13, Sep 2023
Bharti Foundation in collaboration with Directorate of School Education
13 September 2023, Jammu: Bharti Foundation in collaboration with The Directorate of School Education (DSEJ), Jammuis extending its ‘Life Skill Development among Students through House System’ project under its Satya Bharti Quality Support Program – At Scale to more than 3,500+ Government Middle Schools of Jammu.
The program lays emphasis on building the capacities of head of schools and teachers to enable students with 21st century skills. The project is being led by the Counselling Cell with support of Aadharshila and Cultural Innovation Cells at DSEJ. Dedicated team from Bharti Foundation will impart training to resource persons to help implement the project. These resource persons will further support schools in developing a comprehensive understanding of life skills education and buildingthe skills through school activities.
In August 2022, the first round of training was organised for more than 390 resource persons who cascaded the life skill development training to 8,500+ teachers from 1,100+ Government High and Higher Secondary Schools in Jammu, benefitting more than 2 lakh students. This year, along with offline training, online training and webinars have also been designed to equip resource persons to support heads of schools and teachers effectively.
Speaking on the occasion, Sh. Ashok Sharma, Director of School Education Jammu, acknowledged the Bharti Foundation and applauded the program which intends to build critical life skills such as problem-solving, collaboration, managing emotions, creative thinking, etc. in line with National Education Policy 2020. He said, “strengthening of healthy competition among students in the house system will create positive impact and prepare students for the real-world challenges.”
Dr Romesh Kumar, Head Counselling Cell DSEJ, who happens to be the Nodal officer for the program, opined that this program will offer a paradigm shift in how schools function. It will be very meaningful to conduct co-scholastic activities with “life skills development” as an end in mind.
Speaking on the successful extension of the project, Mamta Saikia, CEO-Bharti Foundation said, “Bharti Foundation has been working in the field of education in rural India for the past 20 years. It is our belief that life skills among students is an important area to work on and can be best delivered to the students when integrated with various school activities. Thanking the Directorate of School Education, Jammu, and all those who are involved in this ambitious project to support Bharti Foundation in creating a meaningful impact.”
Suraj Singh Rathore, CEO of Jammu, addressed while the program was anchored by Dr Sharma from Counselling Cell DSEJ. Other prominent people, present on the occasion, included HR Pakhroo, Joint Director (SE), Devender Singh Manhas, DEPO Jammu,Team members of Bharti foundation, Surjeet Singh, Incharge Cultural Cell DSEJ and other team members of Counselling Cell DSEJ.
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- By Rabindra
13, Sep 2023
NTPC Ltd. pays Final Dividend of Rs. 2,908.99 Crore for FY 2022-23
Mumbai, 13th Sep 2023 : NTPC Ltd., India’s leading power generation company, has announced the payment of its Final Dividend for the financial year 2022-23. This Final Dividend payment of Rs 2908.99 crore constitutes 30.00% of the paid-up equity share capital of NTPC Ltd.
The total dividend disbursed for FY 2022-23 stands at an impressive Rs. 7,030.08 crore, being 41% of the Profit After Tax (PAT) for the financial year.
This marks the 30th consecutive year in which the company has distributed dividends, underscoring its dedication to providing consistent returns to its investors.
As a key player in the Indian energy sector, NTPC Ltd. continues to drive excellence, sustainable growth, and shareholder satisfaction through its strategic initiatives and robust financial performance.
13, Sep 2023
Parle Krackjack launches TV campaign with new sweet and salty avatars
Mumbai, 13th September, 2023: Parle Products, the largest selling biscuit brand has released its latest campaign for KrackJack. This latest iteration of the Parle Krackjack campaign adds to the legacy of a brand that has been loved by the nation for over half a century. It carries forward the same set of delightfully whacky ideas to a new generation of Krackjack connoisseurs.
The three-film campaign created by Thought Blurb Communications tells stories of conundrums that are solved in hilarious ways by the two protagonists, Krack (played by Dharmesh Yelande) and Jack (played by Raghav Juyal). They have different sweet and salty perspectives, that brings alive the idea- “Sweet and Salty saath jab aaye, baat ban jaaye”.
