Month: March 2023

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2023 Digital Therapeutics Alliance Inaugural Summit: DTx Industry Leaders Gather to Transform Global Healthcare

Held at the Washington D.C. Marriott at Metro Center June 7 – 9, 2023.The 3-day Summit programming will be facilitated by leaders from all facets of the DTx industry, including policymakers, manufacturers, payors, and other experts to guide innovation and equity in healthcare.

Arlington, VA, March 30, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Digital Therapeutics Alliance (DTA) is hosting its Inaugural Summit on June 7-9, 2023 at the Washington Marriott at Metro Center. Leaders from all facets of the digital therapeutics (DTx) ecosystem, including policymakers, clinicians, and payors, will join DTA members to discuss the challenges and opportunities of DTx integration into the healthcare system and identify optimized policy, reimbursement, and regulatory pathways to accelerate adoption.

The 3-day Summit programming will be facilitated by Andy Molnar, Chief Executive Officer of DTA, and feature keynote presentations, panel discussions, and interactive sessions that cover the advancement of DTx, the impact of healthcare policy, reimbursement and regulatory pathways, clinical evidence requirements, and patient access optimization.

DTA’s Chief Executive Officer, Andy Molnar states: “We are here to transform healthcare and deliver a new category of medicine to patients to improve their lives. The 2023 DTA Inaugural Summit brings together the leaders in healthcare innovation that are making these monumental changes. We are building viable frameworks with partners from Capitol Hill, the investment ecosystem, clinicians, health plans, patients, and caregivers.”

DTx products use evidence-based, clinically evaluated technologies to optimize clinical and health economic outcomes, deliver high quality therapies to underserved populations, and transform how patients understand, manage, and engage in their healthcare.

Leading into the Summit, US-focused DTA members and staff will convene in Washington D.C. to meet with congressional members and other influential parties to advocate for the Access to Prescription Digital Therapeutics Act (S. 723 and H.R. 1458).This bill seeks to create a new benefit category for digital therapeutics and ensure permanent coverage and reimbursement of DTx products by Medicare and Medicaid.

Everett Crosland, DTA board member and Chief Commercial Officer for Cognito Therapeutics, commented, “Given the rapidly evolving reimbursement environment, DTA’s 2023 Inaugural Summit offers the DTx industry an unprecedented opportunity to engage and advocate on the issues that matter most to our companies, patients, providers, and payor partners. I’m excited to speak about the emerging frameworks that are shaping our future.”

Event details and registration: 2023 DTA Inaugural Summit 

About DTA:

The Digital Therapeutics Alliance (DTA) is a global non-profit trade association of industry leaders and stakeholders with the mission of broadening the understanding, adoption, and integration of digital therapeutics into healthcare. DTA works to enable expanded access to high quality, evidence-based digital therapeutics for patients, clinicians, and payors to improve clinical and health economic outcomes. To learn more, please visit: www.dtxalliance.org and follow us on LinkedIn.

Attachment

Autumn Brennan
Digital Therapeutics Alliance
608-304-8000
abrennan@dtxalliance.org

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8799236

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Group celebrates President-elect’s 71st birthday with orphans

A Group, Asiwaju Project Beyond 2023, FCT Chapter, on Friday celebrated the President-elect, Sen. Bola Tinubu’s 71st birthday with orphanage and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Abuja.

Barr Rilwan Okpanachi, Director-General of the group, led other members to visit the orphanage, Halal Children Home and the IDPs camp, all in Abuja.

He said it was the desire of the President-elect that his 71st birthday should be celebrated with the less privileged, adding that the group also came to cut the birthday cake with the orphanage.

He said though the President-elect was not at the orphanage, the group had his instruction and permission to celebrate with the vulnerable.

According to him, the information the President-elect passed to us in celebration of his birthday was that everybody should pray for Nigeria and take care of the less privileged.

“We have come to identify with them and give goodwill message that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is with them, he belongs to everybody and that is the message we have brought here.”

He said that Tinubu, once sworn-in as the President, would ensure free education for the children and everybody, irrespective of strata would benefit from the gesture.

He assured the children that Tinubu would not abandon them, adding that the President-elect regarded them as priority and would do everything needed to ensure they got the best from the country.

Hajia Ramat Abubakar, President, Halal Home, said the orphanage started as a response to the IDPs crisis in the country, adding that so many children had been left vulnerable.

