Women take on Kilimanjaro for charity

A WOMAN from Henley is hoping to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania to help the health of the country’s people.

Catherine English, of Cromwell Road, and three other women will be raising money for SafePoint, a charity that is trying to start a safe injection healthcare programme by donating two million sterile disposable syringes.

The charity was founded by Marc Koska, who is married to one of the other women taking part and does business with Mrs English’s husband Nick, a Bremont watchmaker.

Mrs English said she jumped at the chance to become involved in the climb later this month when another woman dropped out. She said: “As well as climbing the mountain, we will be visiting schools, orphanages and hospitals to educate children, nurses and teachers in safe and sterile injections.

“Unsafe injections can lead to HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and malaria and the Tanzania campaign aims to ease the burden of these diseases.

“A syringe costs just 7p. The simple message is ‘one injection — one syringe’.”

Mrs English, who has three children, Elodie, three, and twins Euan and Capucine, five, who attend Trinity school in Henley, will be climbing with Anna Koska, Clare Beale and Nicoletta Lacobacci, all from East Sussex. She has been training five or six times a week and meeting the other women once a month to do a big climb or walk.

She said: “We were advised to start working on our upper leg strength, back strength and core stability. We’ve been walking and cycling up hills and generally bulking up our legs.”

The women hope to raise between £10,000 and £20,000 for the K1 syringes, which were invented by Mr Koska.

One way of raising money is by “selling” flags to be taken to the top of the 19,334ft volanic mountain and photographed with the quartet.

To make a donation, visit http://www.justgiving.com/TheClimb-Tanzania2010

Taken from the Henley Standard

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See also "Local charity SafePoint to scale dizzy heights in October"
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Syringe re-use: not just a developing world problem - it's a global problem

A UK dentist in south Yorkshire reused his old syringes on patients

Dentist: Mohammed Siddiqui

Excerpt from From The Star newspaper:

A SOUTH Yorkshire dentist put patients at risk of deadly infection by reusing syringes, not wearing gloves and using rusty tools and filthy rags.

Mohammed Siddiqui, aged 37, from High Green, faces being struck off after he flouted hygiene rules to "maximise profit" at his Rotherham practice.

A Primary Health Lists appeal tribunal heard he reused disposable equipment, including syringes, files and impression trays, had rusty tools and "actively discouraged" the use of gloves.

Sterilising equipment was "caked" in grime and mouth wash cups were next to the waste disposal system. Surfaces were thick with dust.

Inspectors found he had no blood spillage kit or policy, his decontamination area was "not fit for purpose" and had filthy rags and scrubbing brushes.

Andrew Hockton, for Rotherham PCT, said Siddiqui was cutting corners to save money. The PCT and the Health Protection Agency is probing whether patients caught viruses.

Mr Hockton said: "Dr Siddiqui showed a total lack of regard for patient or staff safety. The inspector said it was one of the worst examples she had ever seen.

"He desired to maximise profit in a manner which put patients at risk."

Mr Siddiqui, of Reaper Crescent, High Green, set up the business on Doncaster Road, Dalton, in 2002. He was shut down after an inspection in May last year.

Siddiqui had received a letter from the PCT in April saying his practice needed a "deep clean". He removed out-of-date stock before the inspection, failed to co-operate during it and later tried to create the impression his staff were to blame.

Mr Hockton said: "He showed a wilful disregard of the principles of good dental practice and he accepts serious professional misconduct. We say that the only appropriate action is removal."

Excerpt from dentistry.co.uk:

A dentist based in Dalton, Rotherham, faces being struck off after an inspection uncovered poor infection control practise and the reuse of single-use equipment, including syringes, files and impression trays.

Mohammed Siddiqui was immediately suspended from the NHS Rotherham dental performers list after former staff raised issues about his infection control standards in 2009, prompting NHS Rotherham and the Health and Safety Executive to conduct an unannounced inspection in May 2009. This means he is not allowed to practise NHS dentistry in Rotherham.

Andrew Hockton, for Rotherham PCT, said Siddiqui was cutting corners to save money. The PCT and the Health Protection Agency is probing whether patients caught viruses.

Further reading:

• State conducts surprise inspection of UW Hospital after syringe incident

• NY Anesthesiologist Uses Syringes Twice! Hepatitis Found

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The Climb Tanzania 2010 is launched

On 26th May, The Climb Tanzania 2010 was launched in conjunction with Mountain Range Restaurants' 5th anniversary celebrations at The Swan in Forest Row.

