Latest news with #DASA
New Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
NIT-R portal for NRI, foreign origin students admission to institutes
ROURKELA: To simplify admission of candidates for 105 institutes of the country eligible for both Direct Admission of Students Abroad (DASA) and Central Seat Allocation Board (CSAB) special categories, the NIT-Rourkela has created a single common portal. The move is aimed at simplifying admission process for foreign-origin and NRI students. As coordinating institute for both DASA and CSAB, NIT-R has announced commencement of a common registration process for candidates seeking admission to undergraduate programmes. The institutes include 31 NITs, 26 IIITs, one IIEST, three SPAs and 44 technical institutes funded fully or partially by the central or state government for the academic year 2025-26. Students from over 50 countries including NRIs and Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs)/ Persons of Indian Origins (PIOs) are allowed admission in higher institutions through DASA. On the other hand, CSAB Special is primarily meant for students with Indian citizenship. CSAB-Special conducts supplementary admission rounds held after Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA) to utilise the remaining seats across various centrally funded technical institutes and help prevent wastage. Reliable sources in the NIT-R explained that candidates with NRI status are eligible for admission both under DASA and CSAB-Special categories, while from 2023 onwards the candidates with OCI and PIO status too became eligible to apply in both categories. Previously, they were needed to apply in different portals making the process for seat allocation cumbersome and overlapping of applications also created confusion. Integration of two separate platforms with introduction of a common portal ( provides single registration window for two distinct admission schemes and will help reduce administrative burden, ensure clear timelines and simplify document handling or onboarding process, they added. Chairman for DASA & CSAB 2025 and NIT-R Director Prof. K Umamaheshwar Rao said the coordinated admission process reflects Indian government's commitment to simplifying global access to its higher education institutions. Chairman of the local organising committee Prof. Anindya Basu of NIT-R said students of Indian origin from across the world will now have access to a seamless, transparent, and integrated admission process. The joint portal will remove procedural overlaps, reduce candidate stress, and reflect India's commitment to modernising education governance, he added.
USA Today
6 days ago
- Business
- USA Today
DASA, Latin America's Largest Diagnostic Provider, Selects AGFA HealthCare's Enterprise Imaging Platform in Flagship Agreement
AGFA HealthCare is proud to announce a landmark achievement: the adoption of its Enterprise Imaging Platform by the largest integrated health network in Latin America – and the fifth largest globally. DASA (Diagnósticos da América S.A.) operates an extensive hospital network across Brazil and Argentina, bringing together more than 40 healthcare provider brands. In 2024, DASA and Amil announced the creation of a joint venture that consolidates 25 hospitals and over 4,400 beds, making DASA the second largest hospital group in Brazil. With 321 branches across Brazil, DASA delivers more than 15.2 million clinical studies per year, serves 55,000 patients daily, and processes around 10 million tests monthly – solidifying its leading role in healthcare delivery across the region. AGFA HealthCare After a thorough evaluation process, DASA selected AGFA HealthCare's Enterprise Imaging Platform. Key moments in the decision journey included live demonstrations at HIMSS 2024 and JPR 2024, as well as the confidence inspired by AGFA's local partner, Konimagem. A pivotal moment came during reference site visits to customers in Chile, where DASA witnessed the tangible clinical and operational benefits of the Enterprise Imaging Platform. As a long-time user of Picture Archiving Communications systems and Radiology Information Systems, DASA sought to unify its imaging IT ecosystem – replacing five legacy systems with a single, integrated platform. Given the scope and complexity of the project, deployment has been strategically phased. The initial three-phase implementation is already underway, and plans for 2025 include a potential expansion across the entire DASA network, supporting up to 15 million studies annually. AGFA HealthCare's next-generation Enterprise Imaging Platform continues to reshape how clinicians harness innovation, whilst delivering a more comfortable and intuitive experience throughout their imaging journey. With advanced capabilities such as Pixel Streaming, Workflow Orchestration, Augmented Intelligence, Interoperability, and Cloud deployment, radiologists benefit from true image fidelity, instant collaboration, and smarter workflows. DASA's adoption of the AGFA HealthCare Enterprise Imaging Platform now positions them as innovation leaders in Latin America, accelerating the shift toward modern, connected care. Silvio Selvaggio, Regional President for Latin America at AGFA HealthCare, commented: 'Our renewed presence in Brazil, and strong market reputation in Latin America, has instilled deep confidence in our Enterprise Imaging Platform. This trust is built on both measurable customer experiences and our consistent