Day: May 2, 2024

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KFSH&RC Ranked Top Valuable Healthcare Brand in Saudi Arabia and Middle East

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, May 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — KFSH&RC tops the healthcare sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Middle East, recognizing it as the most valuable healthcare brand in these regions for the second year. According to the 2024 Brand Finance reports, it placed 9th in Saudi Arabia and 28th in the Middle East. Additionally, KFSH&RC stands out as the only hospital worldwide to be ranked among its country’s top ten most valuable brands.

The Brand Finance Report shows that KFSH&RC brand value increased by 31%, exceeding 5.6 billion Saudi Riyals, equivalent to USD 1.5 billion. This increase is the result of the hospital’s unwavering commitment to incorporating the latest medical technologies and treatments and providing specialized medical care that adheres to the latest international standards.

Reflecting on KFSH&RC’s global recognition, Mr. Muhannad Kadi, the Chief Corporate Communications & Marketing Officer, commented, “This accomplishment underscores the hospital’s dedication to achieving the highest quality standards and providing outstanding healthcare, as well as the significant value it delivers to its beneficiaries.” He emphasized that the hospital’s position among the top ten most valuable brands in Saudi Arabia not only highlights its effectiveness but also the positive impact of the ongoing transformations within the Kingdom’s healthcare sector.

Over the past year, KFSH&RC has achieved several notable milestones that have significantly contributed to its brand strength and reputation. These include conducting four ground-breaking experiments in space medicine, performing the World’s first fully robotic liver transplant, and launching a rapid whole genome sequencing analysis service available to all beneficiaries. Furthermore, KFSH&RC celebrated the successful treatment of 100 T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia patients, a testament to our advanced medical capabilities and dedication to patient care.

In line with Saudi Vision 2030 and its transformation programs, initiated by His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister—which aim to enhance the Kingdom’s global position and establish it as a healthcare hub—KFSH&RC has been ranked as the top Academic Medical Centre in the Middle East and Africa. It also secured the 20th spot globally for two consecutive years, 2023 and 2024, according to Brand Finance’s Global Top 250 Hospitals report. Additionally, it has been ranked among the top 250 Best Hospitals in the World by Newsweek Magazine.

For more information please contact:

Mr. Essam Al-Zahrani, Acting Media Affairs Head, 0555254429

Mr. Abdullah Alown, Senior Media Affairs Editor, 0556294232

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 9110177

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INVNT GROUP and MSM Boost Partnership and Marketing Service Offerings in Motorsports Industry with Strategic Leadership Appointment

INVNT GROUP welcomes Roc Nation veteran, Luca Zanello, as SVP of Content Strategy

New York, NY, May 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Building on their successful partnership, INVNT GROUP and MSM (Media & Sport Management) enhance service offerings and commercial solutions tailored for talent and brands within the booming motorsports industry.

INVNT GROUP, the global brand storytelling agency portfolio, was named Best Global Media Agency at the 2023 Automotive Marcomm Awards by Autocar, for groundbreaking campaigns with Lamborghini, Formula E, General Motors, Lotus, Rolls Royce and more. Over four decades, MSM has built standout relationships between brands, drivers, teams, and championships at the pinnacle of motorsport, including sponsorships, hospitality, and events.

The partnership brings the appointment of Roc Nation music and entertainment veteran, Luca Zanello, as SVP of Content Strategy at INVNT GROUP, fortifying the global suite of award-winning capabilities and integrated services within the motorsports including strategy, partnerships, experiential, digital, Web3, content, and culture. Zanello reports into Scott Cullather, President and CEO of INVNT GROUP, and CEO of INVNT.ATOM.

“Motorsports have not only captured the global imagination but have accelerated the expansion of its cultural influence at unprecedented speed. Our evolving collaboration with MSM, and appointment of Luca, places us at the forefront, allowing us to deliver pioneering, bespoke solutions to the motorsports industry. We are committed to enhancing the connection between brands, talent, and partners with audiences worldwide through dynamic storytelling and groundbreaking experiences. Together, we are charging the future of motorsports, transcending the boundaries of the racetrack,” said Scott Cullather.

The partnership aims to deliver strategies within the motorsport domain, leveraging both INVNT GROUP and MSM’s deep rooted motorsports network and industry expertise.

