Latest news with #DCD
Al Etihad
10 hours ago
- Business
- Al Etihad
Abu Dhabi holds awareness sessions about Emirati Family Growth Programme, Numou and Medeem initiative
21 June 2025 13:17 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)The Department of Community Development (DCD), in collaboration with the Presidential Court Majalis Abu Dhabi, has hosted a series of sessions for community members to raise awareness on the Medeem initiative and the Emirati Family Growth Program, sessions shed light on the objectives and successes of both initiatives, encouraging youth and soon-to-be-married couples to embrace an approach rooted in Emirati heritage—one that promotes simplicity, mutual understanding, and shared responsibility as the foundation for happy, stable sessions, which were attended by Dr Mugheer Al Khaili, Chairman of DCD, and Engineer Hamad Ali Al Dhaheri, Undersecretary of DCD, and included a series of interactive discussion sessions across Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Al sessions fostered direct engagement with community members, addressing their questions, gathering feedback, and sharing insights on the design and impact of both Medeem and highlighted the critical role of the sessions as open forums for meaningful dialogue where youth and families can share their experiences, including success stories from Medeem, which has empowered couples to build stable marriages with reduced financial burdens. Aligned with the Year of the Community, the department reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with partners like Majalis Abu Dhabi to deliver tailored community programmes that meet the needs of the youth and Emirati families. These efforts underscore the enduring importance of reaching diverse segments of the community across all regions of the emirate. The sessions were held at various community majalis across Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, and Al Dhafra, including Baniyas Majlis, Al Aliah Majlis, Mazid Majlis, Al Masoudi Majlis, and Mohammed Al Mahmoud Majlis. In the Al Dhafra region, a session was also hosted at the Madinat Zayed Majlis. Source: Aletihad - Abu Dhabi
Zawya
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Zawya
Department of Community Development launches Child Protection in Sport Policy
Abu Dhabi: The Department of Community Developmenthas introduced the Child Protection Policy in the Sports Entities with the aim of creating a safe and inclusive environment where children can thrive and enjoy sports free from harm. Developed in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA), the Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC), and the Family Care Authority (FCA), the policy aligns with Federal Law No (3) of 2016, known as Wadeema, and its executive regulations. The policy applies to all sports entities in Abu Dhabi, as well as to all workers and volunteers involved in sports activities outside educational institutions. To support the policy's implementation, the department will roll out a comprehensive awareness campaign. His Excellency Mohamed Helal Al Balooshi, Executive Director of the Community Engagement and Sports Sector at DCD, said: 'The Child Protection Policy in the Sports Entities reflects the department's commitment to promoting the welfare of children and ensuring their safety in all areas. It is an important step that promotes the healthy growth and development of children, in line with the vision of our leadership, which is keen to protect children and ensure their rights and safety. The policy focuses on enhancing awareness and community participation in protecting children by empowering sports entities, parents and workers in the sports sector to effectively assume their responsibilities. 'The policy includes a comprehensive set of principles and mechanisms that ensure the application of the highest standards of protection, including the appointment of child protection coordinators in sports entities, and the provision of mandatory training programmes for workers and volunteers to ensure their readiness to deal with any potential dangers, in addition to imposing strict procedures for reporting and following up on violations, which enhances the culture of transparency and accountability.' The policy is based on four main principles that ensure parents, and their children feel safe by promoting the right to participate, zero tolerance for child abuse, as well as responsibility, accountability, protection, and non-retaliation. The policy aims to establish mechanisms, standards, and procedures to safeguard children in all sports entities and facilities. It also seeks to protect children participating in sports activities from any behaviour, conduct, or actions that violate their rights, harm their interests, or cause them physical or emotional harm. Additionally, the policy