, called on CHI to share more information. 'It's really stressful for parents, you're your child's advocate, especially at that age,' she said. Another mother whose daughter had surgery in Temple Street told RTÉ's Liveline: 'We were just devastated to think we may have put her though a massive surgery that potentially she did not need.' She recalled being told by a doctor her daughter would not have received this surgery if she were at Crumlin hospital. She echoed Ms Gladney Knox's sentiments, saying: 'We trusted the professionals.' These issues were only picked up on after a whistleblower made a protected disclosure on their concerns to the hospitals. In the report, audit lead Simon RYW Thomas from the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children said he spoke with the surgeons. They gave reasons for recommending additional surgery in all the cases sampled. However, he said his conclusions and recommendations did not change from a draft report published online last year. The audit raises worrying questions for parents as to whether their child's surgery was really necessary. The report says: 'Declaring that the criteria I have set were not reached in certain percentages of pelvic osteotomies does not prove that none of them were indicated. "It is well known that there is worldwide variability between surgeons in their recommendations for pelvic osteotomy in DDH.' HSE chief clinical officer Dr Colm Henry said the surgeons believed 'earlier intervention at a lower threshold was appropriate in order to prevent complications'. He did not clarify why differences and unnecessary surgeries were not picked up earlier, noting only Temple Street consultants published a paper on this less invasive technique in 2010. Around 1,800 patients of Temple Street and Cappagh since 2010 will be monitored until they reach 12 (girls) or 14 (boys). Picture: Sasko Lazarov The audit does not identify the surgeons. On Thursday, responding to questions at the Public Accounts Committee, CHI clinical director Ike Okefor and CEO Lucy Nugent confirmed a doctor referred to as 'Surgeon A' in a Hiqa report on spinal surgeries is one of the 14 surgeons. Around 1,800 patients of Temple Street and Cappagh since 2010 will be monitored until they reach 12 (girls) or 14 (boys). From Crumlin, some 447 children will be followed up. Ms Nugent said: 'The care and wellbeing of children is our absolute priority in Children's Health Ireland, and I am sorry that impacted families were not offered one consistent and excellent standard of care across our DDH service.' Dr Henry acknowledged another review of spinal surgeries is on-going. 'It's obviously independent, but once we have it we'll obviously be examining it very closely for any parallels or messages that align with this [audit],' he said. CHI Helpline: Freephone 1800 807 050 or 00 353 1 240 8706 from outside Ireland
RTÉ News
23-05-2025
- Health
- RTÉ News
Hip surgery at the heart of audit explained
The release of an independent audit of bone surgeries carried out on children with hip dysplasia between January 2021 to December 2023 was much anticipated, not least by the parents of children who had had these surgeries in that time. The audit was looking at the basis on which decisions were made to perform a pelvic osteotomy or bone surgery on a child. Or, to put it more bluntly, whether it was necessary for the surgery to be carried out. To understand the concern around all of this, it is first important to look at what these surgeries are used to treat, and just what the surgery in question involves. The condition is called developmental dysplasia of the hips, or DDH, and it occurs when the "ball and socket" joint in the hip does not form properly in babies and young children. "It's a very common condition that we see, and in its simplest form it is a mismatch between the shapes that make up the component of the hip joint," Dr Pablo Castañeda, Medical Director of the International Hip Dysplasia Institute explained. There are a number of treatments, including non-operative and surgical interventions. An osteotomy or bone surgery is arguably the most extreme. This is a bone surgery undertaken to "correct" or "reshape" the hip joint. "When we talk about doing a pelvic osteotomy it is a cut of the bone, that's what the word osteotomy means, a cut of the bone, so we cut the pelvic bone to essentially make that socket deeper and match the ball in a better way," Dr Castañeda said. According to information published by Children's Health Ireland (CHI), there are two possible options: to reshape or reposition the thigh bone or femur, called a femoral osteotomy, or to deepen the hip socket, and this is a pelvic osteotomy. It was decisions to perform the later, pelvic osteotomies, that were examined in this audit. As previously mentioned this procedure involves cutting the bone, and it usually involves the use of bone grafts and pins. After a pelvic osteotomy "most children are treated in a hip abduction brace or a cast after pelvic osteotomy," according to CHI literature. A foam hip abduction brace immobilises both legs, a hinged hip abduction brace immobilises the operated side only, and a hip spica cast. Hip spica casts can be on for 12 to 16 weeks, with plaster changes under anaesthetic every six to eight weeks. If pins are used, they may be dissolvable or the child may need a second surgery to remove them eight weeks later. Children will need also need a special car seat which is compatible with the brace or the cast. Parents are also warned that a child "may be limp for weeks after their osteotomy". Archie 'had to learn how to walk again' Áine Gladney-Knox's son Archie had the surgery on both hip joints in 2022 when he was aged three. An already difficult procedure was made even more so when Archie suffered complications and needed to be re-admitted to CHI Crumlin where he spent almost two weeks recovering. When he got home, Ms Gladney Knox described how Archie had lost a lot of muscle density in his legs. "He had to learn how to walk again," she said, adding: "They don't recommend physiotherapy, but children are resilient." She described how Archie's hip spica cast needed to be cut off due to the swelling when he experienced complications, and afterwards he wore a "brace". "There's a lot to it, its very very intense and it has a big impact on a family," she said. "This is a tough tough surgery for any child to go through, and surgery is always going to be the last option," Ms Gladney-Knox said. Dr Castañeda said that a pelvic osteotomy "is not a procedure which is done all too commonly because fortunately we have very good non-operative means to improve the congruency of the joint, as long as hip dysplasia in infants is detected in a timely way, which typically is done by screening of neonates (a baby who is four weeks old or younger), then hip dysplasia, in the vast majority of cases can be treated non-operatively". As for some of the alternatives, babies diagnosed early with DDH are usually treated with a fabric splint called a pavlik harness. Children can also wear hip abduction brace, which is a bit sturdier. And then there are reduction procedures, where the "ball" is manipulated back into a "socket", and these can be closed (under anaesthetic but without surgery) or open (surgical). Both of these procedures also require a child to wear a hip spica cast. Ms Gladney-Knox, who is a member of Sinn Féin and was a general election candidate last year, was among the parents contacted by CHI Crumlin in March about the audit. We now know that it found a number of the surgeries carried out in CHI Temple Street and the National Orthopeadic Hospital Cappagh were unnecessary, but that similar issues were not identified in CHI Crumlin where Archie's surgery were carried out. Ms Gladney-Knox said that while she was "relieved" she still had questions. "Definitely I will be ringing the helpline and I will be looking to see was (Archie) reviewed in that audit," she said. She also expressed concern for the parents whose children were did undergo the procedure in CHI Temple Street and NOHC, who she believed were now "under a cloud of anxiety and worry and stress and... anger".