Enrico Zanarini, Founder and CEO of MSM, expressed: “This is more than a partnership expansion; it’s how we redefine motorsport marketing. With MSM’s deep history in the motorsports industry, and INVNT GROUP’s storytelling expertise, we are poised to deliver exciting and unexpected engagement programs that resonate deeply with fans and stakeholders alike.”

Luca Zanello, commenting on his new role, added, “Joining this dynamic team during a transformative era in motorsports is truly exhilarating. We are redefining the limits of motorsports engagement by introducing comprehensive programs that blend traditional approaches with cutting-edge digital and experiential strategies. Our goal is to unite and excite fans globally, offering them novel and captivating experiences that not only entertain but also deepen their connection to the sport.”

This strategic allegiance is a significant milestone in the evolution of motorsport marketing and the overall industry, promising next-generation strategies and enhanced engagement for clients, brands, partners, and audiences across the globe.

ABOUT INVNT GROUP

INVNT GROUP™ represents a growing portfolio of complementary disciplines designed to help forward-thinking brands and organizations everywhere, impact the audiences that matter, anywhere.

Headed by President and CEO, Scott Cullather, INVNT GROUP amplifies globally with offices in New York (HQ), Sydney, London, Singapore, Dubai, San Francisco, Stockholm, Mumbai, Detroit, and Washington D.C.

The GROUP consists of the founding, live brand storytelling agency, INVNT; brand strategy & creative-led culture consultancy, Meaning; production studio & creative agency, HEVĒ; live events for colleges and universities, INVNT Higher Ed; digital innovation agency, INVNT.ATOM; creative multimedia experience studio, Hypnogram, and live entertainment production company, ITP Live. For more information visit: https://invntgroup.com/

ABOUT MSM

MSM is a leader in the world of motorsport and has been fostering standout relationships between brands, drivers, teams and championships for over 40 years.

The team specializes in individual and corporate management, offering clients their expertise across the marketing mix. MSM is active in sponsorship facilitation, commercial opportunity development and execution, client representation, tailored hospitality offerings, and managing bespoke events on and off track. Having spent four decades in the most innovative sporting environment, MSM has developed an approach that is tailor-made for partners to unlock their full potential.

MSM’s deep insight and unparalleled know-how enable their partners to connect with both new and existing audiences in an authentic way, while also delivering measurable commercial impact. For more information, https://msmgroup.com

Attachment

Jhonathan Mendez de Leon
INVNT GROUP
Jmendezdeleon@invnt.com

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 9110107

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Syrians Seek UN Rights Ruling Against Russia for 2019 Hospital Attacks

Open Society Justice Initiative Files Complaint to the UN Human Rights Committee

New York, May 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Russian Federation has been accused before the UN Human Rights Committee in Geneva of carrying out a deliberate attack on a hospital in Syria—in a legal action that highlights Moscow’s repeated use of military force against health care facilities in Syria, where its forces have been supporting the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.

A complaint before the Committee, filed on May 1, focuses on a series of air strikes on Kafr Nabl Surgical Hospital in Idlib province on May 5, 2019.

It accuses the Russian Air Force of killing two civilians and endangering the lives of all those working in and using the hospital at the time—medical practitioners, patients, support staff, and visitors.

The complaint has been brought before the Committee by a Syrian man whose two cousins were killed by the attack, and by Hand in Hand for Aid and Development, the humanitarian NGO that was supporting the hospital at the time. Hand in Hand is representing the interests of the patients of the hospital.

The applicants are represented by lawyers of the Open Society Justice Initiative, with Professor Philip Leach, professor of human rights law at the UK’s Middlesex University as co-counsel.

The evidence being presented to the Committee includes a detailed account of the Russian Air Force attack on the hospital at Kafr Nabl, and on three other hospitals near Kafr Nabl in just 12 hours on May 5-6, 2019. There was no fighting near the hospital at the time of the attack, which lay in opposition-controlled territory some 20km away from the front line.

