Latest news with #AIC
Business Times
4 hours ago
- General
- Business Times
Salvation Army raises S$450,000 for key programmes; launches initiative to support caregivers
[SINGAPORE] The Salvation Army Singapore has raised more than S$450,000 from the 29th edition of its Red Shield Appeal event this year, which took place at Goodwood Park Hotel on Friday (Jul 25). It also announced the launch of 'It Takes A Village', a new initiative developed with the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC). The S$450,000 raised is in addition to S$6 million donated by legacy donors. The funds will support Salvation Army's key programmes across 14 centres islandwide. Tan Bee Yit, regional officer of Salvation Army for the Singapore region, said: 'Our work ranges from long-term residential and medical care for the elderly (to) family-based programmes supporting incarcerated parents and their children.' In 2024, more than 25,000 individuals and families benefited from the charity's programmes. Salvation Army will continue strengthening its core programmes and ensure they remain 'inclusive and effective', Tan said. Supporting caregivers On Friday, Salvation Army also launched the 'It Takes A Village' initiative, supported by AIC. This follows a pilot, launched in 2024, focusing on expanding outreach and establishing partnerships and builds on Peacehaven's services. To date, more than 17,500 caregivers have been engaged through the initiative. 'As caregiving becomes increasingly pressing in our ageing society, it is important to build a strong peer support network for our caregivers too, providing accessible training and practical resources to ease their caregiving journey,' Tan added. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Friday, 2 pm Lifestyle Our picks of the latest dining, travel and leisure options to treat yourself. Sign Up Sign Up Teo Shiyi, executive director of Peacehaven, noted that one-quarter of Singapore residents will be aged 65 or older by 2030, and family sizes are getting smaller. 'The emotional, social and sometimes physical demands placed on the primary caregiver can be immense. With smaller family sizes, this primary caregiver may have nobody else to help share the burden – for advice, for emotional support, for respite,' he said. 'It Takes A Village' aims to benefit informal caregivers – such as family members and migrant domestic workers – and will revolve around three core pillars: caregiver empowerment, emotional and peer support, and community connection. Besides offering training to help caregivers manage day-to-day care responsibilities, the initiative will provide a support network and connect them to relevant services. Dr Katie Avery, education director at Peacehaven, said: 'Ultimately, 'It Takes A Village' seeks to uplift the well-being of both caregivers and care recipients by fostering resilience, connection and dignity through community.' The initiative will bring caregiving out of clinical settings and into more everyday environments and promotes care in home and community settings. More than 10 organisations have joined the initiative. Founding member Fortuna Tan, who was a caregiver to her late mother-in-law, emphasised the importance of such support groups as demand for eldercare outpaces the level of informal and community support available. 'This network fills a much-needed gap in psychosocial and peer support, offering a space where caregivers can share experiences and tips, while finding respite and meeting others in similar situations,' she said.
The Hindu
7 hours ago
- General
- The Hindu
Airlines instructed to prevent unauthorised carriage of live animals into India
In a bid to prevent the unauthorised carriage of live animals into India, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued fresh guidelines to airlines operators, official sources said on Friday (July 25, 2025). Amid multiple instances reported by airlines regarding the carriage of live animals into India by passengers without proper declaration or clearance, classified as unbeknownst imports, the DGCA asked the operators to devise strategies to detect and deter the violation of deportation conditions. Going by rules laid down by the Animal Quarantine and Certification Services and Indian Customs, such animals were subject to immediate deportation to their country of origin, with appropriate intimation to concerned stakeholders and authorities in that country. Though the carriage of animals/birds by air was governed by the Aeronautical Information Circular (AIC) of 1985, the DGCA's advisory intended to further guide and ensure compliance with the latest instructions/orders of the Indian Customs and other law-enforcing agencies and facilitate the safe and legally compliant deportation animals by all aircraft operators/airlines operating in India. Responsibility of airlines The aviation regulator said in case of detection of any unbeknownst imports of live animals into India, the concerned airline would be responsible for their immediate deportation. 'The airline that transported the undeclared live animals shall be solely responsible for deportation in accordance with applicable laws. All costs associated with deportation, including animal handling, in-transit welfare, documentation, and repatriation logistics shall be borne by the airline,' the advisory said. As part of the preventive measures, the operators were advised to make sure that the employees deployed at check-in counters, boarding gates and in-flight operations were adequately trained and sensitised on customs and quarantine rules and regulations pertaining to transport of live animals. Passenger advisories and signage regarding restrictions on import of live animals should be displayed prominently, the sources said.
