Day: September 25, 2021

PYONGYANG– Pyongyang is willing to hold discussions on improving bilateral ties, if South Korea ends its policy of hostility, a senior official of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) said yesterday.

 

“We have willingness to keep our close contacts with the South again, and have constructive discussion with it about the restoration and development of bilateral relations” if Seoul ceases its hostile policies towards Pyongyang, Kim Yo Jong, vice department director of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, said.

 

Kim made the remarks, in response to a proposal by South Korean President, Moon Jae-in, a few days ago. During a speech at the 76th United Nations General Assembly, Moon called for a political declaration to terminate the 1950-53 Korean Peninsula war.

 

Kim, who is also the younger sister of Kim Jong Un, the DPRK’s top leader, said, the proposal is “an interesting and an admirable idea,” which means, “a physical end to the unstable state of ceasefire” and to “withdraw hostility towards the opposite party.”

 

Concern remains whether the time is ripe to officially announce the end to the war.

 

“Now double-dealing standards, prejudice and hostile policies towards the DPRK and speeches and acts antagonising us persist,” she said. “Under such situation, it does not make any sense to declare the end of the war.”

 

She said, for the termination of the war to be declared, “respect for each other should be maintained and prejudiced viewpoint, inveterate hostile policy and unequal double standards must be removed first.”

 

Only then would it be possible to sit face to face and discuss the future of the Korean Peninsula, Kim said.

 

Source: NAM NEWS NETWORK

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha stressed the importance of “Balance of all Things” to build back better in the post COVID-19 era at the General Debate of the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly

On 25 September 2021, H.E. General Prayut Chan-o-cha, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, delivered a pre-recorded statement at the General Debate of the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA76), encouraging the international community to embrace “hope” to overcome multi-dimensional challenges, particularly the COVID-19 pandemic, in order to build a better world under the context of the “Next Normal”. The Prime Minister emphasized the need to put people at the center of development and to ensure that no one will be left behind. He called for the further strengthening cooperative efforts under multilateral fora, a call that resonates in the UN Secretary-General’s “Our Common Agenda” report.

The Prime Minister stressed that COVID-19 vaccines and medicines should be considered global public goods. He also emphasized the importance of achieving the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) to ensure that all people can access quality health services and called for collective efforts to support the work of the World Health Organization (WHO), including the call for a Pandemic Treaty.

On climate change, the Prime Minister pointed out that the unbalanced growth and development have led the world to face growing threats from natural catastrophes. He therefore urged the international community to turn crisis into opportunity for a transformative reset to a “Balance of All Things”, particularly focusing on eco-friendly development. The Prime Minister further mentioned that Thailand has been working on a National Energy Plan with an aim to achieve carbon neutrality by 2065-2070 by enhancing cooperation on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) with the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) being developed as a regional hub for innovative economy and green industries.

The Prime Minister underscored that amidst the post COVID-19 pandemic recovery, the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP) and the Bio-Circular-Green Economy Model (BCG) are key instruments for the realisation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In particular, the Prime Minister pointed out that the BCG model constitutes a balanced and sustainable approach to development, encompassing economic, social and environmental aspects through application of technology and innovation that are connected to global supply chains. Furthermore, he emphasized that Thailand attaches great importance to the promotion of global food security.

On peace and security, the Prime Minister urged the international community to join hands to build a peaceful environment by promoting trust and solidarity. He also reaffirmed Thailand’s concrete contributions to the promotion of peace and stability as well as support for complementarities between the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) and the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). Moreover, the Prime Minister highlighted Thailand’s continued support for the United Nations peacekeeping operations and indicated that Thailand has pledged financial contributions to alleviate the humanitarian situations in Myanmar, Afghanistan and Haiti.

As December 2021 will mark the 75th Anniversary of Thailand’s membership in the United Nations, the Prime Minister reiterated Thailand’s commitment to be a responsible, reliable and constructive member and a development partner of the United Nations across all 3 pillars of the UN and a reliable host country for the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) and over 40 UN offices.

 

 

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kingdom of Thailand

Mr. Roman Rosales and Ms. Isabelle Teo, Co-Chairpersons, Singapore Pharmacy Week 2021 Organising Committee,

Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore,

Ms. Yong Pei Chean, President, Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore,

Distinguished speakers, Ladies and gentlemen

1.    A very good morning to all. I am delighted to join you today at the Singapore Pharmacy Week 2021 organised by the Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore (PSS).

   2.    This is the second time that the annual Pharmacy Week carnival has gone virtual. I am heartened to learn that the inaugural virtual Pharmacy Week carnival held last year won the International Pharmaceutical Federation 2021 Health Promotion Campaign Award. My heartfelt congratulations to the Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore for their innovative approach to educate and empower the public to improve their health.

   3.   As trusted healthcare professionals, pharmacists provide expert advice on disease prevention, and the safe and effective use of medications. This year’s Pharmacy Week theme of ‘Partnering You In Your Health Journey’ highlights the importance of partnership between pharmacists and patients of all ages and in various care settings, to achieve the desired health outcomes.

