4Basra

Cristina Odone praises ‘Kitchen Table Heroines’

Her column also mentions a briefly uplifting story amidst the chaos at London’s Heathrow airport during the recent security alert.

According to my research, there is a generic version of Imatinib manufactured in India which costs a dollar a tablet, as opposed to $16 – 20 a tablet for the Novartis version in the US or Europe.

As there has been no response from Orion Laboratories (of The Orion Group), and although I will call them anyway, I now need to approach an alternative manufacturer based in India.

I only hope their generic version meets the relevant licensing and certification requirements.

Whilst working on some other voluntary work for environmental group Voice and trying to organise the broadband and a phone extension in what will be my office, I also call Paul O’Hara of Ashoka Ireland, to ask about the criteria for the Social Entrepreneurship fellowship advertised on Activelink.

The selection process they have for applicants sounds quite rigorous: something along the lines of The Apprentice, but with the emphasis obviously on social entrepreneurship.

The Health Service Executive has € 500 million to spend on a new childrens hospital in Dublin, yet has not consulted medical staff themselves – paediatricians and doctors – to ask for their input into the project. 

Even though a country may be awash with money, it seems there will always be disagreements in how to do things.  In Iraq, meanwhile, I doubt they waste much time arguing about such things. I expect they just get on and do what is necessary, managing as best as they can with their very limited resources. 

Money may buy modern facilities and equipment, but it would seem it doesn’t necessarily buy common sense or the slightest bit of lateral thinking.

A new series is due to begin on RTE later this month, which will be compulsive viewing for me.

Entrepreneurs in Africa begins on August 17.