provides support for children in sports activities who may be at risk of abuse, neglect, or violence. The policy mandates that all employees in sports entities and facilities who interact directly with children must report any suspected or alleged cases of child abuse, neglect, or violence within the sports sector. It also outlines the roles and responsibilities of sports entities, professional athletes, volunteers, parents, and caregivers in addressing such cases. This approach aims to promote the wellbeing and safety of children in sports, foster positive behaviour, build healthy social relationships, uphold standards of sportsmanship, and create a safe and constructive environment for sports activities. The policy includes the development of legal frameworks to prevent anyone who poses a threat to children participating in sports activities, in addition to preventing them from joining any sports entity, work or other environment that allows them to deal with children. It also focuses on coordination with the competent authorities and concerned parties to ensure the protection of the rights of all children participating in sports activities. The Child Protection Policy in the Sports Entities prohibits all forms of child abuse, including physical, sexual, and psychological abuse, neglect, exploitation, bullying in any form, and any type of discrimination based on race, age, gender, nationality, religion, or developmental delays. The policy was developed through the collaborative efforts of DCD, ADSC, and FCA, along with various relevant partners in the health, society, sports and education sectors, including the ECA, the UAE Pro League, Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK), the Ministry of Education, in addition to the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC) and the Emirates Schools Establishment. The Department of Community Development invites all relevant entities and individuals to learn more about the Child Protection Policy in Sports Entities by visiting the official website:
Daily Mail
09-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Terrifying hospital loophole that allows doctors to remove your organs while you're still ALIVE
As Anthony Thomas 'TJ' Hoover II was wheeled into surgery to harvest his organs, his eyes flitted back and forth and began to open. Despite doctors declaring the 36-year-old dead, Hoover's brain was becoming more and more active- and as he was taken into the Kentucky operating room, he began thrashing on the bed and crying, patient records show, and was very much alive. Doctors halted the surgery only after arguing with the team responsible for procuring Hoover's organs, who wanted to continue anyway. Hoover's case prompted a years-long federal investigation into Kentucky's organ donation procurement nonprofit, whose team reportedly scrambled to find a surgeon willing to harvest the organs of a living man when the first surgeon backed out. The federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) investigation delved into about 350 cases involving Kentucky Organ Donor Affiliates (KODA) in which plans for organ retrievals were ultimately scrapped because declared-dead patients began waking up. In 73 cases, federal investigators found organ harvesting should have been stopped sooner as patients showed improving consciousness and signs of pain or distress, according to the New York Times. While most patients are deemed eligible to donate organs after being declared brain dead, these patients had experienced circulatory death - when the heart stops functioning and blood and oxygen no longer circulate in the body. Opponents of donation after circulatory death (DCD) argue the practice has looser criteria for declaring someone dead, leading to the potential for someone who is not definitively dead being taken off of life-sustaining measures for premature donation. DCD has been steadily becoming more common over the years, and involves recovering organs after the heart stops, though some brain activity may remain. Traditionally, most organ donations come from patients declared brain dead, the complete and irreversible loss of all brain function - though patients may be hooked up to machines that keep the heart and lungs working. Because heart and lung function is maintained with machines, organs remain viable for transplant. With circulatory death, death is declared when circulation and respiratory function has stopped - even though they haven't been declared brain dead. When hospitals identify patients nearing death who might be eligible donors, they notify organ procurement organizations (OPOs) such as KODA. An OPO representative then visits the hospital to assess whether the patient shows signs of imminent brain death. If brain death is unlikely but the patient cannot survive without life support and the family is considering