Photos by Hy Money. See also Hy Money's photos on Facebook.

Background

Marc Koska OBE has worked tirelessly over the last 25 years on Global Healthcare with a particular focus on Injection Safety. After spending years researching the syringe industry, Marc invented an AD (Auto Disable) syringe, the K1 - that physically prevents re-use. To-date Marc and the K1 have been credited with saving well over 9 Million lives but Marc knew from the start that product alone would not stop this silent epidemic, so Marc set up The SafePoint Trust in 2006. The main purpose of SafePoint is to use information to solve this very basic healthcare need, and this is done by delivering hard-hitting public awareness campaigns. Marc and SafePoint work hard to ensure that the public are educated with this lifesaving message, coupled with extensive lobbying for legislation change at ministerial level ensures that this basic human right is restored.

Outline

Marc Koska OBE and The SafePoint Trust would like to invite you to support them on:

The Climb 2010 Kilimanjaro, Tanzania - Rising 4800m above the East African plains, 270km from the shores of the Indian Ocean and measuring up to 40km across, Kilimanjaro is a bizarre geological oddity, the tallest freestanding mountain in the world and one formed, shaped, eroded and scarred by the twin forces of fire and ice. It is actually a volcano, or rather three volcanoes, with the two main peaks, Kibo and Mawenzi, the summits of two of those volcanoes.

Five team members will climb the mountain armed with 20 flags – each flag will be fully branded with a logo from each sponsor. Day seven will see them at the peak of the mountain, at this point a photographer will ensure each flag is photographed capturing the stunning view and the euphoric atmosphere of the team.

On the teamʼs return the UK sponsors will get a framed glossy photograph of their flag at the peak. Along with this your company will feature heavily in all publicity around the event including a press release, national and regional newspapers, regional TV and radio stations and leading business / lifestyle magazines. The whole event will be posted on facebook, twitter and will have its own blog. Sponsors can also make their logo available to feature on the kit of the climbers.

A one-off donation of £5,000 to buy a flag is all that is required and 90% of this donation / sponsorship money will enable us to give Two Million syringes to Tanzania. SafePoint will present the container of syringes to the Hon Prof. David Mwakyusam, Heath Minister of Tanzania once they have finished the climb.

Why Tanzania?

Tanzania are at the forefront of safe healthcare in Africa, they are to become one of only two countries converted to using AD syringes in the ECSA Region. With their policy already in place, trained healthcare workers and a public information film donated by SafePoint they are ready to reduce country medical costs and ease the HIV / Hepatitis disease burden. More importantly with this donation we will ensure they have enough product to stock the 26 regions at the start of this initiative.

Facts and figures on unsafe healthcare:

• Each and every year due to unsafe injections there are:
• 23,000 HIV Infections
• 1,000,000 Hepatitis C Infections
• 21,000,000 Hepatitis B Infections
• RESULTING IN 1,300,000 DEATHS EACH YEAR (Source: WHO World Health Organisation)
• Some 17 billion injections are given each year, and 7 billion of these are unsafe medical injections (Source: Hutin 2003)
• Malaria kills 1,000,000 - so this silent epidemic kills more people each year (Source: WHO World Health Organisation)
• In Africa 20 million medical injections contaminated with blood from a patient with HIV are administered every year (Source: Reid 2009)
• At least 50% of injections given were unsafe (Source: WHO World Health Organisation)
• A syringe is used on average 7 times in the developing world
• Every 24 seconds a child dies as a result of an unsafe injection

Marc Koska OBE launches The Climb Tanzania 2010

Further information

Mountain Range Restaurants are supporting The SafePoint Trust on their Climb 2010. Mountain Range also celebrate their five year anniversary this year in conjunction with this SafePoint will send five people to climb Kilimanjaro raising money to donate syringes to Tanzania.

http://www.marckoska.com/
http://www.safepointtrust.org/

You can reach the SafePoint Team on: 01825 713722 or via email: info@safepointtrust.org
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Marc Koska OBE Launches Safe Injection Project at Mountain Range Restaurants’ 5th Anniversary

Ginny Simpson, Clare Beale, Marc and Anna Koska
(photo by Hy Money)

Mountain Range Restaurants celebrate their 5th Anniversary at The Swan, Forest Row, whilst supporting Marc Koska’s local charity, The SafePoint Trust.

Sponsored climb of Mount Kilimanjaro announced to make Tanzania a safe injection country.