According to her, the orphanage started eigth years ago as a response to the IDP crisis.

“We realised there were so many children who were vulnerable, we started with a small house and from there we continue to increase.

“We have two branches in Abuja, one in Lagos and Kaduna. Our moto is: “every child deserves a brighter future.”

“We pray that the president-elect will get the needed wisdom to lead us alright.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that items distributed included 100 cartoons of indomie, 100 cartoons of spaghetti, 15 bags of 50 kg rice, flour, sugar, beverages, dustbin, vegetable oil water, among others.

NAN also reports that the group visited the IDP camp at Kuchingoro, along airport road, Abuja, where food and water were shared to the people to break their fast. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

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Timipre Sylva resigns as minister of state for petroleum resources

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva has resigned from office.

Information obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Abuja on Friday from unconfirmed sources, said the minister has submitted his resignation letter to President Muhammadu Buhari.

According to the sources, Sylva has intention to contest for the governorship election in Bayelsa and will participate in the forthcoming APC’s primary election that is likely to hold anytime in April.

Sylva had governed Bayelsa for one term and has constitutional rights to contest for another tenure.

Meanwhile, when contacted, the Minister’s Senior Adviser, Media and Communications, Horatius Egua said he could not deny or confirm the resignation because he had not seen the resignation letter or officially informed of the resignation by the minister. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

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Lions Club launches N3.5bn appeal fund for eye care, cancer centre

Lions Clubs International, Multiple District 404, Nigeria, has launched an appeal fund for the construction of eye care hospital, diabetes and cancer research centre, worth N3,500,000 in Abuja.

The Project Director, Dr. Lanre Adebayo, in a statement, said the project would address the gap in health care system and complement existing public health infrastructure in the country.

Adebayo added that reports shew that an estimated 1.13 million Nigerians were currently blind, while 4.25 million adult were partially blind, with prevalence rate in the northern states.

According to him, cataract and glaucoma, which are preventable, were the major causes of blindness.

“Eye care service in relation to Nigeria’s population is grossly inadequate, and this is the reason for the intervention of the Lions Clubs International to support this aspect of the health sector,” he said.

He explained that the centre will be a world-class facility that will carter for both the poor and rich, adding that it would feature a health extension service, especially to accommodate the rural poor.

“The hospital will feature the first Eye Bank in Nigeria, while reducing incidences of avoidable childhood and old age related blindness.

“It would also establish a global standard research centre on diabetes and childhood cancer in Nigeria,” he said.

Adebayo added that the club would be appointing project champions to assist in raising the projected sum.

He said the champions will be conferred with award of Melvon Jones Fellowship, Knight of the Blind, a place of mention in the Donors Hall of Fame in the Hospital, as well as the Lions Clubs Eye Care Ambassadors.

Lions Clubs International, founded in 1917, is the world’s largest service club organisation with about 1.35 million members in more 206 Countries.

The club is recognised in its fight against blindness, and recently included care for the environment, feed the hungry and aiding the seniors and the disabled.

The Nigerian chapter, introduced in 1963, has continued to function effectively as part of global service network while helping local communities. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

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Unlock $22bn AfCFTA opportunities from gender perspective – Expert

Mrs Tokunbo Chiedu, the Chief Executive Officer, Compass Global, says women entrepreneurs need to maximise their profitability and competitiveness to unlock the $22 billion opportunity in the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).

Chiedu said this in a statement on Friday in Lagos.

She said that a central consideration for empowering women entrepreneurs was to leverage the AfCFTA to improve regional integration frameworks from a gender perspective.

Chiedu noted that the United Nations emphasised the importance of identifying opportunities for women entrepreneurs within the context of the AfCFTA.

“Finding ways of integrating gender concerns into value chain development projects and programmes could yield positive outcomes and also help to position women in international trade.

“African governments need to establish infrastructural connectivity as a priority.

“Addressing existing logistical challenges, as well as working toward a common currency that will ease trading across regions is essential,” she said.

Chiedu said that Compass Global recently held a West Meets East Trade Mission and Business Development Tour, as part of the Global Female Leaders, and Entrepreneurs Conference (FLEC), in Kenya.

FLEC is a convergence that initiates conversations with female leaders, around gender development and the pivotal role gender balance, and diversity has to play in Africa’s transformation agenda.

