Latest news with #IDI
LeMonde
2 days ago
- Politics
- LeMonde
Despite destruction and death, Israelis widely support war against Iran
Shoshi Arbuz received the alert on her phone just minutes before the explosion. Along with her four children, her husband and their dog, they had just enough time to get down to the shelter beneath their small four-story building – a room just a few square meters in the basement, furnished with plastic chairs and a reinforced door. When the Iranian missile struck less than 100 meters away just after 7 am on Thursday morning in Holon, a southern suburb of Tel Aviv, the ground shook in the basement-turned-shelter. "Everything went black, the shelter filled with dust," said the 40-year-old municipal employee. The building across the street, which took a direct hit, was partially destroyed. About 30 people were rescued from it, including two who were critically injured, according to the city's chief fire officer. The blast destroyed the inside of the family apartment, as well as dozens of others around the impact site. In her partially-destroyed living room, Arbuz repeated that she didn't "want war," but nevertheless firmly supported the Netanyahu government's decision to launch a surprise attack on Iran on June 13, because of the nuclear threat. "Iran wants to destroy us. I understand that if we hadn't attacked, they would have," she explained, echoing the public's deep-seated fears about the dangers posed by the Iranian regime. While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's policies regarding the hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip since the October 7, 2023 terrorist attack have caused months of anger and incomprehension, the bombing of targets in Iran has, at least for now, been met with wide approval: More than 80% of Jewish Israelis support the strikes, according to a recent poll conducted for the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI).
Zawya
05-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Driving through barriers: Joan Kaitesi's journey on male-dominated roads
In the heart of Uganda's capital, 35-year-old Joan Kaitesi navigates the city's infamous traffic jams with calm determination. As a driver for the World Health Organization (WHO) Uganda country office, Joan's professionalism shines through the daily chaos of blaring horns and impatient road users. From a young age, Joan was captivated by vehicles. Inspired by action films and a childhood dream of driving tanks in war zones, Joan's fascination with big vehicles set her apart. While society often labelled her interests as 'masculine,' Joan remained steadfast, determined to forge a path in a field traditionally dominated by men. 'Being one of the older children at home, I had to act as a role model to my siblings in a challenging environment. This pushed me to work hard and never despise any job, including roles commonly reserved for men, which led me to join the driving discipline,' shares Joan, the second-born in a family of six (three girls and three boys). Her professional journey began in 2015 at the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI), where she stood out as the only female among 15 applicants. Despite initial intimidation, Joan's skills and determination earned her the role, making her the first female driver at IDI. She later joined Chemonics International for five years, and then UN Women, where she expanded her responsibilities to include assisting expatriates with documentation and protocol duties. In October 2024, Joan joined WHO Uganda during a polio immunization campaign, becoming the second female driver at the country office. Joan's journey has not been without obstacles. She has faced gender stereotypes and skepticism from male colleagues and road users alike. Yet, she has consistently proven her capabilities through quick decision-making, time management, and a strong commitment to safety and professionalism. One of her most memorable moments came in 2021, during a circumcision campaign in Karamoja. When a nurse was suddenly unavailable due to an emergency, Joan stepped in to assist, showcasing her adaptability and dedication to service. Joan draws inspiration from trailblazing Ugandan women such as Justice Julia Sebutinde of the International Court of Justice and Jennifer Musisi, the first Executive Director of Kampala Capital City Authority. These role models have shown her that women can thrive in male-dominated spaces. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Transport and Logistics Management from Makerere University Business School, along with training in 4x4 defensive driving, first aid, and other relevant skills. Currently, Joan is pursuing further education in the same field, with the goal of becoming a fleet officer. She encourages young women to be resilient, professional, and open to continuous learning. Outside of work, Joan is a passionate advocate for healthy living. She works out three to four times a week and enjoys dancing, whether there's music or not. She also finds joy in gardening, often talking to her plants as she tends to them. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of World Health Organization - Uganda.