delivery-even in highly complex environments. We are proud to bring such advanced Imaging IT solutions to Brazil and are confident this collaboration with DASA will set a new standard for Enterprise Imaging in the region.' AGFA HealthCare's strategic partner in Brazil, Konimagem, played a pivotal role in this success. Their deep understanding of the Brazilian healthcare landscape, strong relationships, and active engagement with DASA were instrumental. The AGFA HealthCare/Konimagem alliance remains a key driver of regional growth; this achievement stands as a testament to our shared vision and collaborative spirit. We warmly welcome DASA to #TeamAGFA and look forward to a long and prosperous collaboration with this esteemed healthcare leader. About AGFA HealthCare At AGFA HealthCare, we are transforming the delivery of care – supporting healthcare professionals across the globe with secure, effective, and sustainable imaging data management. As a company, we are dedicated to our customers, and we have harnessed a value framework of Mission, Vision and Customer Delivery Principles into our routine operations. Through these principles, we commit a consistent high-yield code of conduct to our associates – channeling our experience and aspirations to all of our stakeholders. Our Empowerer profile supports our focus on creating an exceptional experience through the power of technology and is an integral foundation to our company standards. AGFA HealthCare is a division of the Agfa-Gevaert Group. For more information on AGFA HealthCare, please visit AGFA and the Agfa rhombus are registered trademarks of Agfa-Gevaert N.V. Belgium or its affiliates. All rights reserved. All information contained herein is intended for guidance purposes only, and the characteristics of the products and services described in this publication can be changed at any time without notice. Products and services may not be available for your local area. Please contact your local sales representative for availability information. AGFA HealthCare diligently strives to provide as accurate information as possible but shall not be responsible for any typographical error. SOURCE: AGFA HealthCare View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire
Associated Press
6 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
DASA, Latin America's Largest Diagnostic Provider, Selects AGFA HealthCare's Enterprise Imaging Platform in Flagship Agreement
AGFA HealthCare is proud to announce a landmark achievement: the adoption of its Enterprise Imaging Platform by the largest integrated health network in Latin America - and the fifth largest globally. MORTSEL, BE / ACCESS Newswire / July 1, 2025 / DASA (Diagnósticos da América S.A.) operates an extensive hospital network across Brazil and Argentina, bringing together more than 40 healthcare provider brands. In 2024, DASA and Amil announced the creation of a joint venture that consolidates 25 hospitals and over 4,400 beds, making DASA the second largest hospital group in Brazil. With 321 branches across Brazil, DASA delivers more than 15.2 million clinical studies per year, serves 55,000 patients daily, and processes around 10 million tests monthly - solidifying its leading role in healthcare delivery across the HealthCare After a thorough evaluation process, DASA selected AGFA HealthCare's Enterprise Imaging Platform. Key moments in the decision journey included live demonstrations at HIMSS 2024 and JPR 2024, as well as the confidence inspired by AGFA's local partner, Konimagem. A pivotal moment came during reference site visits to customers in Chile, where DASA witnessed the tangible clinical and operational benefits of the Enterprise Imaging Platform. As a long-time user of Picture Archiving Communications systems and Radiology Information Systems, DASA sought to unify its imaging IT ecosystem - replacing five legacy systems with a single, integrated platform. Given the scope and complexity of the project, deployment has been strategically phased. The initial three-phase implementation is already underway, and plans for 2025 include a potential expansion across the entire DASA network, supporting up to 15 million studies annually. AGFA HealthCare's next-generation Enterprise Imaging Platform continues to reshape how clinicians harness innovation, whilst delivering a more comfortable and intuitive experience throughout their imaging journey. With advanced capabilities such as Pixel Streaming, Workflow Orchestration, Augmented Intelligence, Interoperability, and Cloud deployment, radiologists benefit from true image fidelity, instant collaboration, and smarter workflows. DASA's adoption of the AGFA HealthCare Enterprise Imaging Platform now positions them as innovation leaders in Latin America, accelerating the shift toward modern, connected care. Silvio Selvaggio, Regional President for Latin America at AGFA HealthCare, commented: 'Our renewed presence in Brazil, and strong market reputation in Latin America, has instilled deep confidence in our Enterprise Imaging Platform. This trust is built on both measurable customer experiences and our consistent delivery-even in highly complex environments. We are proud to bring such advanced Imaging IT solutions to Brazil and are confident this collaboration with DASA will set a new standard for Enterprise Imaging in the region.' AGFA HealthCare's strategic partner in Brazil, Konimagem, played a pivotal role in this success. Their deep understanding