The over-the-top style of humour follows a legacy that was started in the 90s with Boman Irani and Vijay Patkar playing the titular roles. The torch then passed on to Swapnil Joshi and Gaurav Gera in the noughties, and after a decade, Krackjack has now found renewed vigour with Raghav Juyal and Dharmesh Yelande.
Mayank Shah, Senior Category Head, Parle Products, speaks about Krackjack and the direction it has taken over the years. “Krackjack is the first biscuit in India to find that magical spot in the consumer’s palate with a flavour that tickles sweet and salty taste buds. When the flavour is so out-of-the ordinary, how can its communication not be unusual? Over the years, the characters Krack & Jack, have endeared themselves to audiences across the country. Every new generation resonates with these sweet and salty characters. Dharmesh and Raghav are new age celebrities with a wide fan following among the youth. More importantly, we chose them because we felt they have a spontaneity in their repartee, which is key to the brand’s communication.”
Vinod Kunj, Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Thought Blurb Communications echoes the sentiment and explains the challenges, “It’s a big challenge to work on a legacy brand like Krackjack with a high decibel legacy communication. When we got the brief we were clear that we have to carry forward the torch to the next generation of audiences across India. Not only do we have to appeal to a wide section of audiences across socio economic segments, we also had to touch their funny bone. Evidenced by the viewer responses we have received, the execution seems to have hit the bull’s eye. The dash of rollicking humour coating the films make them entirely enjoyable.”
Joining in with her perspective on the creative execution, Renu Somani, National Creative Director, Thought Blurb adds, “We started off with a product that is sweet but also has salty overtones. That kind of dictated the tone and tenor of the campaign. In one of the brain storming sessions when the strategy team came up with the idea of ‘contrarian views working towards a common goal’ we knew we had our campaign. This in turn finds resonance in the claim – ‘sweet aur salty saath jab aaye, baat ban jaaye’. The fun part was working with the film crew to get Dharmesh and Raghav to work in tandem to translate this strange combination of diametrically opposite views. We wanted the viewers to have fun, and I think that has come out quite well.”
13, Sep 2023
Madverse Music onboards artists from Tier 2 and 3 cities and from across India
Mumbai, 13th September 2023:– Madverse Music, a leading platform for independent artists, proudly announces a significant milestone, onboarding over 8000+ talented artists to its global community. With a mission to unite nations through music, Madverse Music offers a one-stop solution for artists to showcase their talent and reach a diverse audience worldwide.
In India, Madverse Music enjoys a robust presence in all major cities as artists descend in huge numbers from places such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Jaipur, Pune, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Indore, Nagpur to name the top 10 cities from where numerous talented artists are showcasing their artistry and connecting with fans.
From gully boys to secret superstars, MADverse is giving a platform to every artist out there to be at the forefront of the industry without any barriers and to live dreams.
Rohan Nesho Jain, Founder and CEO, Madverse Music said, “We are thrilled to have achieved this remarkable feat of onboarding 8000+ artists to our platform. It is great to see that the talent from smaller cities of the country is also coming forward. Madverse Music has always been committed to providing a supportive and inclusive space for independent artists to showcase their creativity. By bringing together talented artists from various corners of the world, we aim to create a melting pot of cultures, musical genres, and artistic expressions that resonate with audiences universally.”
Madverse Music has rapidly expanded its reach and presence, currently covering more than 200+ cities across India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Korea, the UK, the US, Nigeria, and other countries. The platform’s dedication to empowering artists has attracted a diverse pool of talent from across the globe, fostering a vibrant community of musicians.
The platform has also expanded its reach globally, with artists from diverse countries like the African, Netherlands, Mexico, Russia, Malaysia, Nigeria, Sweden, UAE, and LA.
Madverse Music continues to serve as a bridge between artists and music lovers worldwide, fostering a vibrant community that celebrates creativity, diversity, and the universal language of music.
13, Sep 2023
UNDP India partners with NABARD to boost data-driven innovations in agriculture
September 13, New Delhi: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to co-create data-driven innovations in agriculture and food systems to support smallholder farmers. Under this MoU, both organizations will work to improve the lives and livelihoods of smallholder farmers by sharing open-source data for product development, transfer of technology and supporting the framing of agrarian policies.