Scoop
04-06-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Multiple Sclerosis Prevalence On The Sharp Increase: Study
Press Release – University of Auckland The number of people diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in New Zealand increased by a third between 2006 and 2022, according to research from the University of Auckland. The prevalence of multiple sclerosis in New Zealand has sharply risen since 2006, especially in some communities, according to a University of Auckland study. Lead author Dr Natalia Boven, a postdoctoral fellow from the University's COMPASS Research Centre, says the study found the MS prevalence rate had climbed to 96.6 per 100,000 people as of June 2022, an increase from 72.4 per 100,000 in 2006. 'And notably, while European New Zealanders are being diagnosed with MS at a higher rate (132.4 per 100,000), we found MS increased substantially for Māori, Pacific peoples and Asian ethnic groups over the same period,' she says. Boven says Māori rates rose from 15.0 per 100,000 to 33.1 per 100,000 in 2022, the Pacific rate rose to 9.2 per 100,000 and the Asian ethnic group rate increased to 16.0 per 100,000. 'And of concern is the data shows people living in more deprived areas were less likely to be diagnosed with MS,' says Boven. 'This pattern was more pronounced for Māori and Pacific peoples, which suggests they may face barriers accessing services to receive a MS diagnosis.' As a social scientist, she says more research is needed to find out whether this is the case, and what the barriers might be, as an early diagnosis can make all the difference in terms of delaying disease progression and therefore improving quality of life. Experts agree that multiple sclerosis is a manageable and treatable condition in most cases, especially with early diagnosis. Recently published in the New Zealand Medical Journal, the study was backed by Multiple Sclerosis New Zealand (MSNZ). National manager Amanda Rose says patients regularly report the biggest barriers to diagnosis are a lack of MS awareness in the community, and critical shortages of specialistservices which can delay diagnosis from a couple of weeks to as long as several years in some instances. 'Too many New Zealanders face delays in being diagnosed with MS due to limited access to specialist neurologist appointments and MRI scans,' says Rose. 'The longstanding shortage of neurologists in Aotearoa has created long waiting lists for many people with neurological conditions, including MS. We've been advocating for over ten years to increase our number of neurologists, with little to no progress.' The study used the Stats NZ Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI) and included anonymous data from hospitalisations, disability support, pharmaceutical dispensing of MS treatments and needs assessments. To build on the study's findings and support targeted advocacy for those with the condition, Multiple Sclerosis New Zealand has now contracted University researchers at COMPASS to expand their scope. They will again be using IDI data to explore the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of people living with MS in Aotearoa; including geographic distribution, education, income, and employment history, access to disability support, allied healthcare, and income support. Identifying multiple sclerosis in linked administrative health data in Aotearoa New Zealand New Zealand Medical Journal.
Scoop
04-06-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Multiple Sclerosis Prevalence On The Sharp Increase: Study
The number of people diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in New Zealand increased by a third between 2006 and 2022, according to research from the University of Auckland. The prevalence of multiple sclerosis in New Zealand has sharply risen since 2006, especially in some communities, according to a University of Auckland study. Lead author Dr Natalia Boven, a postdoctoral fellow from the University's COMPASS Research Centre, says the study found the MS prevalence rate had climbed to 96.6 per 100,000 people as of June 2022, an increase from 72.4 per 100,000 in 2006. 'And notably, while European New Zealanders are being diagnosed with MS at a higher rate (132.4 per 100,000), we found MS increased substantially for Māori, Pacific peoples and Asian ethnic groups over the same period," she says. Boven says Māori rates rose from 15.0 per 100,000 to 33.1 per 100,000 in 2022, the Pacific rate rose to 9.2 per 100,000 and the Asian ethnic group rate increased to 16.0 per 100,000. 'And of concern is the data shows people living in more deprived areas were less likely to be diagnosed with MS,' says Boven. 'This pattern was more pronounced for Māori and Pacific peoples, which suggests they may face barriers accessing services to receive a MS diagnosis.' As a social scientist, she says more research is needed to find out whether this is the case, and what the barriers might be, as an early diagnosis can make all the difference in terms of delaying disease progression and therefore improving quality of life. Experts agree that multiple sclerosis is a manageable and treatable condition in most cases, especially with early diagnosis. Recently published in the New Zealand Medical Journal, the study was backed by Multiple Sclerosis New Zealand (MSNZ). National manager Amanda Rose says patients regularly report the biggest barriers to diagnosis are a lack of MS awareness in the community, and critical shortages of specialistservices which can delay diagnosis from a couple of weeks to as long as several years in some instances. 