CNA
6 days ago
- Health
- CNA
Singapore launches new online tool to help healthy adults plan end-of-life care
SINGAPORE: Adults with no existing serious illnesses can now document their end-of-care life preferences online for free, without the need to meet a facilitator, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Saturday (Jul 19). The advance care planning (ACP) tool, known as myACP, was officially launched by Minister for Health and Coordinating Minister for Social Policies Ong Ye Kung at the Plan Your Legacy Today roadshow in Bedok. MOH said the tool, jointly developed with the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) and the Government Technology Agency (GovTech), is a 'significant step forward' in making advance care planning more accessible to Singaporeans. "We need more open and early conversations about future care needs. Don't be pantang, but be open and honest," said Mr Ong, using a local term for avoiding certain topics out of superstition or tradition. "That way, we prepare ourselves emotionally and mentally for the future, together with our loved ones. Normalise the discussions." HOW IT WORKS The online tool guides users aged 21 and above to document their care preferences. These include medical treatment approaches, daily care needs, and personal preferences related to hygiene, companionship and religious requirements. The tool also enables individuals to indicate their priorities between comfort care and life-sustaining treatments. Individuals are to appoint up to two nominated healthcare spokespersons who will convey their care preferences if they are unable to speak for themselves in the future. The myACP service will be available for those with no existing serious illness, such as cancer or dementia. Those with existing serious illnesses will continue to undergo facilitated advanced care planning sessions tailored to their medical condition, said MOH. Those who prefer face-to-face guidance or are less comfortable with digital tools can continue to seek assistance at advanced care planning community nodes. MOH said more than 77,000 advance care plans were completed in Singapore as of Jul 11 this year. This is a 40 per cent increase from 55,000 plans completed from 2011 to 2024. This growth reflects increasing awareness of the importance of legacy planning, but that more can be done to translate awareness into action, noted the ministry. The Legacy Planning Roadshow, jointly organised by MOH, AIC, the Central Provident Fund Board (CPFB), the Ministry of Social and Family Development and the Public Service Division, is part of a multi-year legacy planning campaign to encourage Singaporeans to take action on their legacy plans. The roadshow helps members of public understand ACP, Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA), CPF nomination and wills through informational booths, education talks and guided consultations. More information on advance care planning can be found at the MyLegacy@LifeSG website. PROGRESS The introduction of myACP comes amid ongoing efforts under the ministry's National Strategy for Palliative Care (NSPC), which was launched in July 2023. MOH reported progress in expanding care capacity, easing hospital-to-home transitions, strengthening palliative competencies in the community and improving the affordability of palliative care services. The number of inpatient hospice beds has grown by 15 per cent, from 260 in 2023 to about 300 as of Mar 31 this year. Home palliative care places have also increased by 25 per cent, from 2,400 to almost 3,000 in the same period, and will further grow to 3,600 places by end-2025. MOH also said hospital-to-home transitions were smoothened under the NSPC, with public hospitals implementing standardised compassionate discharge protocols to simplify the process for terminally ill patients who wished to return home for their final days. 'The equipment rental scheme, launched in end October 2024, provides subsidised equipment which supports patients discharged home for palliative care. It has benefited more than 1,000 Singaporeans to date,' added the ministry. MOH noted the strengthening of palliative care competencies in nursing homes. Previously, nursing home residents approaching their end of life would likely have returned to hospitals to be managed. 'Today, 62 or approximately two-thirds of nursing homes in Singapore have worked with the public hospitals to develop palliative care capabilities which allow their residents to pass on in the comfort and familiarity of their nursing homes.' Financial support for palliative care has likewise improved. Last year, MOH raised the MediShield Life daily claim limits for inpatient palliative care and removed the lifetime MediSave withdrawal limit for all home palliative and day hospice patients who use their own MediSave. Subsidies are also enhanced for all community palliative care patients. Since the implementation of the NSPC, MOH said the number of hospital deaths has declined from 62.5 per cent in both 2022 and 2023 to 59.8 per cent in 2024. 'This translates to thousands of Singaporeans being able to spend their final days in their preferred setting outside of hospitals,' said MOH, adding that it targets to further reduce the number of hospital deaths to 51 per cent by 2027.