The MoU was signed by Chief General Manager of NABARD, Mr. Sanjeev Rohilla, and UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, Ms. Isabelle Tschan. Under the MoU, UNDP will leverage its expertise in open innovations, data collaboratives, data science approaches and global know-how for supporting NABARD’s agenda of embedding data-driven decision-making in agriculture investments.
The partnership includes enhancing and disseminating collaborative digital public goods like DiCRA (Data in Climate Resilient Agriculture). DiCRA is a collaborative digital public good which provides open access to key geospatial datasets pertinent to climate resilient agriculture. DiCRA, which is curated by UNDP and partner organizations to inform public investments in agriculture, already provides intelligence on climate resilience for 50 million hectares of farmland across India. By partnering for enhancing and scaling its use, NABARD will host and maintain the DiCRA platform and use its key geospatial datasets for policy making, research and development activities, with UNDP’s technical support.
This five-year technical cooperation is envisaged to foster collective climate action, create innovative platforms and new product offerings to enhance economic empowerment in rural India. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Shaji KV, Chairman of NABARD, said, “NABARD is extremely excited about this collaboration with UNDP. This opens a sea of opportunities for the two organizations to leverage data and present it as a digital public infrastructure for the vast rural Indian community of farmers. We are looking forward to deeper ties with UNDP as we progress, and this MoU is a step towards this direction.”
Reaffirming UNDP’s commitment, Ms. Isabelle Tschan, Deputy Resident Representative said, “Agriculture is the largest source of livelihoods in India employing 80% of rural women who are more vulnerable to climate change. DiCRA uses cutting edge data science and machine learning to identify farms that are resilient to climate change and those that are highly vulnerable. Such open data innovations can highlight best practices, optimize agriculture investments and shelter populations from risk. The collaboration with NABARD will strengthen our support to build sustainable agricultural practices and secure livelihoods reducing the vulnerability of small farm holders, especially women.”
The partnership will also help analyze agricultural trends over time to inform decisions about investments in various areas like watershed management, micro-irrigation, warehouse optimization, and climate-related initiatives, enhancing UNDP and NABARD’s data resources.
13, Sep 2023
Aatmanirbhar: The Roadmap to increased Localization and harnessing Export Potential – SIAM Annual Convention 2023
Mumbai, 13 September 2023: During the Valedictory session of the SIAM’s 63rd Annual Convention themed “‘Aatmanirbhar’– The Roadmap to Increased Localization and Harnessing Export Potential of the Indian Auto Industry”, the Chief Guest, Mr. Piyush Goyal, Hon’ble Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and Textiles, Government of India, stated, “Democracy, demographic dividend, and diversity are the three D’s propelling the automobile industry onto the fast lane. India’s has achieved ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in many ways and have joined the ranks of nations where basic life aspirations such as digital connectivity, road infrastructure, healthcare, and water supply are being fulfilled, a testament to the ‘new India’ that our people collectively strive for. Today, the middle class seeks value and pride in their automobile choices, driving significant market demand indigenously. We must encourage significant investment in electronic components and products made in India, boost R&D within our nation, and nurture domestic industries. We must also reduce our dependence on imports and should rather trust our localised capabilities within our own ecosystem.”
Addressing the session, Dr. Pawan Goenka, Chairman, Steering Committee on Advancing Local value-add & Exports (SCALE), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, said, “Indian automotive industry has long embodied self-reliance, and has been working for very long towards being Aatmanirbhar. Currently, we are the world’s third-largest automobile market and India has clear advantages in terms of its demographics, geopolitical positioning, and now, with our success at the G20. With being one of the largest markets, it is pertinent that efforts be placed to increase automotive exports and for that we need a dedicated task force that should work towards this goal. While we have come a long way in the domain of localization, true progress for the sector will be driven by the export market.”
Mr. Vinod Aggarwal, President, SIAM and Managing Director & CEO, Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles Ltd., and Mr. Sunjay Kapur, President, ACMA and Chairman,
Sona Comstar, were also present during the session.