of the Brazilian healthcare landscape, strong relationships, and active engagement with DASA were instrumental. The AGFA HealthCare/Konimagem alliance remains a key driver of regional growth; this achievement stands as a testament to our shared vision and collaborative spirit. We warmly welcome DASA to #TeamAGFA and look forward to a long and prosperous collaboration with this esteemed healthcare leader. About AGFA HealthCare At AGFA HealthCare, we are transforming the delivery of care - supporting healthcare professionals across the globe with secure, effective, and sustainable imaging data management. As a company, we are dedicated to our customers, and we have harnessed a value framework of Mission, Vision and Customer Delivery Principles into our routine operations. Through these principles, we commit a consistent high-yield code of conduct to our associates - channeling our experience and aspirations to all of our stakeholders. Our Empowerer profile supports our focus on creating an exceptional experience through the power of technology and is an integral foundation to our company standards. AGFA HealthCare is a division of the Agfa-Gevaert Group. For more information on AGFA HealthCare, please visit AGFA and the Agfa rhombus are registered trademarks of Agfa-Gevaert N.V. Belgium or its affiliates. All rights reserved. All information contained herein is intended for guidance purposes only, and the characteristics of the products and services described in this publication can be changed at any time without notice. Products and services may not be available for your local area. Please contact your local sales representative for availability information. AGFA HealthCare diligently strives to provide as accurate information as possible but shall not be responsible for any typographical error. Contact InformationJessica Baldry Global Marketing & Communications Manager, AGFA HealthCare +44 7583 203971Viviane Dictus Corporate Press Relations +32 3 444 71 24 SOURCE: AGFA HealthCare press release
The Herald Scotland
19-05-2025
- The Herald Scotland
Crown Office fears over new non-fatal strangulation law
The committee is currently considering a petition from Fiona Drouet, whose daughter Emily took her own life after being slapped and choked by her partner, Angus Milligan. They are due to hear from Ms Drouet, as well as prosecutors and police and independent experts on Wednesday. Scotland is the only part of the UK without specific legislation. Westminster recently amended the Domestic Abuse Act to introduce a standalone offence of strangulation or suffocation in England and Wales. In her petition to the Scottish Parliament, Ms Drouet told MSPs that non-fatal strangulation was 'a significant predictor of homicide in abusive relationships, with victims being eight times more likely to be killed'. READ MORE: Dr Emma Forbes, National Lead for Domestic Abuse at COPFS, told the committee: 'Scots law currently criminalises non-fatal strangulation and there is not a gap in the law that was present in the other identified jurisdictions to necessitate a standalone offence of non-fatal strangulation. 'Scotland does not need to replicate other jurisdictions in creating a standalone offence to 'keep pace'; rather, it should reflect the fact that other jurisdictions are catching up with the Scottish approach. 'This is not a rationale to stand still, and there remains significant work to ensure an effective and robust criminal justice response to non-fatal strangulation.' Dr Forbes warned that introducing a standalone offence could mean such incidents would not be included as part of the pattern of abuse under the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act (DASA), making it harder to build a comprehensive case and secure convictions. She said the current law in Scotland already provides 'unlimited sentencing power where the offence is prosecuted as a common law offence and a maximum sentence of 14 years when prosecuted as part of a DASA charge'. 'There is no requirement to prove any injury or harm as a result of the strangulation provided it is intentional,' she said. Police Scotland expressed similar concerns. While acknowledging the severity of non-fatal strangulation, officers warned that creating a new offence could 'minimise opportunities to build a DASA case'. Assistant Chief Constable Steve Johnson told the committee: 'From an investigative perspective, all evidential opportunities would be considered at every incident of non-fatal strangulation — such as a forensic medical examination to document injuries, along with scenes of crime officers seizing evidential samples and photographing injuries. 'The severity of the incident would be supported by a statement from a medical professional, which would influence the charge libelled.' However, he warned that treating non-fatal strangulation in isolation or presenting it to the court as a single incident 'could minimise opportunities to build a DASA case — to truly reflect the abuse experienced by a victim or survivor and the risk presented by a perpetrator'. The ACC stressed that non-fatal strangulation is already captured by existing offences, but said more must be done to improve public awareness. 