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Unilever partners with ‘doctHERs’ to improve healthcare access in Pakistan

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Unilever partners with ‘doctHERs’ to improve healthcare access in Pakistan

doctHERs are the winners of the third Unilever Sustainable Living Young Entrepreneur Awards held earlier this year

 

Lahore – Lifebuoy and doctHERs have agreed to work together for the improvement of healthcare across Pakistan. This was announced during a ceremony held to mark the success of doctHERs who won the third ‘HRH The Prince of Wales Young Sustainability Entrepreneur Prize’, awarded by Unilever and the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership earlier this year.

 

doctHers aims to mobilise Pakistan’s non-practising female doctors as a means of providing sustainable access to primary and secondary healthcare in rural communities from the comfort of their homes through video consultation. Since May 2015, doctHERs has directly impacted 15,000 lives through clinical services, 100,000 lives indirectly through community outreach and, now employs fifteen doctors, five nurses and five specialists.

 

Lifebuoy is committed to saving lives through hand-washing and hygiene education in Pakistan. The partnership between Lifebuoy and doctHERs will enable increased outreach of quality healthcare by educating new mothers about simple disease prevention measures such as regular hand washing with soap. This aims to reduce the spread of neo-natal infections and the risks of diarrhoea and pneumonia in infants. Lifebuoy will also facilitate the increased reach of doctHERs’ clinics into far flung areas of the country.

 

Shazia Syed, Chairperson & CEO, Unilever Pakistan Limited, highlighted, “I congratulate doctHERs on their success at the Young Entrepreneur Awards and am delighted by their passion and determination for improving healthcare, which has brought accolades for Pakistan. The partnership between Lifebuoy and doctHERs is a means of supporting their initiative to bring qualified female doctors back into the workforce. This ambition aims to help the underserved population that are otherwise deprived of quality healthcare.”

 

Dr Sara Saeed, cofounder, doctHERs, highlighted, “doctHERs envisions to reach out to over 5000 communities devoid of quality healthcare. This effort aims at reaching marginalised communities to and create a quality change in the present healthcare system of Pakistan. The Young Entrepreneurs Award and our partnership with Lifebuoy will bring us closer to our ultimate vision of touching 8 million lives across the country.”

 

The Young Entrepreneurs Awards are part of Unilever’s efforts to support the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and celebrate inspirational entrepreneurs aged 35 and under who have developed a product, service or application that tackles some of the world’s biggest sustainability challenges. In 2015, 927 entrepreneurs entered the awards from 99 countries. doctHERs were selected as winners following a demanding interview process and an intensive accelerator programme to prepare finalists for the final pitch.

 

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ABOUT UNILEVER PAKISTAN

Unilever Pakistan is a subsidiary of Unilever Plc, which operates in over 100 countries. Established in Pakistan in 1948, the Pakistan business is amongst the country’s largest consumer goods companies. Unilever is also one of Pakistan largest taxpayers. Unilever’s brands such as Lux, Lifebuoy, Lipton, Sunsilk, Surf Excel and Wall’s are known for their consistently high quality & value and are trusted & consumed daily by millions of people across Pakistan. Unilever’s brands strive to create a better future every day for consumers across Pakistan. Lifebuoy reaches out to thousands of children through its hand washing campaign, raising standards of hygiene; Lux promotes film, fashion and music through the iconic Lux Style Awards; Sunsilk partners PFDC in the fashion weeks and Blue Band supports nutrition. As one of Pakistan’s most preferred employers, Unilever directly employs over 2000 people across the country, and indirectly contributes to the employment of many thousands through its nationwide sales and distribution network. The Unilever Sustainable Living Plan (USLP) provides the framework for Unilever’s ambition to double its business whilst reducing its environmental footprint and enhancing its positive social impact. In Pakistan, Unilever is engaged in a number of initiatives to enhance livelihoods, save water, energy, carbon emissions and to cut waste and promote recycling.