Forest Row, East Sussex - Marc Koska OBE and his charity, The SafePoint Trust, recently launched an exciting new project for Tanzania at The Swan Mountain Range Restaurant in Forest Row during Mountain Range’s 5th anniversary celebrations.

Generously supported by David Downard, Mountain Range Restaurants CEO, guests were warmly invited to congratulate the company for a successful 5 years in business as well as to celebrate Marc Koska’s achievements in global healthcare and to support his charity The SafePoint Trust on their next venture: “The Climb Tanzania 2010”.

A team of three mothers from East Sussex have taken up the challenge to climb Mount Kilimanjaro to raise enough money (£100,000) to enable The SafePoint Trust to donate 2 million AD (Auto Disable) syringes to Tanzania. This will enable Tanzania to kick start this safe injection healthcare project and so become a safe injection country. They plan to present the donation to Tanzania’s minister for Health and Social Welfare, Prof David Mwakyusathe, in person shortly after they finish the climb, which is set to take place at the end of October 2010. It is likely to take about 7 days to reach the summit. The climbers, who will very quickly have to get used to high altitudes, are:

• Anna Koska (Marc’s wife and SafePoint Supporter)
• Ginny Simpson (SafePoint)
• Clare Beale (SafePoint Supporter)
  

Fund raising

The SafePoint Trust is encouraging local businesses to buy a flag for £5,000 each. All flags will journey up to the summit of 19,365 ft and be photographed with the climbers, capturing their euphoric moment. Those businesses which buy flags will of course feature heavily in all publicity that surrounds the climb, since collectively, by donating 2 Million syringes to Tanzania, they will ensure that a total of 700,000 people will receive safe injections.

David Downard with Marc Koska
(photo by Hy Money)

Why Tanzania?

Tanzania is at the forefront of safe healthcare in Africa and is to become one of only two countries converted to using AD syringes in the ECSA Region (Eastern, Central and Southern Africa). With their policy already in place, trained healthcare workers and a public information film produced and donated by SafePoint, the country is ready to reduce its medical costs and ease its HIV/Hepatitis disease burden. More importantly, with this donation in place, Tanzania will have sufficient AD syringes to stock all 26 regions throughout the entire country from the very start of this initiative.

Facts and figures on unsafe healthcare

• Each and every year due to unsafe injections there are:

o 23,000 HIV Infections
o 1,000,000 Hepatitis C Infections
o 21,000,000 Hepatitis B Infections
o Resulting in 1,300,000 deaths each year
(Source: WHO World Health Organisation)

• Some 17 billion medical injections are given each year, and 7 billion of these are unsafe
(Source: Hutin 2003)

• Malaria kills 1,000,000 - so this silent epidemic – unsafe injections - kills even more people each year
(Source: WHO World Health Organisation)

• In Africa, 20 million medical injections, contaminated with blood from a patient with HIV, are administered every year
(Source: Reid 2009)

• At least 50% of injections given, globally, are unsafe
(Source: WHO World Health Organisation)

• A syringe is used on average 7 times in the developing world

• Every 24 seconds, a child dies as a result of an unsafe injection

For more information about Mountain Range Restaurants, visit: http://www.mountainrangerestaurants.co.uk

About Marc Koska OBE and The SafePoint Trust

Marc Koska OBE has worked tirelessly over the last 25 years on global healthcare with a particular focus on injection safety. After spending years researching the syringe industry, Marc invented an AD (Auto Disable) syringe - the K1 - that physically prevents re-use. To date, Marc and the K1 have been credited with saving well over 9 million lives, but Marc knew from the start that product alone would not stop this silent epidemic. So he founded The SafePoint Trust in 2006. The main purpose of SafePoint is to use information to solve this very basic healthcare need. This is done by delivering hard-hitting public awareness campaigns. Marc and SafePoint work hard to ensure that the public are educated with this lifesaving message, coupled with extensive lobbying for legislative changes at ministerial level, to ensure that this basic human right is restored. For more information, visit: http://www.marckoska.com and http://www.safepointtrust.org

For more information, please contact:

Ginny Simpson
SafePoint Trust UK
The Granary
Pippingford
East Sussex
TN22 3HW

+44 (0)1825 713722
info@safepointtrust.org
http://www.safepointtrust.org

Press release submitted by: WorldWidePR.net
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Marc Koska is Joint Winner of the Dezeen Applause Award 2009

Marc Koska,OBE - (Joint) Design Person Most Deserving of Applause 2009

Designers Marc Koska and Studio Makkink & Bey have been awarded joint first place in Dezeen's competition to find the person most deserving of applause for their work in design in 2009, organised in collaboration with Laikingland, makers of the Applause Machine.

