‘University College Dublin’, ‘Irish Red Cross’ and ‘Indian Red Cross Society’ announces collaboration

The advanced technological intervention will monitor the affected areas and assist the Indian Cross first responders.

The Signing Ceremony of the Memorandum of Understanding between University College Dublin, Irish Red Cross and Indian Red Cross Society was held today at the National Headquarters of ‘Indian Red Cross Society’. The  Memorandum  of  Agreement  (MoA)  was  signed  by UCD President Professor Andrew Deeks, Indian Red Cross Joint Secretary Dr. Veer Bushan and Irish Red Cross General Secretary Mr. Liam O’Dwyer.  H.E. Brian McElduff, Ambassador of Ireland to India was in attendence to witness the occasion.

The Irish Red Cross Tuberculosis programme, aims to support patients who default from their treatment and develop risk of MDR Tuberculosis. The collaboration will help to develop digital humanitarian applications in order to obtain correct assistance.  The Irish Red Cross programme, once successful, will directly benefit 1,400 people in the two target areas: Amritsar and Jalandhar districts of Punjab and indirectly benefiting 2,000 family members and more than 50,000 community members.

Every three minutes, two Tuberculosis deaths occur in India. Tuberculosis requires a long period of treatment and can take between six and eight months to cure. Many patients drop out of treatment due to stigma attached to TB and other reasons. This Tuberculosis programme will identify those patients who have dropped out of treatment and to get them restarted.

H.E. Brian McElduff, Ambassador of Ireland to India on this occasion said, “I am delighted to witness collaboration for this initiative. We aim for the success of this program, which will further create a strong partnership between Ireland and India. With expertise in technology, pharmaceuticals and aviation, Ireland is looking towards cooperating with India in these sectors. We wish to increase our presence in India as India is a key growth partner for us.”

At the signing event the impact of Tuberculosis in India highlighted by The Irish Red Cross and  University College Dublin President, Professor Andrew Deeks said, “University College Dublin is delighted to join this programme to make it additionallly successful and assist the Indian Red Cross Society. We are happy to extend our expertise from UCD with Ireland as our base.”

Speaking at the occasion Indian Red Cross Joint Secretary Dr. Veer Bushan said, “The association with the Irish Red Cross and University College Dublin will enhance the relationship with India and Ireland. This initiative will assist the people affected and will give a clear indication of positive development in a society.”

Dr Eleni Mangina stated that partnerships between emerging technologies experts in academia and humanitarian organisations can provide the means to improve existing operations. There is a vast of information generated during disasters (crisis related big data) and emerging technologies can assist in data collection and to digitally analyse these data and improve the overall effectiveness in humanitarian response. Dr Mangina’s vision is for academia (UCD) to help inform the design, use and cost of emerging technologies for humanitarian aid. Such unique alliance will bring results for technological improvements in humanitarian case studies advocating on behalf of community needs and desires. Impact assessment of current programs for emergency and disaster management through humanitarian case studies will provide insight of the lessons learnt. Emerging technologies will create a predictable post-disaster management.

UCD Vice President for Global Engagement Professor Dolores O’ Riordan, UCD Vice Principal International UCD College of Science Professor Jeremy Simpson and Dr. Eleni Mangina, UCD School of Computer Science also attended the signing ceremony.