She said that the programme was held with the support of the ECOWAS Commission and AfreximBank.

“The goal of the West Meets East meeting is to instigate a coalition for regional business linkage, and partnerships toward improving intra Africa trade, and against the backdrop of the AfCFTA.

“This endeavour, therefore, connected Counterparts from West to players across East Africa via a series of private sector led engagements.

“It also created a platform to explore and develop opportunities and foster partnerships between players across the regions toward unlocking the $22 billion Intra- Africa Trade opportunity,” she said.

Chiedu commended the support from all strategic partners; especially with regards to the mobilisation of key associations, women business networks and Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) across both West and East Africa to be part of the engagements.

She said that 40 West Africa delegates were mobilised to include Presidents of Women Business Networks and Associations and SMEs from across key sectors of agribusiness, manufacturing and services.

Chiedu said the delegates were from Nigeria, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Benin Republic, Liberia, Cape Verde and Cameroun.

She added that 50 exhibitors made up of businesses or SMEs of West and East Africa showcased at the exhibition.

Some of the participants from Nigeria’s Organised Private Sector in attendance were: Deputy National Coordinator- Association of Nigeria Women Business Network, Otunba Gbemisola Oduntan, President Commonwealth Women’s Business Council Africa, Mrs Ngozi Oyewole, and President Akoko Chamber of Commerce Industry Mines & Agriculture, Dr Funmilola Williams Daudu. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

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Ramadan: Cleric urges Muslims to give more charity

A Abuja-based Islamic Cleric, Sheikh Yahya Al-Yolawi has urged all Muslims especially the well-to-do to give more charity to the needy to ease their difficulties in the month of Ramadan.

Al-Yolawi, who is the Chief Imam of Nurul Yaqeen Jumma’ah Mosque Life Camp Abuja, gave the advice while delivering his Juma’at sermon titled, “Significance of Giving Charity in Ramadan”, on Friday in Abuja.

He said that giving out charity helps to strengthen love, understanding, mutual support and brotherhood between the rich and poor within the Muslim communities.

According to him, one of the doors opened by Allah to His servants to gain enormous rewards in the month of Ramadan is through giving charity.

Al-Yolawi said; “Islam always encourages Muslim to give out plenty of charity especially during the month Ramadan.

“Allah’s Messenger was the most generous of all the people and he used to be more generous in the month of Ramadan.

” Allah says and spend (in charity) of that with which we have provided you, before death comes to one of you.

”He says: my Lord! If only you would delay me for a brief term (to the worldly life) so I would give charity of my wealth, and be among the righteous.”

He added that charity could be given or done in different forms and manners, such as giving money to the needy; a smile or pleasant word to a brother and feeding the needy.

Al-Yolawi said: “Therefore, I call on the generality of the Muslim Ummah most especially the well-to-do among them to continue to give out charities to the poor within their communities.

” his will ease their Ramadan tasks particularly those that are very close to them like, workers, co-workers , relatives and neighbors.”

The cleric commended the Federal Government and Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for the increased circulation of Naira notes and enhanced electronic banking services in the country.

According to him, Nigerians are happy and very appreciative of the positive changes on the circulation of Naira notes. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

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Army veterans seek review of retirement age

The Nigerian Army Veterans have called for a review of the retirement age of serving personnel with a view to maximize the potential of specialists.

The veterans made the call on Friday in a communique issued at the end of the First Quarter Year 2023 Veterans Affairs Seminar/Workshop held in Calabar.

The communique was read by Col. Victor Ibeh, Deputy Director, Veterans Affairs Directorate, Army Headquarters, Abuja.

The workshop was organised for retired Army personnel and those that are about to retirement.

Ibeh said the participants encouraged the Nigerian Army veterans to build good relationship with their families as part of the pre-retirement plans.

He said they also urged the serving personnel to cultivate savings culture for a successful retirement plans.

Ibeh added that the veterans were tasked to engage in community services and respect community influencers to earn respect in their respective localities.

He noted that the veterans were urged to form

cooperative societies to facilitate access

to soft loans.

“Participant of the workshop agreed

to the review of retirement age of service to maximize the potential of specialists.

“The Nigerian Army should sustain employment of veterans in overall training and other specialize services as a way of tapping from their wealth of experience in support of Nigerian Army training and operations.

“There is the need for the Federal Government to capture veterans’ activities and programmes in its annual budget.