13, Sep 2023
Heartfulness App is the Only Meditation App Supporting 11 Languages Including English, French and Ukrainian towards its goal of Universal Peace & Service to Humanity
New Delhi/Hyderabad/Mumbai, 13 September 2023: Heartfulness App, a premier meditation app by the Heartfulness Institute promotes meditation as a daily practice towards personal transformation. The free app that has more than 650,000 users is being brought in 11 languages and rapidly being adopted by over 700,000 users worldwide by both vernacular and international users. The app currently supports Gujarati, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Hindi, Odia, and Bengali. Among international languages, the app supports English, French and Ukrainian and there are more to be announced soon. The Heartfulness App remains dedicated to promoting inner peace and well-being among individuals across India and beyond. The number of Heartfulness app users is predicted at 1 million towards the end of the year.
The Heartfulness Meditation practice is rooted in the ancient system of pranahuti or yogic transmission which is practiced globally under the guidance of Rev. Daaji – Spiritual Guide of Heartfulness, President of Shri Ram Chandra Mission and Padma Bhushan awardee. The introduction of the Heartfulness App allows this practice available to everyone globally at their convenience.
The Heartfulness App is user-friendly and effective in making meditation a daily practice for users of all backgrounds and experience levels. All can now experience the benefits of meditation and inner peace.
Rev. Daaji – Spiritual Guide of Heartfulness, President of Shri Ram Chandra Mission and Padma Bhushan Awardee said, “We are proud to be the only meditation app currently supporting seven languages, including six major Indian languages. Our mission is to make meditation accessible to everyone, regardless of their background or location. My vision is to empower people to embrace the life-changing benefits of meditation and lead happier, healthier lives.”
Heartfulness practitioners including celebrities are also enthusiastic about the app. Ace badminton player P V Sindhu who is also a Heartfulness practitioner said, “Ace badminton player P V Sindhu who is also a Heartfulness practitioner said, “A lot of my performance in a match relies on my mental state before and during the match. I’ve been practicing heartfulness meditation for years, which has always given me clarity and sharp focus. It connects me with myself and brings inner peace. I’ve started using the Heartfulness App extensively lately. It has helped me maintain a consistent meditation practice, just like I do with my physical training. And the best part? I can meditate wherever and whenever I want. It’s like carrying peace in my pocket. I can set my daily meditation timings and schedule them on my calendar using the app, choose the duration of my meditation, select background music based on my mood, and connect and meditate with a trainer one-on-one. The mood meter feature tracks my emotions each day and witness my own transformation. The app has a built-in journal that lets tracking my progress. The Heartfulness app has truly been invaluable in making meditation a daily habit in my life. It’s intuitive, simple, user-friendly, and effective. With this app, I feel less stressed, more focused, and stronger.”
One can choose a simple 3-day, 15-minute meditation goal or a month-long 45-minute meditation goal and the progress is always accessible on your dashboard.
The Heartfulness App is available for download on iOS and Android devices. The app is completely free to any user.
13, Sep 2023
Sustainable Mobility Takes Center Stage at SIAM’s 63rd Annual Convention
Mumbai, 13 September 2023: Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), the apex body representing leading automobile manufacturers of the country, commemorated its 63rd Annual Convention deliberating on the way ahead for Sustainable Mobility.
On the Occasion of 63rd SIAM Annual Convention Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi in his message mentioned that for over six decades SIAM has been serving the Nation admirably. He said India is the 5th largest economy and is soon poised to reach top 3. Hon’ble Prime Minister also noted Indian Auto Industry’s efforts towards decarbonization through the introduction of vehicles with wide range of powertrain technologies. By 2047, we aspire to realize the vision of building a sustainable, self-reliant, strong and developed India.
The inaugural session, themed “Sustainable Mobility – The Way Ahead for Indian Automobile Industry”, Chief Guest, Shri Nitin Gadkari, Hon’ble Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways, Government of India commented, “In 2014, the global automobile sector was ranked 7th, but today, it has climbed to the 3rd position. The automotive sector serves as a growth engine for our nation, aligning perfectly with the honorable Prime Minister’s vision to elevate India from its current fifth largest economy in the world to third. Our ultimate goal is to become the world’s leading automobile hub.” He requested the auto industry to work on expeditiously increasing the share of green technologies, such as biofuels, electric and hydrogen. Higher use of biofuels will lead to aligning the auto industry’s approach with global biofuel alliance announced during the G20.