'Too many New Zealanders face delays in being diagnosed with MS due to limited access to specialist neurologist appointments and MRI scans,' says Rose. 'The longstanding shortage of neurologists in Aotearoa has created long waiting lists for many people with neurological conditions, including MS. We've been advocating for over ten years to increase our number of neurologists, with little to no progress.' The study used the Stats NZ Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI) and included anonymous data from hospitalisations, disability support, pharmaceutical dispensing of MS treatments and needs assessments. To build on the study's findings and support targeted advocacy for those with the condition, Multiple Sclerosis New Zealand has now contracted University researchers at COMPASS to expand their scope. They will again be using IDI data to explore the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of people living with MS in Aotearoa; including geographic distribution, education, income, and employment history, access to disability support, allied healthcare, and income support. by Natalia Boven, Deborah Mason, Barry Milne, Anna Ranta, Andrew Sporle, Lisa Underwood, Julie Winter-Smith, and Vanessa Selak is published in the 28 March edition of the New Zealand Medical Journal.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Local heads call for urgent solutions as North and South struggle post-Hamas attack
Local leaders from Israel's South and North emphasized the need for solutions to immediate problems for evacuees and residents in the wake of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and ensuing war. Local leaders from Israel's South and North emphasized the need for solutions to immediate problems for evacuees and residents in the wake of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and ensuing war. 'Everything you remember from the North from before the war does not exist,' Asaf Langleben, head of the Upper Galilee Regional Council, said, quoting a resident of his council on Wednesday at the Israel Democracy Institute's (IDI) Eli Hurvitz Conference on Economy and Society 2025. 'I find myself saying 'there isn't,'' he continued to quote her, adding that she emphasized that there are no nursing workers, healthcare professionals, restaurants, cultural events, cleaners, and more in Israel's North. He touched on plans Minister in the Finance Ministry for rehabilitation in the North and South Ze'ev Elkin described earlier in the conference, saying that while many plans are focused on the long term, the question is now 'what happens tomorrow morning?' He outlined a number of challenges faced by residents of the area, including a lack of schools, exhausted teachers, residents who were not evacuated, and who are still reeling from living in the region during the war and intense fighting in the North. He urged the government to incentivize companies to relocate to the north immediately, stressing that there is no time for the government decisions to continue to slowly make their way through committees. Michal Uziyahu, head of the Eshkol Regional Council, which was devastated in the Hamas attack on Israel, urged decision makers to change their thinking about the rehabilitation of the South. She urged them to challenge conceptions of the wide impacts of current broad plans, asking that they look beyond the per-capita data and take the complexity of the region and trauma it experienced into consideration. While 80% of the Hamas massacre took place within the Eshkol Regional Council, residents refuse to be defined by the disaster, she said, adding that Eshkol will be an emblem of growth. The residents of Eshkol are going to return home, she said. 'We are determined.' In contrast to the municipal leaders, Elkin emphasized the importance of planning large projects for the long term, saying that these are the kind of advancements the government is not normally able to advance due to a lack of budgets. He also said that the government is planning to double the population of the Tkuma region - the region of the south undergoing rehabilitation, within a decade, stressing that this requires an even larger investment in quality of life in order to make actual improvements for a growing population. The IDI emphasized at the conference that the National Insurance Institute has not enabled the Central Bureau of Statistics to make statistics about evacuees available, preventing researchers from being able to gauge the scope of the impacts on these populations. In light of this, the IDI completed its own survey. Due to constraints on the survey, the IDI emphasized that the poll has a relatively large maximum sampling error, with a 12% margin of error and 90% confidence interval. Some 22% of evacuees from the north reported that they were fired, closed their business, or were put on unpaid leave because of the war, much higher than the 7% of evacuees from the South and 4% of the general population, the survey found. In the North, 42% of evacuees reported that their work hours were cut, 37% of evacuees from the South reported this, and 25% of the general population said their hours were cut. Around 44% of evacuees from the North and South reported that the income of their household was harmed during the war.
