Latest news with #Jayasree
The Hindu
05-07-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Misuse of twin bins continues to worry Kozhikode Corporation
It was a rush of pride that Manjima R.V., a homemaker from Elathur, felt as she saw the twin waste bins set up all along major roads in Kozhikode city for the first time. But her pride was short-lived as she found bags of waste dumped all around one such bin in the heart of the city. 'These bins look so classy and give a character to its surroundings. But the misuse defeats the purpose,' she lamented. The Kozhikode Corporation has set up twin steel bins all across the city to keep roads clean and encourage commuters to deposit minor waste such as toffee or biscuit wrappers promptly in the bins. But it has turned out to be a headache for the civic body in some parts of the city as people tend to deposit their household waste, including food and diapers, in and around the bins. 'We caught a few people red-handed and fined them. Our cleaning staff clears the bins promptly in the morning. But bags of waste appear around them within hours,' said S. Jayasree, health standing committee chairperson of the Corporation. The Corporation has appointed one extra employee in every health circle to ensure that the bins are cleared promptly. Besides, there are plans to absorb around 100 more people into the force. Ms. Jayasree said the Haritha Mitram mobile application that enabled the collection of household waste had 95% coverage in the city, and that most households cooperated with the Haritha Karma Sena. However, there are exceptions. 'We can educate only those who are unaware of the services we provide. This misuse of bins seems to be a deliberate mischief,' she added. She complained that the steel lids of the bins had been forcefully removed in some places. 'Depositing diapers and medical waste in the bins is a source of discomfort for cleaning workers. We have the 'Aakri' mobile application for efficient disposal of biomedical waste, including diapers and sanitary napkins, besides tubes and syringes. For those who cannot afford the services of the app, the Corporation supports them financially,' she added. Ms. Jayasree said the extra effort being put in for waste management due to the misuse of the bins was draining the Corporation of valuable funds and manpower that could have been put to positive use.
Time of India
09-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
After Roshni, Jyothi to show migrant children in Kerala the way
Kochi: The Roshni project was launched by the Ernakulam district administration in 2017 with an intent to ease the language learning challenges of migrant children, thereby helping reduce dropouts among students. Buoyed by its success, the state govt, with the help of local bodies, is set to roll out a new project titled 'Jyothi' to ensure the uninterrupted schooling of migrant children by monitoring their school attendance through panchayat members. "So far, the inclusive nature of Kerala society in general and projects like Roshni have provided a healthy environment for migrant children's learning. From this year, through Jyothi, we are hoping to extend the reach across all schools in the state," said state council of educational research & training director Jayaprakash R K. According to officials' estimates, Roshni project has helped reduce the dropout rates of migrant children by 60%. However, the implementation of similar programmes in the state faces several roadblocks. Roshni project's academic coordinator Jayasree Kulakkunnath said one of the most challenging aspects before the education department is the intra-state migration of labourers. "The existing dropout rates are not due to the inefficiency of the student or the education department, but because many leave school education due to intra-state migration," said Jayasree. She said a panchayat-level register of migrant students is required. Also it must be ensured that if a student leaves a school, they join another institution wherever their parents are moving to. She said as many of the students are first-generation learners, it is the state's responsibility to ensure that the children continue their education despite their parents' intra-state migration. Jayasree said yet another challenge faced by the educators of Roshni project is to convince the parents that their female students join for higher education. "Many of these students come from communities where early marriage is a norm," Jayasree said. "Convincing parents to let their daughters continue schooling, let alone pursue higher education, is an uphill task. But we're patient. This is a slow movement. One step at a time," she added.
India Today
19-05-2025
- Health
- India Today
Bridging Science and Impact: Jayasree K. Iyer on Expanding Global Access to Medicine
Jayasree K. Iyer, CEO of the Access to Medicine Foundation, began her professional journey as an infectious disease scientist. Over time, her focus shifted from laboratory research to driving broader systems-level change, where she saw greater potential to improve healthcare access for underserved populations. Recognizing that scientific progress alone is insufficient without practical implementation, Jayasree transitioned into roles that connected private companies with public organizations, helping to close the gaps between innovation and in her career, Jayasree committed to designing tools and applying data to support more efficient and equitable healthcare delivery. Her work has consistently emphasized cross-sector collaboration, with the aim of building systems that ensure healthcare innovations reach the populations that need them most. Growing up in Singapore during rapid development, Jayasree gained firsthand exposure to the stark contrast in health outcomes across countries. Whether in the U.S. or lower-income nations, she observed common challenges such as limited availability of vaccines and treatments. These experiences shaped her decision to transition from vaccine research to the broader field of access to medicine, driven by the belief that systemic change can lead to measurable improvements in global joining the Access to Medicine Foundation over a decade ago, first as Head of Research and then as CEO in 2015, Jayasree has helped grow the organization from a small team of two to nearly 50 staff. The foundation plays a key role in assessing how pharmaceutical companies perform in addressing health needs in low- and middle-income countries. Tools like the Access to Medicine Index and the Antimicrobial Resistance Benchmark are central to its strategy. These resources publicly track company actions, identify areas for improvement, and highlight best practices to guide decision-making and encourage further Jayasree's leadership, the foundation has upheld a strict commitment to independence. It does not accept funding from the pharmaceutical industry, a policy that reinforces its credibility and ensures impartiality. The Foundation's approach is grounded in four core values: independence, credibility through rigorous research and transparency, a solution-oriented mindset, and collaboration to drive cross-sector healthcare industry has undergone substantial transformation in recent years, with a growing focus on targeted therapies, non-communicable diseases, and antimicrobial resistance. Jayasree and her team have responded by broadening the foundation's scope and adapting its research to reflect these trends. They have also expanded engagement with stakeholders beyond pharmaceutical companies, including investors and policymakers, recognizing that lasting progress depends on system-wide participation. Operating in this unique space—engaged with the pharmaceutical industry while holding it accountable—presents challenges. Jayasree notes that assumptions about the Foundation's role and goals can arise. In addition, while patient advocates and global health partners often demand swift progress, real change within complex systems takes time. Trust-building, geopolitical dynamics, and business realities all influence the pace of transformation. To navigate these pressures, the Foundation relies on data, transparency, and a focus on scalable solutions that build on what already area of increasing attention for the Foundation is women's health. Jayasree has led the launch of the Health Equity Through Her Lens campaign, which brings together female leaders from across the global health landscape to address persistent inequalities. This initiative aims to elevate women's health as a core priority for the pharmaceutical sector and encourages alignment of corporate strategies with equity-focused goals. The Foundation also continues to deepen its focus on infectious diseases and emerging health threats like antimicrobial ahead, Jayasree envisions a pharmaceutical industry where access to medicine is not treated as a side program but is integrated throughout business operations. She sees her role as both a steward of the progress made and a catalyst for accelerating broader change. For Jayasree, equitable access must become a central, measurable component of how global health systems operate, ensuring that scientific innovation leads to improved outcomes for The material and information contained are for advertorial purposes only. India Today holds no responsibility for the content written on the website as a basis for making any business, legal, or any other decision. Any reliance placed on such material is at your own risk. advertisement