 

For more information about Unilever and its brands:  www.unilever.pk

For more information on the USLP: www.unilever.pk/sustainable-living/

 

ABOUT LIFEBUOY

Each year, 1.7 million children don’t reach their fifth birthday due to diarrhoea and pneumonia. Over 40% of under-five deaths occur within the first 28 days of a child’s life, the neonatal period, accounting for nearly half of the 18,000 children under age five dying every day. Diarrhoea alone results in 3,000 children every day dying before their fifth birthday. Many of these deaths are easily preventable through a simple practice of washing hands with soap – one of the most effective and low cost ways to prevent diseases. To ensure sustainable living, we need to address the negligence involved in hand-washing.

Lifebuoy is committed to saving lives through hand-washing and hygiene education. Lifebuoy helps and inspires billions of consumers to make, hand-washing with soap, a habit. Lifebuoy aims to makes a positive difference in the world by working towards the improvement of health and hygiene. A simple act of hand-washing can result in a 41% lower mortality rate among new-borns.

Lifebuoy aims to strengthen its mission by partnering with DoctHers and work towards improving health and hygiene standards in semi-urban/rural areas. With this partnership we aim to touch more lives and inculcate the habit of hand washing from the birth of a child. Till date, Lifebuoy has reached 357 million people in 24 countries with its hand-washing behaviour programmes, and by 2020 it strives to change the hand-washing behaviour of one billion people.

 

ABOUT doctHERs

doctHERs converts existing community spaces into walk-in clinics. Patients attending the clinics are assessed by nurses or community health workers recruited by doctHERs and connected to female doctors online using state-of-the-art telemedicine software ‘MDconsults”. The technology uses video alongside peripheral diagnostic instruments operated by nurses in the clinic and attached to the telemedicine system to diagnose patients remotely.

“The Digital Sugar Mill” showcases today’s clear business imperative for the industry

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“The Digital Sugar Mill” showcases today’s clear business imperative for the industry

Rahim Yar Khan: “A seminar on sugar and distillery automation” was
held by Avanceon and Rockwell Automation here on Wednesday. The event
focused on a key region in South Asia for sugar refineries and related
industrial processes. Chris Marshall, Market Access Director, Rockwell
Automation Southeast Asia, said “As an important driver of the economy
in Pakistan, we are pleased to be standing alongside such luminaries
of the sugar industry. It is essential we work together to enhance
business processes, delivering the same quality product at much lower
overall costs. Digitizing workflows is well within the reach of this
industry”. Bakhtiar H. Wain, Founder and CEO at Avanceon said, “A
learning seminar is the ideal event to achieve this objective; and
what better way than to enable mindshare with the top professionals of
the industry”. The participants from six sugar mills and ethanol
industries were given expert knowledge of how to provide continuous
and precise handling to ensure constant monitoring throughout the
manufacturing process, from raw material to finished products.
Delegates were shown how automation can ensure quality and efficiency
in a sustainable manner. For the first time, top professionals from
the industry spoke about successful automation projects in their
organizations with specific emphasis on the economic and business
benefits achieved. The Guest speakers including, Mr. Khalid Hayat
Khan, Faran Sugar Mills, who presented on auto cane feeding and mill
house automation, Mr Rafiq Ahmed Mangi, Habib Sugar Mills, who
presented on automating a complete distillery plant, Mr Zia Baloch,
who told how industries can take advantage of automation and process
control technologies.

BASF introduces new phytase Natuphos® E to unlock vital nutrients for the feed industry in Pakistan

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BASF introduces new phytase Natuphos® E to unlock vital nutrients for the feed industry in Pakistan

* New phytase helps poultry better utilize phosphorous and vital nutrients

*Unprecedented enzyme stability sets new benchmark for feed phytase technology

LAHORE – BASF has launched Natuphos® E, a new phytase for animal nutrition, in Pakistan. With unprecedented enzyme stability, Natuphos E helps poultry utilize phosphorous and key nutrients more efficiently, bringing a wide range of benefits to the animal feed industry and local farmers.

“As the first company to market a phytase for feed more than 25 years ago, BASF is once again proud to be setting a new standard in feed phytase technology”, said Faisal Akhtar, Managing Director, BASF Chemicals & Polymers Pakistan (Pvt.) Ltd, “The industry’s feed output currently stands at 6.5 million tons a year and is expected to double by the year 2020. Natuphos E will ensure more efficient and sustainable output for the feed industry.”