'There is a need for a greater societal awareness on the use of non-fatal strangulation by perpetrators — not just in the context of offending, but including the psychological harm that it can cause, and its use as a tool by perpetrators in wider patterns of abuse.' The committee is also due to hear from Professor Cath White, Medical Director of the Institute for Addressing Strangulation, who supports creating a standalone offence due to the extreme psychological and physical harm involved. She cited research showing that more than half of women killed by a partner had previously been strangled. 'It is well recognised that non-fatal strangulation can quickly have devastating consequences — including stroke, carotid artery dissection, nerve damage, with minimal force. In addition to any neurological or vascular damage leading to possible cognitive and behavioural changes, there is also the potential for significant psychological trauma.' She added: 'There is increasing recognition of the increase in suicide by those subjected to domestic abuse, including non-fatal strangulation. 'My belief is that by making non-fatal strangulation a stand-alone offence, it raises awareness of the crime amongst professionals — health as well as criminal justice — and the public, making it more likely that it will be treated with the seriousness that is required.' READ MORE: Ms Drouet's daughter Emily met Milligan at Aberdeen University's Hillhead halls of residence. Within weeks, she was being regularly physically and verbally abused. Her family, unaware of the violence, only saw a photograph of her injuries after she died by suicide in March 2016. At Aberdeen Sheriff Court, Milligan admitted choking the 18-year-old, pushing her against a desk and slapping her eight days before her death. He was seen on CCTV leaving her room minutes before she was found dead. Sheriff Malcolm Garden branded Milligan 'controlling and ultimately violent', but said he was powerless to jail him. Milligan was sentenced to 12 months' supervision and ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work as part of a community payback order — later reduced to 120 hours.
The National
11-05-2025
- The National
How has Scotland's ‘gold standard' law supported victims?
Dr Marsha Scott, CEO of Scottish Women's Aid, sums up the feelings of leading victims' advocates on how the criminal court system is working for domestic abuse survivors, six years after the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 (DASA) came into force. The legislation, lauded by campaigners as the 'gold standard', created a new criminal offence of coercive control, defined as 'engaging in a course of behaviour which is abusive of a partner or ex-partner'. READ MORE: Charities blame cost-cutting for lack of specialist domestic abuse courts Despite progress, Scott feels the criminal justice system continues to demonstrate long-standing misconceptions. 'It is difficult to overcome this notion of domestic abuse as physical violence, and of physical violence being more serious than coercive and controlling behaviours – which is not what women and children have said for decades.' While the concept of 'coercive control' is now broadly understood, Scott says the problem lies with a perception that this is somehow distinct from 'domestic abuse', whereas 'pretty much every domestic abuse case includes coercion'. 'Another myth in the system' which Scott says has persisted is that if a father 'wasn't physically abusive to the children, then he must be a safe enough father'. This, she argues, is why child aggravators on domestic abuse convictions remain underused. This is despite the fact that one of the achievements of DASA was that harsher sentences can be applied where a 'reasonable person' would consider that the behaviour would cause a child to suffer harm, even where the child is not the focus of the abuse. In the face of gaps in both understanding and resources, experts in victims' experiences paint a picture of a system which has yet to catch up with the legislation at its disposal. Gemma Gall of domestic abuse charity SafeLives points to the statistics which underline this issue: 'If you look at the number of charges there were last year that were domestic abuse in nature, there were more than 30,000 charges and less than 2000 of those were DASA charges. 'That leads me to question: are there other cases where that could have been applied? We're still falling back into laws that would have been used before 2018 – assaults, sexual violence, threatening and abusive behaviour – but we're not tying it all together as well.' Gall was a Domestic Abuse Court Advocacy (DACA) worker before and after the introduction of the legislation, supporting victims to navigate the criminal court process. Now, she's leading on a programme of standards and accreditation for DACA workers, with a view to ensuring everyone who needs this kind of support is able to access it. Currently, 13 of Scotland's 32 local authorities don't have an established DACA service. Without someone to advise and advocate for them, Gall says survivors can find the process 'disempowering, like you're being treated as a piece of evidence or as a witness in a case that's very personal to you'. Positively, Gall stresses that, since the introduction of DASA, there has been a recognition from the Scottish Government that court advocacy is needed, backed by funding to 'look at ways to really centre victims', like SafeLives's work. That being said, she notes that much of the funding for advocacy services is part of the time-limited Victim Centred Approach Fund and Equally Safe Fund, so questions remain about 'what's beyond that'. According to Cynthia Gimenez, team