The complaint draws on a wealth of video and audio recordings made at the time, as well as eyewitness accounts that point to direct Russian Air Force involvement in coordinating and executing the attacks. The material includes observations of Russian aircraft in the area at the relevant time, and audio recordings of communications between a Russian pilot and Russian ground control, authorizing the release of aerial munitions and confirming that the aerial munitions had been dropped, at the precise times that strikes were captured on video. Some of the material included as evidence in the complaint was used by the New York Times in a special report published on October 13, 2019.

Fadi al-Dairi, the director of Hand in Hand, said: “The Russian air force attack on Kafr Nabl hospital was a well-documented atrocity that was part of a systematic assault on hospitals and healthcare facilities in opposition-held territory in Syria in 2019. The coordinates of the hospital had been shared with Russia by the UN under the UN Deconfliction Mechanism. Syrians are looking to the Human Rights Committee to show us some measure of redress by acknowledging the truth of this brutal attack, and the suffering caused.”

James A. Goldston, executive director of the Justice Initiative, said: “This complaint before a preeminent international human rights tribunal exposes the Russian government and armed forces’ deliberate strategy of targeting healthcare in clear violation of the laws of war. It must remind us all that attacks on protected healthcare facilities—whether in Syria, Sudan, Ukraine, or the Gaza Strip—are an abomination that must never be normalized.”

The complaint is being supported by expert analyses prepared by Syrian Archive and Physicians for Human Rights. Physicians for Human Rights has documented 604 attacks against medical facilities in Syria since 2011, the overwhelming majority conducted by Syrian and Russian forces.

Houssam al-Nahhas, MD, Middle East and North Africa Researcher for Physicians for Human Rights, said: “Widespread and systematic attacks on health care in Syria are part of a strategy implemented by the Syrian and Russian governments, devastating the country’s health care system. Despite the seriousness of these crimes, no perpetrators have ever faced accountability. We hope this landmark case helps to end the impunity for attacks on health care in Syria and serve as a warning to perpetrators in other conflicts around the world.”

The Geneva-based Human Rights Committee is a body of 18 independent experts that monitors implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which has been signed by 173 countries. Under the ICCPR’s Optional Protocol, which the Russian Federation signed in 1990, individuals can bring complaints against signatory states before the Committee over rights violations.

The complaint accuses the Russian Federation of perpetrating a clear and serious violation of International Humanitarian Law by deliberately attacking a protected medical facility, in breach of the Right to Life under the ICCPR. The attack killed two brothers and endangered the lives of everyone working in and using the busy hospital. The hospital was operating normally at the time of the attack and neither Russia nor Syria provided any warning before the attack. This is not the only time the facility was targeted: Kafr Nabl Hospital was attacked 13 times between 2014 and 2019.

From a legal perspective, a decision against Russia would provide significant new jurisprudence on the extraterritorial obligations of States in armed conflict, and would pave the way for progressive decisions from other human rights bodies and courts.

The Open Society Justice Initiative is part of the Open Society Foundations, and pursues strategic litigation on a range of issues including advancing human rights and advancing the rule of law. Its work on Syria has included supporting efforts to bring top Syrian officials and leaders to trial before national courts in Europe for crimes against humanity committed in Syria.

Communications
Open Society Foundations
(212) 548-0378
media@opensocietyfoundations.org

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 9109977

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SML’s electrononic systems will boost revenue assurance – Policy Analyst


Nyarko Abronoma, a Policy Analyst, has indicated that the effective implementation of the Electronic Metering Management System (EMMS) will boost transparency and reshape revenue mobilsation in Ghana’s downstream petroleum sector.

Speaking to an audit by KPMG on the transactions between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML) and recommendations from the President, Nana Akufo-Addo, thereof, he said the work of SML was commendable.

‘The results have been nothing short of remarkable, as an independent audit by KPMG revealed an incremental volume of 1.7 billion liters and an incremental tax revenue of GHS2.45 billion for the period under review,’ he said in a write up.

He explained that the SML system would help address fragmented and painstaking process, and vulnerabilities that charaterised the manual process of the downstream petroleum operations management.

‘With SML’s state-of-the-art EMMS has digitalised the measurement and reporting of petroleum product supplies, rep
lacing error-prone manual processes with advanced digital solutions,’ the Policy Analyst said.

He noted that the reliance on stand-alone systems had over time, hindered GRA’s ability to accurately regulate, monitor, assess, and tax petroleum products across the downstream and upstream sectors.