The majority of phosphorous is bound to phytic acid, an anti-nutritive factor found in grains and oilseeds. Phytate-bound phosphorous cannot be digested by animals such as poultry, and is therefore excreted and lost as a potential nutrient. As a result, manufacturers need to supplement the feed with either inorganic phosphates or very effective phytases, like Natuphos E, to make sure the animals are supplied adequately with the required amounts of the essential mineral phosphorous.

Natuphos E also releases other valuable nutrients, making animals generally more efficient at digesting their feed. This results in less excretion of undigested phosphate, which helps reduce water pollution and helps care for the environment. Manufactured by BASF in Germany, Natuphos E delivers superior stability in the challenging environments and processes in feed-production with superior pelleting and premix stability in addition to an excellent shelf life stability.

 

Zealcon and UET sign MoU to offer ‘Business Communication’ as post-graduate subject

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Zealcon and UET sign MoU to offer ‘Business Communication’ as post-graduate subject

 

LAHORE : Zealcon Engineering and University of Engineering & Technology (UET) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to offer ‘Business Communication’ as a Post-graduate subject to the students.
Under the MoU, the UET will add a topic of “Contracts and claims” to the project management courses both at the under-graduate and post-graduate level.
The Managing Director Zealcon Engineering Azhar Ali Sheikh signed the MoU with the Vice Chanvellor UET Professor Dr Fazal Ahmad Khalid.
Speaking on the occasion, MD Zealcon Azhar Ali Sheikh eulogized the role of UET in imparting education and conducting research and development in various disciplines of the field.
“Zealcon has decided to join hands with UET in this noble cause by offering internships leading to the final year project in all disciplines,” he added.
“We will also hire the UET students, set up a model class room in the IME department and fund the research projects,” he assured.
He said Zealcon would offer scholarships on merit to the UET students as well.
Both sides have agreed to conduct workshops for professional grooming of students at each others’ premises.
The Vice Chanvellor UET Fazal Ahmad Khalid appreciated the Zealcon wngineering foe promoting engineering and technology and expressed the hope that this relationship woukd go long in the larger interest of the many generations of Pakistan.

DIN Industries brings the first international gym chain to Pakistan

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DIN Industries brings the first international gym chain to Pakistan

Lahore : DIN Industries has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on other day to bring VIVAFIT, the first international gym chain, to Pakistan.
VIVAFIT, is a women-only fitness chain, already operating in Portugal, Spain, India, Singapore, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Taiwan, Oman, UAE and Uruguay. It specializes in 30 minutes programs intended to bring fast healthy and enduring results for its customers.
Partners of the DIN Industries Irfan Muneer & Imran Anjum signed the MoU with the Chief Executive Officer Vivafit Pedro Ruiz. The Portuguese Ambassador João Sabido Costa was also present on the occasion. Chief Patron of the Pakistan Portugal business Council S.M. Naseer also played an important role in this business venture. According to the MoU, the instructors will be trained by Portuguese master trainers both in Pakistan and overseas. They will have the possibility of working in Vivafit internationally too.

DIN Industries is building the largest family entertainment centre in Islamabad & will have a Vivafit fitness centre where the mothers will exercise on the first floor while watching their children playing on the ground floor.
Vibractive and Vivafit will open doors before the end of this year. DIN industries intends to open the second centre in the city of Lahore.

SAMSON Control Renews Avanceon’s Appointment as Official Distributor Across Pakistan

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SAMSON Control Renews Avanceon’s Appointment as Official Distributor Across Pakistan

 

Leading control valve manufacturer renews distribution rights with Avanceon in key regional market

 

Lahore (NUT DESK)  Avanceon [KSE: AVN]is today honoured to renew a decade-long partnership with the leading global control valve manufacturer SAMSON Controls, as the authorized distributor across Pakistan since 2005. This agreement reflects a working relationship founded on mutual trust, respect and a requirement to surpass industry standards wherever possible. Avanceon, as local authorized distributor, will be able to provide full factory product and sales support to a growing group of loyal customers.