2.    Community pharmacists, being most accessible to the public, serve multiple roles in partnering the public in their health journey. The public can walk into a pharmacy to receive advice on health-related queries such as nutritional needs, vaccination, and preventive health. This includes the Start To S.T.O.P. Programme championed by our community pharmacists, which helps patients to quit smoking through personalised counselling sessions by a dedicated pharmacist. The public can also walk into the community pharmacy and seek treatment for minor ailments such as skin rashes, fungal infections of the skin, gastroesophageal reflux, constipation, dry eyes, conjunctivitis and others. Additionally, our community pharmacies are now touchpoints for the public to reorder and pick-up subsidised medication from public health systems and hundreds of patients have benefitted from this new service.

   5.   Beyond the physical pharmacy, both community and hospital pharmacists have moved into the care centres as well as patients’ home to partner older patients, their caregivers and the healthcare team for better chronic disease management. Pharmacists play an important role in advocating appropriate drug use and proper storage in the home environment, reducing wastage and improving patients’ overall medication adherence.

   6.    Patients in nursing homes and community hospitals across the island have also benefitted from pharmacists’ efforts in cutting out unnecessary medications and simplifying dosing regimens. Besides reviewing the residents’ medications, pharmacists also promote good medication management practices together with other healthcare professionals within intermediate and long-term care institutions.

   7.    The COVID-19 pandemic has not dampened the pharmacists care for patients. In fact, pharmacists have embraced telehealth platforms to provide clinical services such as anticoagulation therapy monitoring, for patients who have suffered a stroke or myocardial infarction. In doing so, pharmacists continue to partner their patients in keeping their health and medical conditions in check during this challenging time.

   8.    Pharmacists have also been actively involved in patient counselling and educational campaigns to improve patients’ health literacy. Through the efforts of the PSS National Medication Information Workgroup, the public can now access these easy-to-understand and reliable drug information in a localised context for free, anytime, anywhere via HealthHub. Health-related information such COVID-19 myth busters and hand hygiene posters can also be found on the PSS website.

   9.    Behind the scenes, pharmacists in the Health Sciences Authority (the HSA) and pharmaceutical companies ensure that medications registered in Singapore are of good quality, safety and efficacy. There are also informatics pharmacists, who manage medication-related data, ensuring that the data flows to healthcare providers and patients quickly and accurately. There are also those who have taken on roles such as educators, researchers and entrepreneurs, to contribute to better patient care.

   10.   These are just some of the many roles pharmacists play and their important contributions to our healthcare system. This event is an opportunity for our pharmacists to share their expertise and provide useful information for managing various conditions.

   11.    I am also pleased to learn that this is the first year PSS has partnered with the People’s Association during Pharmacy Week, to conduct a large-scale virtual brown-bagging campaign with free pharmacist consultations for PAssion Card members. I am sure that this will be very much welcome for Passion card members. For those who prefer face-to-face consultations, those are available until 31 October at participating retail pharmacies across Singapore. I believe that the public would gain better understanding about their medications and health from these efforts.

   12.    In conclusion, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the organising committee for this meaningful event. I would also like to wish all our pharmacists a Happy World Pharmacists’ Day. Thank you for partnering Singaporeans in their health journey.

3.    I wish everyone an informative and fruitful morning. Thank you very much.

 

Source: Ministry of Health, Singapore

Mr Mohksin Rashid, Executive Director, AMP Singapore,

Mr Bryan Tan, Chief Executive Officer, Centre for Fathering, DADs for Life and MUMS for Life,

Ladies and gentlemen,

1. Good morning. I am excited to join all of you today for this year’s Parenting Seminar.

Importance of paternal involvement on children’s development

2. The key to a child’s development is the positive involvement of their parents during their growing up years. The role of each parent cannot be undermined; paternal involvement is as crucial as maternal involvement. The father’s involvement in parenting will benefit a child’s psychosocial and behavioural development, in different ways from maternal involvement.

3. The “Survey for Dads 2020” conducted by Focus on the Family, with support from the Centre for Fathering (CFF), revealed that fathers regarded their primary roles as teaching values and discipline to their children, and to be the breadwinner for the family. They often struggle in finding a good balance between work and family responsibilities, and at times, face difficulties in managing their children’s behaviours.

4. Despite these challenges, it is heartening to know that there has been an increasing global trend where fathers are taking on a more active role at home and in parenting. This is a good development as the involvement of the father has been found to benefit the child’s cognitive, emotional and social development. Specifically, research has found that these children tend to have better educational outcomes and are more able to regulate their emotions.

A positive mind is important for a healthy and fulfilling life

5. As parents, we cannot undermine the influence of our own mental wellness on our children. Daily interactions with our children create opportunities for them to build crucial skills, such as cultivating positive self-esteem, taking responsibility for their actions, and communicating with others in an empathic and effective way. Children with high social emotional intelligence will also be able to better manage their emotions and behaviours. They will be able to work well with others, and see themselves as useful members of the community, thereby forging a positive self-identity and sense of belonging.

6. The pandemic has brought mental wellness issues to the forefront, with more seeking help and support during this period. The Government has enhanced avenues for Singaporeans to keep healthy while staying safe as we transit towards a COVID-19 resilient nation.