The Hindu
7 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
How public sector incubator AIC is helping startups turn ideas into impact in Hyderabad
Imagine enjoying a sweet treat with no calories — just protein. Or savouring your favourite meat dish without the animal fat? Or drinking milk that doesn't come from a buffalo or a cow? What if scientists could work with stem cell-based 'organoids' instead of animals in the labs? These are not pipe dreams, but innovations nurtured at the Atal Incubation Centre (AIC) of the CSIR-Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology (CCMB), located in Uppal, Hyderabad. It was the only one from the public sector out of 10 incubators selected by NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India) in 2017 under the Atal Innovation Mission, with ₹6-crore seed capital to support startups in life sciences. Starting with four budding firms, the institute now hosts 23 companies and has mentored about 160 startups over the past six years with total funding arranged, including support from angel investors, reaching upto ₹250 crore 'There are 13-14 firms that have already made a mark and are generating revenue. It is difficult to say if they will produce earth-shaking or disruptive products, but they are going to do well,' affirms Chief Executive Officer N. Madhusudhana Rao. Among the exciting ventures are f Althion Tech Innovations which has developed a dialysis-grade water purification unit, Oncosimis which is focused on biopharmaceuticals, Sway (or Sweetway)which is creating natural sweet protein products with zero calories, and Phyx44 which is working on cultured meat and milk, to name a few. 'Access to equipment is key but real value lies in mentoring. We provided initial research support in our lab, guided them towards funding and scaling up. We have about 70 mentors drawn from CSIR labs, industry, intellectual property rights and other domains,' says the CEO. CSIR-CCMB Director Vinay Kumar Nandicoori notes that AIC has been supporting young, aspiring scientists with bright ideas by providing key infrastructure. 'Moreover, they also benefit from accessing CCMB's facilities at nominal charges and interacting with an outstanding pool of scientists,' he adds. The Incubation Centre was clear about its direction from the beginning. 'Our primary focus is on life sciences and biotechnology. We look for original ideas and give them a platform to test their product or process in our lab at a low rate,' says Mr. Rao. From 'Idea to Proof of Concept', startups are helped in developing samples in real-world settings like hospitals and are guided to understand the timelines involved. They receive help with idea validation, physical incubation, seed funding, product validation, and regulatory approvals. Most funding comes from Central government ministries and departments such as the NIDHI-Seed Support Programme, Startup India Seed Fund Scheme (SISFS), National Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Board (NSTEDB) and the likes. The AIC conducts workshops and fellowship programmes to attract emerging entrepreneurs. 'Biological sciences is a risky business. Unlike IT/ITES, turnaround times here are longer. It takes at least five years unless you import readymade products from foreign partners,' says Mr. Rao, a former CCMB scientist who has led AIC since its inception. AIC-CCMB's success stems from the experience of working in a top research organisation and the 'frustration and disappointment' when scientists like Dr. Rao were unable to bring their own research outcomes closer to the public. 'I know what is required since I was in the game for many years and have a fairly good idea of what works. Having the backing of then CSIR-CCBM director Rakesh Mishra during inception and the CCMB's brand value helped us, as people wanted to be associated with us,' he recalls. The COVID-19 pandemic led to increased trust in science, and 'suddenly we also had angel investors coming forward to fund. We are also helping such investors conduct due diligence. Usually, we nudge the startup after two years, once they gain traction, to look for greener pastures with six-monthly reviews', explains the scientist. Over the years what the CEO has realised is that 'many people are not smart in their spending'. 'We also help them review their balance sheets, burn rates and expected product timelines to ensure they stay on course. We also support some companies virtually,' he says. He says technology entrepreneurship is the way forward for the country. 'People have ideas; all they need is support and autonomy. We also need technology transfer offices in all universities and labs just like the IITs,' asserts AIC-CCMB is also working on a revenue model where successful firms will be ready to pay back. The incubator has recently expanded its activities into wildlife conservation — helping in Hangul deer preservation, introducing a PCR-based method to test for authenticity of Pashmina shawls etc. Biodimension which is into bio-fabricated human tissues as efficient alternatives for drug screening, Cellverse, intending to use 3D bioprinting to create human cancer-on-chip models, PopVax which is into mRNA modelling and a few others are among the promising startups from the AIC stable Despite the progress, what still rankles Mr. Rao is that Magellen Life Sciences (2018), one of the first promising startups, could not get funding even after having developed a protein '1,200 times sweeter than sugar' based on an African fruit. 'Fed up with the experience where he could not even get proper food labelling, the entrepreneur left for the UK and has now received generous funding. We felt bad when there were no takers then. But today, I am sure he would have got proper backing,' he says.
The Hindu
17-07-2025
- General
- The Hindu
AIC, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sattenapalli join hands, plant 500 saplings
In a tribute to mothers and nature, PM SHRI Kendriya Vidyalaya Sattenapalli, in collaboration with Agriculture Insurance Company (AIC), Guntur, planted 500 saplings under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' initiative. As part of the Mission LiFE programme, the drive witnessed enthusiastic participation from students, staff, and officials. Principal J.K. Gupta and AIC Regional Manager G.G. Raju highlighted the environmental and emotional significance of the tree plantation drive. The event coordinated by AIC representatives, emphasised the role of schools in nurturing eco-conscious citizens.