 

“We are delighted to continue working closely with Avanceon across Pakistan as we both share similar values, especially when it comes to delivering the highest quality to the customer. Our official distributor is our industry seal of approval and indicates the increasing importance we place on working directly with the world’s leading system integrator,” added Zulifqar Mooraj, Managing Director of SAMSON Controls FZE.

 

“Avanceon has always placed its customers at the heart of everything we do and this decade-long partnership with SAMSONhas been allowing us to ensure the best product service and support is available across Pakistan from one of the leading valve manufacturers. We are incredibly humbled and grateful to have been recognised as a key partner for SAMSON and will continue to provide best-in-class automation solutions to our customers with the highest quality technology suppliers from around the globe,” Tanveer Karamat, Chief Operations Officer at Avanceon, responded

 

The leading partner who more recently participated at Avanceon’s Digital Sugar Mill seminar held in August 2016, also presented its leading control valve products to a select audience. Their product range is a key component of automation and process control solutions across a wide range of industries.

Avanceon Recognised with Prestigious Financial Reporting Award

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Avanceon Recognised with Prestigious Financial Reporting Award

 

Leading system integrator awarded Best Corporate and Sustainability Report 2015

 

Lahore,8th October 2016 – Avanceon [PSX: AVN] is proud to announce that ICAP, the Institute of Chartered Accountants Pakistan, has awarded the company for providing quality financial and accounting information based on the maturity of their reporting. The honour confirms that Avanceon has demonstrated a leading approach to both accounting and informational design in its financial reporting. The technology leader has also been shortlisted for the SAFA [South Asian Federation of Accountants] Award.

 

“For our team, it was a question of ensuring excellence in our communication with investors as we do when we service our client,” commented Bakhtiar H. Wain, CEO & Founder of Avanceon Ltd. “Since our IPO in 2013, this is the first year that Avanceon has been selected for the BRSC Award. Getting there within three years is a big achievement for us,” he added.

 

The award ceremony was held at the Movenpick Hotel, Karachi on 7th October 2016, and was attended by all winners across the Best Corporate and Sustainability Reports 2015 Awards. Launched in 2000 by a joint committee of ICAP and ICMAP in order to drive better quality and transparency by corporations throughout Pakistan, the awards have seen more and more businesses adopt international standards of financial reporting, enhancing their overall corporate governance.

 

Bakhtiar H Wain, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, and Saeed Niazi, Chief Financial Officer attended the ceremony.

 

“The team at Avanceon are incredibly proud to have achieved this accolade and look forward to building on it in the coming years. Avanceon is increasingly gaining industry recognition beyond our core business achievements, and the credit goes to the great team we have. Progressing towards our business objectives at this pace would not be possible without the incredible group of people that we call Avanceon.,” added Mr Wain.

– 30 –

 

Avanceon Ltd. [PSX: AVN]

Avanceon is a global provider of sustainable smart solutions and support services for automation, control systems integration, proprietary energy management and plant information management systems. Ensuring customer satisfaction through quality project delivery and employing the latest technologies, including virtualization, the Select Certified Member of the Control System Integrators Association leads the way towards seamless execution of automation solutions. Avanceon is listed on the Hall of Fame of the Control Engineering Magazine’s System Integrator.

www.avanceon.ae

Second unit of world’s most efficient heavy-duty GE gas turbine arrives in Pakistan to meet growing energy needs

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Second unit of world’s most efficient heavy-duty GE gas turbine arrives in Pakistan to meet growing energy needs

 

  • Two GE 9HA.01 gas turbines will equip the 1,180 megawatt (MW) Bhikki Combined Cycle Power Plant in Punjab
  • Punjab Government is setting up what is expected to be one of the largest, most efficient power plants in Pakistan, helping to meet citizens’ growing needs for affordable, reliable energy

 

LAHORE October 20, 2016: The second unit of the world’s most efficient heavy duty GE 9HA.01 gas turbines has arrived from Belfort, France, in Pakistan to equip the 1,180 megawatt (MW) Bhikki Combined Cycle Power Plant in Punjab. The turbine follows an earlier unit that arrived in August, less than a year after the commencement of the Bhikki project. Both units are expected to enter commercial operation in 2017.