Guest of honor, Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey, Hon’ble Union Minister of Heavy Industries, Government of India said, “India’s commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2070 and reducing 1 billion tonnes of carbon emissions by 2030 aligns with the ambitious Amrit Kaal: Vision @ 2047.” He also announced that the Government of India has extended the PLI scheme by another year to enable the auto industry reap benefits of the incentives being provided for manufacturing advanced automotive technologies.
During the session, Mr. Vinod Aggarwal, President of SIAM and Managing Director & CEO of Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles Ltd., underscored the imperative need for sustainable mobility to secure a better tomorrow. He mentioned, “Over the past two years, we’ve witnessed remarkable growth, with the industry’s current size standing at INR 12.46 lakh crores, including exports worth INR 3 lakh crores.” He highlighted the six pillars of sustainability on which the auto industry and SIAM is presently focussing with close association with Government of India viz. Javik Pahal (biofuel), Vidyutikaran (electrification), Gas Gatisheelta (gaseous fuels), Harit Hydrogen (Green Hydrogen), Chakriyata (Recycling) and finally Surakshit Safar (Safe Journey). He also mentioned the progress undertaken by the industry to increase its localisation content.
Mr. Shailesh Chandra, Vice President of SIAM and Managing Director of Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd. and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility Ltd., said, “The Government’s commitment to the Amrit Kal vision 2027, along with the imperative to achieve net-zero emissions, sets the stage for a forward-looking India. We are witnessing a remarkable transition towards electric vehicles (EVs), aligning our industry with global benchmarks. SIAM has embarked on a proactive journey, with a strong focus on biofuels and a future centered around green energies. SIAM’s commitment not only resonates with India’s environmental goals but also underscores our dedication to saving lives on the road. Our collective commitment to sustainability is the path toward a safer, more holistic future that lies ahead for the country.”
Mr. R. Dinesh, President of CII and Executive Vice Chairman of TVS Supply Chain Solutions Ltd., was also present at the session.
13, Sep 2023
Ingka Centres and Le Marche Sign Agreement
Ingka Centres and Le Marche Sign Agreement to Open New Supermarket in Lykli Gurugram, Ingka Centres’ First Meeting Place in India
Ingka Centres introduces a fresh addition to its India-first Lykli Gurugram meeting place. The ground floor will feature Le Marche, a supermarket with a unique to India concept, developed exclusively for Lykli Gurugram meeting place. Earlier this year, Ingka Centres confirmed PVR Limited will operate a nine-screen movie multiplex as a part of a leisure offer in a new meeting place.
Gurugram, 13 September 2023: Ingka Centres and Le Marche have today announced the signing of the agreement for the supermarket to open on the ground floor of the Lykli meeting place in Gurugram. The new supermarket will offer a first-of-its-kind enhanced customer experience in its one-in-city format, occupying an area of 2,676 sqm.
Le Marche has curated a unique to India grocery store concept, to be implemented exclusively in Ingka Centres’ Lykli Gurugram meeting place. The supermarket will offer one of the widest variety of food products across all price points. There will be a significant focus on fresh produce from different regions and many live counters for customers to try out products from across India and the world. The live counters will also enable customers to learn about the usage of various food ingredients.
The in-store experience will be further enhanced by leveraging digital measures for customer awareness about products and offers, navigation inside the store, communicating product stories and multiple options for the end-to-end customer journey, from entry to checkout.
Announcing the agreement, Amit Dutta CEO ofLe Marche India,said,“Le Marche is thrilled and humbled to be the chosen partner for Ingka Centres’ first development in India. We understand that this is an opportunity and a responsibility in equal measure for us as we partner with Ingka Centres in creating this legacy. Keeping with the spirit of providing a best-in-class experience to our customers we have crafted a unique “one in a city concept” specifically for Lykli Gurugram meeting place to ensure that our visitors get an experience like none other. Together with Ingka Centres, we are confident of building a benchmark offering which will be a reflection of the new dawn in the space of grocery retailing – both physically and digitally.”