“Serving personnel were advised to relate well with Nigerian Army veterans for mutual collaboration and support military operations,” he said.

Speaking, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya, said that the call for a review of the retirement age of serving personnel would be deliberated upon by the Army hierarchy.

The Chief of Army Staff was represented by Maj. Gen. Abubakar Bello, Director, Veterans Affairs Division, Defence Headquarters, Abuja.

He said that the workshop was held with a view to see how the Armed Forces can use the veterans to assist them in operations and other capacity building.

“The call for a review of retirement age is a policy issue that would be considered on its merit; it could be, or could not be considered.

“These are issues that are far beyond and a decision cannot be taken at this moment. There is a need for veterans and others to interact that is why we hold this seminar regularly to bridge the gap between serving and retired personnel.

“We are sure that the communique will get the desired attention at the highest level based on its own merit.

“Other considerations will have to come into play like terms and condition of service of personnel and others.

“At this stage, it is immature to come out with any figure for the proposed retirement age,” he said. (NAN)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

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Uniccon launches 1st blockchain technology to drive Africa’s inclusion

The UNICCON Group of Companies has launched its first blockchain technology ‘SmartAfri Labs’, to drive the inclusion of Africans and adopt a specialised technology in the region.

The launch held at Uniccon’s Headquarters on Friday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that SmartAfri Labs is the brain-child of Uniccon Group of Companies; founded in 2018 and developed under the STEM arm of the organisation.

Speaking during the launch, the Chairman of UNICCON Group, Dr Chuks Ekwueme, shared insightful statistics to illustrate the poor inclusion and adoption of the blockchain ecosystem in Africa.

According to him, Africa has less than a 5 per cent stake in the projected $1.1 trillion the industry promises.

Ekwueme said: “We have created technology and platforms to drive inclusion by up to 25 per cent by the year 2025.

“Our Virtual Reality (VR) headsets for example are more affordable, and will not exclude poor Africans from using the technology. This is inclusion.”

Ekwueme said that blockchain should not be viewed as crypto, adding that the notion should be vacated.

“It is erroneous to view blockchain technology as being crypto. It is much more than that, and that notion should be vacated.

“We have built this platform, which is a fusion of Web 2.0 and 3.0 and we are keen on being key participants in the 4th Idustrial Revolution (4G).

“There is a huge market in our Non-Fungible Token (NFT) marketplace as Nigerians and Africans from the creative and other industries can tap into it to generate wealth and add to the GDP,” he said.

The General Manager of Uniccon, Mr Kehinde Ake, said that SmartAfri Labs offered exceptional levels of security, transparency, and efficiency.

Ake said that the blockchain would grant users the ability to transfer assets, save data, and carry out smart contracts in a decentralised and fraud-proof network.

“We have created this technology to allow Africans to stand tall, raise their heads, spread their shoulders, and take giant strides in an ecosystem that was once alien to them,” he said.

Mr John Nwobodo, an industry investment analyst spoke about the monumental impact of blockchain technology in a wide variety of industries.

Nwobodo quoted the 2021 World Bank report as saying: “66 per cent of Nigerians are unbanked and the banked are being recycled by existing financial service providers.

“The cost of cross-border remittance is very high and using blockchain can help reduce these numbers, making cross-border remittances cheaper and defying geographical barriers.”

The company’s Chief Technology Officer, Eval Esege, in his presentation ‘SmartAfri Labs’, took the audience on an experiential journey of what it does, how it works, and its many bundled benefit the users.

“SmartAfri Labs was borne out of the need to create a blockchain ecosystem that represents African values and culture.

“We have set up a partnership opportunity available from today to allow those who resonate with our vision to join us on this journey,” he said.

The launch had in attendance representatives from the National Information Technology and Development Agency (NITDA), the Nigerian Computing Society (NCS),the blockchain community and the private sector.

NAN also reports that the novel product, which is the first African blockchain technology consists of SmartAfri Chain (blockchain node), NFT Marketplace (Create and sell NFTs), SmartAfri Verse (Metaverse),

Others are: SmartAfri eMarket (fusion of 2.0 and 3.0) and UNICCON VR(locally made and subsidized headsets).

The project seeks to increase stakes for Africans, encourage more developers to get into the niche and overall, to drive massive inclusion. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: News Agency of Nigeria