 

Once complete, the Bhikki facility will help to meet up to 20 percent of the current shortfall, contributing to the Government of Pakistan’s goals under Vision 2025 to expand access to electricity to over 90 percent of the population.

 

“The Bhikki regasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG) project is an essential part of the Government of Punjab’s strategy to meet citizens’ needs for power,” stated the Honourable Chief Minister of Punjab, Mian Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif. “Addressing Pakistan’s critical energy shortage is a top priority of the government, and the arrival of the two GE 9HA gas turbines at Bhikki highlights our commitment to bringing the world’s most advanced and efficient power generation technologies to the country. The fact that we have secured the world’s most advanced technology while saving billions of rupees through a transparent financial process takes us closer to our objective of providing uninterrupted and affordable power to the people”.

 

GE has invested almost $2 billion in the development of HA technology, and the turbine provides a combination of the highest efficiency and superior operational flexibility, leading the industry in total life cycle value. GE’s HA technology was recently recognized by Guinness World Records for powering the world’s most efficient combined-cycle power plant in Bouchain, France based on an achieved efficiency rate of up to 62.22%. Today, the technology is being rapidly adopted by customers around the world, including those in the UK, the USA, Japan, Korea, Germany, Egypt and other countries. The arrival of the 9HA units at Bhikki marks the first time that the technology has been brought to Pakistan.

 

“GE’s HA gas turbines lead the industry with more reliable and cost-effective conversion of gas to power,” said Joe Mastrangelo, President & CEO of GE Power’s Gas Power Systems business. “We’re very proud to bring our world-record-setting technology here – the first turbine less than one year after announcing this project and the second today – and look forward to helping generate more power to stimulate the economy and meet the everyday needs of Pakistanis.”

 

GE entered an agreement to provide two high-efficiency 9HA.01 gas turbines and associated equipment to Harbin Electric International Company Limited (HEI) for the Bhikki Combined Cycle Power Plant in October 2015. HEI is providing engineering, procurement and construction services for the facility.

 

“Together, HEI and GE are bringing exceptional technology, resources and expertise to fulfill the government’s vision of an energy secure Pakistan,” stated Guo Yu, Chairman of HEI. “The HA technology has set new industry standards and will play a crucial role in meeting the need for reliable, affordable power across the country.”

 

GE has been a committed partner in Pakistan’s development for more than 50 years, providing innovative solutions for energy, transportation and healthcare. Today, more than 25 percent of the country’s electricity is generated by GE-built technologies, and the company’s operations create employment opportunities for more than 450 people across Pakistan.

 

-ends-

 

Join the conversation at our GE Hewar blog: http://middleeast.geblogs.com/

 

About Harbin Electric International:

 

Harbin Electric International Company Limited (HEI) is an important member of the Harbin Electric Corporation, and is China’s leading large-scale enterprise in power project contracting and the export of power equipment. Established in 1983, HEI is primarily engaged in the engineering, procurement and construction of thermal, hydro and combined-cycle power plants, and the supply of complete sets of equipment; moreover, the company can be contracted to build large-scale transmission facilities and public utilities, and provides professional comprehensive after-sales service. Since 2014, HEI has expanded its business in power investment to help resolve a global shortage of electric power. http://www.china-hei.com

 

About GE:

GE (NYSE: GE) is the world’s Digital Industrial Company, transforming industry with software-defined machines and solutions that are connected, responsive and predictive. GE is organized around a global exchange of knowledge, the “GE Store,” through which each business shares and accesses the same technology, markets, structure and intellect. Each invention further fuels innovation and application across our industrial sectors. With people, services, technology and scale, GE delivers better outcomes for customers by speaking the language of industry. www.ge.com

 

About GE Power:

GE Power is a world leader in power generation with deep domain expertise to help customers deliver electricity from a wide spectrum of fuel sources. We are transforming the electricity industry with the digital power plant, the world’s largest and most efficient gas turbine, full balance of plant, upgrade and service solutions as well as our data-leveraging software. Our innovative technologies and digital offerings help make power more affordable, reliable, accessible and sustainable. www.gepower.com.