Mr. Vasco Santos, Global Sales & Leasing Director, Ingka Centres, commented: “I’m happy to welcome Le Marche to our future Lykli Gurugram meeting place. The supermarket will offer a unique grocery store concept and experience for customers, which can only be enjoyed at our meeting place.Together with our partners, we will work to deliver one-of-a-kind experiences for the many people of Delhi NCR and make Lykli Gurugram the destination to build emotional connections, eat, work, play and recharge.”
Lykli Gurugram is scheduled to open in late 2025. The meeting place will be anchored by IKEA and has been designed to meet local needs with a playful blend of dining and entertainment complemented by a diverse retail selection of both global and local brands. It will also provide high-class office facilities as well as spaces for community events. Ingka Centres’ Meeting Place concept is very different to the typical mall, providing a mixed-use destination that brings together the ‘many people’ in a place where they can work, play, meet, shop and spend time.
With a total investment of about INR 3500 crore, the new project is expected to witness an annual visitation of 20 million and has been designed to encourage relaxation, and mental and physical well-being to meet the needs of more than two million people across Gurugram and Delhi NCR.
13, Sep 2023
Orbis Sets up Regional Training Center for Patient Communication at PBMA’s H.V. Desai Eye Hospital
September 13, 2023: To strengthen the patient counseling infrastructure, Orbis, an international non-profit working towards the prevention and treatment of avoidable blindness, established a regional training center at its partner hospital PBMA’s H.V. Desai Eye Hospital, Pune on 11 September 2023. This strategic move aims to fortify the patient counseling infrastructure, ultimately elevating the quality of care being provided. Supported by the Foundation for Health and Mind Development, the regional training center will serve as a hub for offering courses and regular training programs on patient counseling and education for other hospitals in the western region of India. Patient counseling and education play a vital role in comprehensive medical and surgical treatment management.
The inauguration ceremony witnessed distinguished dignitaries, with Kenneth Youngstein, Founder of Foundation for Health and Mind Development, as the Chief Guest, and Rosemarie Barthelot, Regional HR Partner-Asia at Orbis, graced the occasion as the Guest of Honor.
Dr Rishi Raj Borah, Country Director – India, Orbis said, “Patient counselling is essential empower the patients and their families with to make informed decisions about their health and treatment. Effective patient counseling not only builds trust but also results in greater patient compliance.”
Speaking on the importance of patient counseling, Kenneth Youngstein, Founder, Foundation for Health and Mind Development, said, “It is only natural for a person to have their share of uncertainty and fear before opting for any surgical intervention or medical treatment. This is where communication between a counselor, the patient, and the patient’s family plays a critical role. This counseling will encompass identifying and addressing patient concerns, possible risks, benefits, or any complications associated with the medical intervention. Patient counseling makes traversing the whole treatment process easy for the patient and the family and ensures the best outcome.”
Rosemarie Barthelot, Regional HR Partner– Asia, Orbis said, “Through comprehensive training, we aim to equip healthcare professionals with the skills they need to provide compassionate and empathetic patient counseling and institutionalize the processes by inviting management and leadership buy-in.”
Dr. Kuldeep Dole, Medical Director, PBMA’s H.V. Desai Eye Hospital said, “Besides strengthening the counseling department of our hospital, this initiative will bolster the patient-doctor relationship as well. The move will ensure that patients, in addition, to receiving medical care, will be lent an empathetic ear to address and assuage any issues pertinent to treatment. This will lead to achieving greater patient satisfaction. The approach offers a win-win situation: while patient counseling gives the patients an assurance of being in safe hands, the hospital will be able to track its development as an institution through metrics such as surgical conversion rate, compliance to follow–up, reduction in patient drop-out rates, among others.”
As part of the Orbis initiative, the counseling and waiting room areas of the PBMA’s H.V. Desai Eye Hospital have been refurbished to create a positive environment for counseling. The training involves structured courses and curriculum on patient counseling and education with a mix of in-person and online sessions. Counselors will be trained to simplify medical jargon while discussing eye conditions with patients and their families and equipping them to with the knowledge to make decisions about their health and treatment plans.