withdrawing care, the case may be appropriate for DCD. In these situations, the OPO works closely with the family and medical team to coordinate end-of-life plans and organ donation. DCD helps increase the number of available donors, offering hope to more than 103,000 Americans waiting for life-saving heart, kidney, lung, and other organ transplants. But the practice has proven to be an ethical minefield. While organ procurement organizations like KODA insist they do not harvest organs from live patients, federal officials and activists say Hoover's case was not a one-off. DCDs have become increasingly common as a way to meet the needs of a growing number of people on national waiting lists. The number of organs recovered from DCD Donors in 1993 was 112. By 2021, over 10,000 recovered organs came from DCD donors. The federal inquiry into Kentucky's organ procurement practices began last fall when the House Energy and Commerce Committee learned of Hoover's experience. Hoover was rushed to the hospital after a drug overdose in October 2024. He was unresponsive in the hospital. For two days after Hoover's family agreed to donate his organs, KODA officers tested the man's organs and lined up transplant surgeons and recipients. During one exam on his heart, Hoover was 'thrashing on the bed,' according to patient records, and was sedated to prevent further motion. His sister, Donna Rhorer, remembered watching him being wheeled to the operating room as his eyes moved and tracked where his sister was, keeping his gaze in her direction. She and the rest of the family were told this was a common reflex. 'It was like it was his way of letting us know, you know, "Hey, I'm still here,'' Rhorer told NPR. The hospital staff 'was extremely uncomfortable with the amount of reflexes patient is exhibiting,' case notes read. 'Hospital staff kept stating that this was euthanasia.' A procurement organization coordinator assured them it was not. A former KODA employee told the New York Times that had it not been for that doctor who called off the procedure, 'we absolutely 1,000 percent would have moved forward.' Natasha Miller, who used to work for KODA as an organ preservationist, told NPR last year that, at the time, the organ procurement case coordinator was scrambling with her boss about what to do next as Hoover thrashed and cried. Miller said: 'So the coordinator calls the supervisor at the time. And she was saying that he was telling her that she needed to 'find another doctor to do it' – that, 'We were going to do this case. She needs to find someone else.' 'And she's like, 'There is no one else.' She's crying — the coordinator — because she's getting yelled at.' Three other former KODA employees have attested to seeing similar cases. Patients are typically taken to the operating room, where doctors remove them from life support and wait for the natural dying process to wrap up. The organs are only transplantable if the patient dies within an hour or two. Strict rules are in place barring any procedure from beginning before a patient dies. But the HRSA investigation, as reported by the Times, shows that KODA employees repeatedly pressured families to green-light organ harvesting, improperly took over cases from doctors, and tried to push hospital staff to pull patients from life support even amid indications that patients were becoming more aware of their surroundings. KODA employees also failed to recognize that hospital-administered sedatives or illegal drugs could mask a patient's actual neurological condition, making them appear in worse shape than they are. In another case, in December 2022, a 50-year-old man who had suffered an overdose began stirring in his bed less than an hour after being removed from life support. He woke up and started looking around. The retrieval attempt was not immediately scrapped nor was the patient given any explanation as to what was going on, 'but was becoming more aware by the minute,' a doctor's notes said. The attempt wasn't called off for another 40 minutes, the point at which his organs were no longer viable. In the ICU, he was awake and speaking with his family, though the patient died three days later. KODA, now Network for Hope after a merger, said it 'is disappointed in the New York Times story that declines to include factual clarifications and critical context about organ and tissue donation. 'Network for Hope remains committed to transparency and to the mission of saving lives. That commitment has not changed. The only people hurt by inaccuracies in journalism are those who are awaiting a second chance for life. 'Network for Hope is in full compliance with all requirements of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). We are fully committed to transparency and accountability to their regulations regarding Donation after Circulatory Death (DCD) donation.'