Top Gear Matt LeBlanc signs two-series deal

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US star Matt LeBlanc has signed a two-series deal with the BBC to continue hosting Top Gear.

LeBlanc will be joined by Chris Harris and Rory Reid with regular appearances from Eddie Jordan, Sabine Schmitz and The Stig.

Co-host Chris Evans stepped down from the BBC Two show after one series.

BBC Two editor Patrick Holland said: “I am thrilled Matt LeBlanc is returning to Top Gear. He’s a huge talent whose love of cars is infectious. ”
‘Warmth and passion’

He added: “I can’t wait for the series to return to BBC Two next year.”

Mark Linsey, director of BBC Studios, says: “Matt was hugely popular with Top Gear viewers last series with his humour, warmth and obvious passion for cars and for the show, so I couldn’t be more delighted that he’s agreed to come back and do more for us.”

Harris and Reid will continue with their BBC Three show Extra Gear, whilst also appearing with LeBlanc on the main BBC Two series.

Last month, the former Friends star said he was keen to return for a second series of the motoring show.

_90748450_leblanc_evans_pa

Top Gear’s prospects were thrown into doubt in July when Evans, his co-host from the last series, announced he was stepping down.

Speaking after his departure, Evans said the series had proved LeBlanc and Top Gear “were made for each other”.

LeBlanc was “the man” and a “total mensch”, Evans said, scotching reports that the pair’s relationship broke down during filming.

Evans’ resignation followed falling ratings, with overnight audiences dropping from 4.4 million to 1.9 million viewers during the course of the 23rd series.

BBC Radio 2 breakfast show host Evans said working on Top Gear had been an “honour, privilege and pleasure”, and he had tried his best at the helm but it “was not meant to be”.

Former presenter Jeremy Clarkson left the show last year after an “unprovoked physical attack” on one of the show’s producers.

His co-stars James May and Richard Hammond also exited the show. All three have since been signed up to present a new motoring programme for Amazon Prime called The Grand Tour, which will begin airing on 18 November.

The new team, including Evans and LeBlanc, were then chosen to front last year’s six-part series.

Welsh university tuition fees pegged at £9,000

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Welsh university tuition fees will be pegged at £9,000 next year despite colleges in England being given the go-ahead to charge up to £9,250.

Students from Wales will be able to claim up to £4,954 in grants and borrow the rest, wherever they study.

The announcement comes ahead of the publication of the Diamond report into higher education and student finance.

One senior academic has warned that Welsh universities could become “second rate” if they could not increase fees.

Education Secretary Kirsty Williams said: “This decision gives certainty for those who want to go to university for the academic year 2017/18, giving people the option to study where they choose, including in England where tuition fees are set to increase.”

Currently, students from Wales pay the first £3,900 of their annual tuition fees, with the Welsh Government paying up to £5,100.

As well as the tuition fee grant and loans, Ms Williams announced a means-tested maintenance grant of up to £5,161.
‘Second rate’

She has argued that living costs are a bigger barrier than tuition fees to poorer students going to university.

The UK government linked its permission for higher fees at English universities to better teaching, with the new maximum of £9,250 possibly increasing by inflation in future years.

In August, Swansea University vice-chancellor Prof Richard Davies warned higher education in Wales risked becoming “second rate” if colleges could not increase their fees as in England.

Responding to Friday’s announcement, he claimed there had not been “enough time for the Welsh Government to look at this properly since the announcement in England”.

“I hope they find some way of allowing for inflation,” he added.

The National Union of Students president Fflur Elin welcomed the news.

She said: “We want to ensure that students from all backgrounds can access high quality courses. The cost of the courses should not be a barrier.”

Welsh Conservatives education spokesman, Darren Millar AM, said: “We welcome the move towards means-tested maintenance grants and the anchoring of tuition fee costs.”