‘At the heart of SML’s success lies the transformative power of digitalisation and data-driven solutions. Real-time data streams provide unprecedented visibility into petroleum product flows, enabling precise tracking and accurate assessment of taxes,’ he said.

KPMG’s assessment highlighted the qualitative advantages of the EMMS, including daily electronic real-time monitoring of petroleum product outflows and partial monitoring of inflows at depots equipped with SML’s flowmeters.

‘This round-the-clock surveillance serves as a powerful deterrent against under-declarations, safeguarding the nation’s revenue streams,’ the Policy Analyst observed.

Moreover, SML’s rigorous six-level reconciliation process, coupled with
the sharing of discrepancy reports for follow-up action, underscores the firm’s commitment to fostering transparency and accountability within the sector, he noted.

Recommending SML’s model for revenue assurance, he said it had earned a significant international acclaim, with nations like Kenya actively seeking to emulate its successful approach.

‘The government’s recent recognition of SML’s success has prompted a comprehensive assessment of potential revenue leakages in the upstream petroleum and minerals sectors, with plans to explore the implementation of similar PPP models in these critical industries,’ he said.

While lauding SML’s work thus far in the downstream petroleum sector, President Akufo-Addo said it was important for a review of the contract, particularly the fee structure into a fixed fee structure.

The President also directed a review of clauses related to intellectual property rights, termination, and service delivery expectations, as well as a periodic monitoring and evaluation of SML’s
performance to meet contract expectation.

Source: Ghana News Agency

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Maroua: Lamido outlines safety measures as heat waves intensify

By Charity Nginyu

Abdoulaye Yerima Bakari, Lamido of Maroua has issued a communique urging the public to take heed of necessary precautions in the face of scorching heat waves currently gripping Maroua.

With temperatures soaring, Lamido Bakari emphasizes the importance of safeguarding against the sweltering sun. ‘It is imperative for everyone to avoid prolonged exposure to the sun,’ he stated in a communique.

In the said statement to the populace, Lamido Bakari highlighted key steps to mitigate the effects of the heatwave.

‘Drink plenty of water,’ he advised, stressing the importance of staying hydrated amidst the blistering conditions.

Furthermore, he urged citizens to venture outdoors only when necessary to prioritize their well-being in the face of the intense heat.

Acknowledging the potential health implications of the soaring temperatures, Lamido Bakari went further to urge individuals to seek medical attention promptly if they experience any discomfort.

‘I urge you to seek assistance from the nea
rest healthcare facility if you feel unwell,’ he emphasized.

Source: Cameroon News Agency

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UG Credit Union approves GH?1.5 million to complete Hospital project


The University of Ghana Co-operative Credit Union has approved an additional GH?1.5 million to complete a 50-bed emergency centre.

The approval was granted in a resolution passed at the Union’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Tuesday.

So far, GH?4.06 million has been spent on the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project that started in 2022 as part of the University of Ghana Hospital project.

In his report, Mr. Michael Asante Antwi, the Union’s Chairman, said that the additional fund was required due to high inflation and design modifications based on expert recommendation.

‘The Board is pleased to announce that the facility is near completion and will be commissioned soon,’ he said.

Mr Antwi disclosed that the Union had expanded its membership to include businesses owned by members, spouses and adult children of institutional members, individuals and businesses that operate on the university’s campus, and members who only want to save with the union.

He stated that new admissions reflected the Boa
rd’s growth strategy, which involved assessing the business environment and identifying expansion opportunities.

During the AGM, members also approved the payment of GH?7.7 million as dividends for the end of the 2023 fiscal year.

Professor Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana commended the leadership of the Union for their commitment to steering the affairs of the organisation during the tough economic times.

She urged them to cast a wider net to bring in more members, citing the cooperative’s strength as its membership.

Mr. Francis Fiayiya, Manager of the Credit Union, disclosed that the organization had 10,054 members, with 815 joining during the year under review.

He stated that the union’s administration was committed to addressing its members’ needs by using cutting-edge technology, introducing innovative products and services, and investing in human capital.

‘At the core of our achievement lies the collective strength, dedication and talent of our exceptional team,
‘ he said.

Source: Ghana News Agency