On November 30th, 2009, Dezeen - the world's most influential online architecture and design magazine - announced its competition in collaboration with Laikingland - makers of beautifully crafted kinetic objects - to find the person most deserving of applause for their work in design in 2009. The prize: a Laikingland Applause Machine.

Dezeen readers were asked to nominate, by leaving a comment on the Dezeen site, the most important, influential, controversial or simply the most lovely design person of the year. The designer with the most nominations together with the reader who submited the best reason for nominating the winning designer were both promised an Applause Machine as their prize.

Marc Koska OBE with his prize, a Laikingland Applause Machine

Submissions were judged by Marcus Fairs of Dezeen and Applause Machine designer, Martin Smith. The competition closed on December 16th, 2009 and the winners were as follows:

• Joint winners of the Design Person Most Deserving of Applause 2009 award: Marc Koska, OBE - designer of the K1 non-reusable auto-disable syringe which saves lives by preventing the transmission of disease; and design studio Studio Makkink & Bey.

• Dezeen reader winner was Michael Wigle for the nomination he made for Marc on November 30th, 2009 which is reproduced here:
  

Marc Koska – The non-reusable K1 auto-disable syringe

As a designer, I see invention and design as a solution to a problem. Sometimes we as designers create a problem, or a set of problems to find a solution to. Then there are the big, real life problems that plague many people from around the planet that us as designers try and find a single solution for. We perpetually complicate the world by not finding answers to overlooked problems in our own quest for fame.

Marc Koska may have designed the most important device no one has ever heard of. His syringe has the ability to save millions of lives and revolutionize medicine for developing AND developed nations. He deserves to be noticed and recognized not only because of his creation, but so his creation can be pushed to the forefront and noticed.

A hypodermic syringe that can only be used once, may save as many people lives as vaccines had once 100 years ago. Please award Marc Koska and help spread the word of his simple, yet powerful design. There are at least 1.3 million people in this world who can stand up and applaud this noble effort.

http://www.ted.com/talks/marc_koska_the_devastating_toll_of_syringe_reuse.html

"Many thanks to everyone who voted for me," said Marc in a tweet.
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Nikon Owner magazine captures Marc’s work in India

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Single Use - A Modern Morality Tale by Gillian Greenwood, Nikon Owner magazine -

Simon Stafford, Technical Editor of Nikon Owner magazine, accompanied Marc and members of SafePoint for ten days and recounted his experiences via a series of beautifully shot pictures capturing vibrant people and places, but also devastating evidence of needles being re-used.

He saw first-hand harrowing scenes in surgeries and clinics with medical staff throwing blood-stained needles in buckets under counters ready to be used again on many sick and frail members of the public waiting outside. Moving from New Delhi, to Pune and then Jaipur, Simon witnessed Marc and his team delivering their powerful message to the public on the effects that unsafe injections can have.

Marc Koska spreads the word in the US

Marc Koska of Star Syringe, Ltd, Winner of 2008 Tech Award, Health
photo: godutchbaby

Marc has just returned from an extremely successful trip to the USA, where he was honoured to be invited to three key events:

• a Know How Talk at the IDEO Cafe, hosted by Dennis Boyle, IDEO senior partner. IDEO is the world renowned Global Design Consultancy based in Palo Alto, CA. Marc's talk was entitled 'Shameless' (how you have to be, to change something in this world). Discussions after the talk focused on his efforts to save lives through syringe design and his charity SafePoint.

• to be a panelist at the ‘Change that Counts: Building Sustainable Social Business’ hosted by Santa Clara University.

• The Tech Awards Gala as a past Laureate; Marc was invited to host a live link sponsored by Polycom, between the newest member of the SafePoint team, Kate Thorman, in India, and Fabio Rosa, a Canadian former fellow Laureate..

Safepoint founder's TED talk shown on CNN site on World AIDS Day

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Entitled,"The price of saving a life is a few pennies", Marc Koska's TED talk was added to CNN's Opinion site on 1 December 2009, World AIDS Day:

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/marc_koska_the_devastating_toll_of_syringe_reuse.html

• Reuse of syringes costs an estimated 1.3 million lives a year

• Syringes can spread blood-borne diseases such as HIV and hepatitis

• Low-cost syringes that can be used only once are produced
  

• India has mandated use of auto-disable syringes
  

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