7. To encourage individuals to seek help early and recognise the importance of self-care, we need to do more to raise awareness of mental well-being and health.

8. In August last year, the Health Promotion Board (HPB) launched the “Brave the New” campaign together with the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) to provide mental health tips for self-care and peer support. The campaigned reached over 2.1 million Singaporeans.

9. To complement this, the “Hi! #JustCheckingIn” initiative was started by HPB in January this year to encourage Singaporeans to reach out to and check in on their friends and family, and encourage them to seek help early if they feel overwhelmed.

10. To strengthen support for youths who are at risk of mental health issues, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has piloted the Integrated Youth Service (IYS) with the Institute of Mental Health, Agency for Integrated Care (AIC) and Care Corner since April last year. The IYS is a one-stop service where at-risk youths can access coordinated mental health and social support services, such as individualised basic emotional support, needs identification and befriending services.

11. Besides these new initiatives, HPB has also introduced school programmes and resources to support our students, educators and parents on mental well-being, such as assembly skits to help students manage challenges and stress, the Colours of the Mind mental wellbeing workshops for parents, as well as health tips and resources at HealthHub and ParentHub.

National Strategy on Child and Maternal Health and Well-being 

12. To support the overall health of our next generation, we have further stepped up our efforts to support children and their families. Since January this year, the Inter-agency Taskforce on Child and Maternal Health and Well-being has been deliberating on how we could provide more comprehensive and integrated support to families and children. We are developing a five-year strategy which will take a life-course approach, starting upstream from the pre-conception phase, till adolescence aged 18 years old to support parents and their children in attaining physical and mental wellness.

13. Specifically, we are looking at three key aspects:

o First, we are translating evidence-based findings into policies and programmes to enhance upstream preventive health efforts. This includes supporting prenatal and antenatal health and mental wellness for both mothers and fathers.

o Second, we are reviewing our service delivery processes to integrate services better across the health, social, and education domains. We will look at how the different agencies in the various domains can work together to provide more support and person-centric care to families.

o Third, we need to raise awareness and better engage stakeholders like you to work together with us to keep your children healthy. We are doing this by providing resources and tools to equip parents with the knowledge and skills to foster healthy living habits and nudge positive behaviours in their children.

Better Support for our Ethnic Minority Groups

14. On the Malay Muslim community front, we are also taking steps to improve the health of our community. I have the honour of leading a workgroup, formed in February this year, alongside my colleagues, Members of Parliament Wan Rizal and Mariam Jaafar. The workgroup hopes to encourage our Malay community to adopt healthier habits, through culturally relevant programmes and tips.

15. Our efforts are also supported by HPB, together with our valuable partners, such as the People’s Association Malay Activity Executive Committees Council, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS), Mendaki and the Muslim Healthcare Professionals Association.

Closing 

16. In closing, let me thank those who have made today’s webinar possible. I would like to acknowledge the good work of the CFF and AMP Singapore, who have been important partners in our journey in building healthier families and children. Through their efforts in supporting families, many Singaporean families have benefitted, particularly those in the Malay-Muslim community.

17. Parents play a fundamental role in our child’s development. By supporting the mental wellness of parents, we are also supporting the social, emotional and mental well-being of our children.

18. In this regard, the government’s efforts alone would not be sufficient, and each of us needs to play our part. Let us continue to practise self-care and support those around us, to build a better future for our next generation.

19. Thank you.

 

 

Source: Ministry of Health, Singapore

The Government Internship Program (GIP) of the Department of Labor and Employment has proven its significant impact in Biliran as interns act as tutors and even help build decent homes.

Providing young workers employment opportunities in the field of public service, the program has enabled 294 interns to act as tutors deployed in different areas of the province.

Through a collaboration between the office of Governor Rogelio J. Espina and the labor department, the interns, who are education degree holders, assisted students who were struggling in their studies in the previous school year.

Part of the GIPs’ duties was to conduct home visits at least twice a week to check if the student was able to catch up and adjust to their new way of schooling. These home visits allowed the interns to identify challenges besetting the students that included poor housing conditions.

This led Governor Espina to personally visit some of the affected students in their homes and see for himself the dire conditions that some students in the province are in.

This also prompted the implementation of a housing program in the province. Last month, the provincial government of Biliran, through its Bahay Mo Sagot Ko Program, has started the turnover process of newly constructed houses to identified poorest of the poor beneficiaries in the town of Cabucgayan.

As a result, some families who used to experience poor living conditions are now living securely and comfortably in decent houses.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III has directed the aggressive implementation of the GIP to help students pursue higher education even in the face of the pandemic.

For the current 2021-2022 school year, 116 interns will again be deployed as tutors in various areas of the province.

GIP is a component of KABATAAN 2000 under Executive Order (EO) no. 139 series of 1993, and DOLE Administrative Order No. 260-15, which aims to provide opportunities and engage young workers to serve the general public in projects and programs of government agencies/entities at the national and local level.

 

Source: Department Of Labor and Employment Republic of Philippines