The Sun
08-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Meta Bright clinches maiden energy efficiency zero capex contracts from TMG Mart
PETALING JAYA: Main Market-listed diversified conglomerate Meta Bright Group Bhd's wholly owned subsidiary FBO Land (Serendah) Sdn Bhd (FLSSB) has secured maiden energy efficiency zero capex contracts from TMG Mart Sdn Bhd, a grocery and supermarket operator under the Tunas Manja Group. The contracts involve implementing an energy efficiency system – Demand Control Drive (DCD) – at two TMG Mart locations TMG Mall Bandar Indera Mahkota and TMG Mall Tanjung Lumpur in Kuantan, Pahang. This marks a significant milestone for Meta Bright, representing its inaugural self-developed energy efficiency contracts following its memorandum of understanding with Tunas Manja Sdn Bhd signed in November 2024. Under the terms of the agreements, FLSSB will develop, design, finance, install, commission, operate and maintain the DCD systems, which optimise electrical consumption in heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, pumps and compressors. The energy efficiency zero capex initiative is structured under an energy performance contract (EPC) model, offering TMG Mart significant energy cost savings without upfront capital investment. Savings generated from the system will be shared with 80% accruing to FLSSB and 20% to TMG Mart over a 12-year period. Meta Bright corporate and strategic planning executive director Derek Phang Kiew Lim said, 'Winning these contracts marks a meaningful achievement for Meta Bright, as they represent our very first self-secured EE projects following the strategic partnership we established with Tunas Manja Group last year. These small but significant contracts set an important precedent for our future growth in the energy efficiency space, particularly among supermarket chains and retail businesses.' TMG Mart, established in 1986, is a grocery retailer in Malaysia, operates over 100 outlets nationwide. 'With this initial success, we are confident in replicating our EE solutions across TMG Mart's broader network and other supermarket chains, positioning Meta Bright as a competitive provider of innovative, cost-effective energy efficiency solutions,' Phang said . The Energy Efficiency Zero Capex projects are anticipated to positively contribute to Meta Bright's earnings over the 12-year tenure, strengthening its recurring revenue base. The group remains strategically positioned to capitalise on Malaysia's growing demand for sustainable energy solutions. 'We view these contracts as stepping stones that solidify our capabilities and reputation in the energy efficiency sector. Our performance and track record from these initial projects will serve as strong references to secure larger opportunities in the future,' Phang concluded.
Focus Malaysia
07-06-2025
- Business
- Focus Malaysia
Meta Bright secures debut energy efficiency deals with TMG Mart, eyeing broader retail expansion
MAIN Market-listed diversified conglomerate Meta Bright Group Bhd (previously Eastland Equity Bhd) has secured its maiden Energy Efficiency (EE) Zero Capex contracts from TMG Mart Sdn Bhd, a prominent grocery and supermarket operator under the Tunas Manja Group. These contracts sealed by the group's wholly-owned subsidiary FBO Land (Serendah) Sdn Bhd entail implementation of the Demand Control Drive (DCD) energy efficiency system at two key TMG Mart locations in Pahang, namely TMG Mall Bandar Indera Mahkota and TMG Mall Tanjung Lumpur in Kuantan. This marks a significant milestone for Meta Bright following its inaugural self-developed EE contracts following the inking of a strategic memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Tunas Manja Sdn Bhd in November 2024. Under the terms of the agreements, FBO Land will develop, design, finance, install, commission, operate and maintain the DCD systems which optimise electrical consumption in heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, pumps, and compressors. The EE Zero Capex initiative is structured under an Energy Performance Contract (EPC) model which offers TMG Mart significant energy cost savings without upfront capital investment. Savings generated from the system will be shared with 80% accruing to FBO Land and 20% to TMG Mart over a 12-year period. 'These small but significant contracts set an important precedent for our future growth in the energy efficiency space, particularly among supermarket chains and retail businesses,' envisages Meta Bright's executive director (corporate and strategic planning) Derek Phang Kiew Lim. 'Moreover, these contracts represent the successful materialisation of collaboration from our MOU announced on Nov 27, 2024.' Established in 1986, TMG Mart is a prominent grocery retailer in Malaysia with over 100 outlets nationwide. Therefore, the two contracts signify Meta Bright's strategic entry into the energy efficiency sector by leveraging its diversified portfolio to contribute to sustainable development. 'With this initial success, we are confident in replicating our EE solutions across TMG Mart's broader network and other supermarket chains by positioning Meta Bright as a competitive provider of innovative, cost-effective energy efficiency solutions,' revealed Phang. More broadly, the EE Zero Capex projects are anticipated to positively contribute to Meta Bright's earnings over the 12-year tenure while strengthening its recurring revenue base. The group remains strategically positioned to capitalise on Malaysia's growing demand for sustainable energy solutions. 'We view these contracts as stepping stones that solidify our capabilities and reputation in the energy efficiency sector. Our performance and track record from these initial projects will serve as strong references to secure larger opportunities in the future,' added Phang. At the close of yesterday's (June 6) market trading, Meta Bright was unchanged at 12.5 sen with 174,300 shares traded, thus valuing the company at RM316 mil. – June 7, 2025