leader of the Edinburgh Domestic Abuse Court Service (EDDACS), run by Edinburgh Women's Aid, the need for advocacy services is accentuated by the fact that 'the majority of women that go through court for domestic abuse find it re-traumatising'. READ MORE: Wildfire 'bigger than five football pitches' near Scottish town This is the result of a variety of factors. For one, while there are special measures that can be provided by courts to keep vulnerable witnesses safe during the process – such as the ability to provide evidence from a remote location or from a separate room – Gimenez says these are 'not always available' because of a 'lack of resources'. One of EDDACS's roles is to ensure victims are informed of the outcomes of hearings, however, Gimenez says the court doesn't always provide that information on the same day, resulting in situations where the victim 'might not feel safe to leave the house'. 'You don't know if the bail conditions have changed. You don't know if someone was in custody and has been released that day. You don't know if the case hasn't been taken forward because of a lack of evidence. If you are going to be trauma-informed, you would think that's essential,' she says. Ultimately, the fact that cases can take years to be prosecuted only exacerbates these issues. 'The delays are what increases that feeling of, what's the point? Why did I go through all of this – this horrific process where I was feeling unsafe and which might have potentially caused the situation to escalate – if I wasn't going to get anything out of it, if I wasn't going to feel safer at the end of it?' she says. Fiona McMullen, operations manager at Assist, a domestic abuse court advocacy service which serves 13 local authorities, echoes these concerns, while stressing that she 'would always encourage victims to report'. She adds: 'We have to acknowledge how far we've come.' One of the key achievements of DASA, McMullen says, was that it is now mandatory for sheriffs to consider non-harassment orders (NHOs) in domestic abuse cases. 'That was huge to us,' she recalls. However, sheriffs do not grant NHOs after every conviction, even where this has been requested by the victim. 'This is the biggest letdown for our clients. They've been through that journey, they've often had to give evidence – because perpetrators of domestic abuse will often not plead guilty – then they don't get a non-harassment order,' McMullen says. Another positive development which McMullen highlights is the introduction of case management pilots which are rolling out across Scotland in summary (non-jury) cases. This effectively means that the defence and prosecution can see the evidence 'earlier in the process and can better inform the plea being made', she explains. 'It reduces the need for the victim and witnesses to give evidence in court,' McMullen says, and the aim is to 'bring about early resolutions'. While this is 'very helpful', McMullen warns of a need to ensure that sheriffs 'are still sentencing robustly', which is not always the case. 'We need to make sure we're not just saying, well, they pled guilty early, so we'll admonish them, or it's a fine – and fines are inappropriate in domestic abuse cases, because you're putting a financial cost on someone's abuse,' she says. In McMullen's experience, what domestic abuse victims are looking for from the criminal justice system is 'protection' and 'something to stop the abuse'. She adds: 'If a sheriff isn't putting in a sentence that does any of that, that's when victims might begin to lose faith in the system.' Still, each of these advocates for survivors believe a better system is in reach. Gall emphasises that 'there are so many motivated people within these systems trying to make that change'. One example she highlights is that the Crown Office and Prosecution Service (COPFS) has accepted all recommendations of a recent inspection report on domestic abuse. Another is the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill, which aims to improve victims' experiences with a particular focus on sexual violence cases. Gimenez feels that an important step the courts and prosecution service could take is to ensure that training in domestic abuse for all staff is made 'mandatory and embedded into their usual practice, because it constitutes a lot of the cases that are going through court'. READ MORE: Scottish musician releases single condemning Israel's war crimes in Gaza For Scott – having contributed to the training for sheriffs in the Domestic Abuse Scotland Act and observing 'no sign of improvement in sheriffs' judgements in the context of domestic abuse' – the key to change is 'accountability'. Scott says: 'The critical thing which is missing is a system that says, in order to uphold the law in Scotland, you need to be able to do these things – and if you're not doing these things in your courtroom, or in your police call, or prosecution, then you're not doing your job competently.' A recurring theme, which McMullen articulates, is that the knowledge is already there on how to deliver a system that works for victims: 'That's court advocacy, it's police resource, it's resource within COPFS to make sure that victims are engaged, and it's robust sentencing and perpetrator programmes available across Scotland which address the offending.' In many areas, McMullen says, what's missing is the resource: 'We know what good looks like – but we need the resources to deliver it.'
