Yunus Addresses Innovation for Cool Earth Forum in Tokyo
From left to right Aziz Sheikh, Marketing Manager of Konica Minolta, Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus and Noriharu Maruyama Senior Manager of Konica Minolta.
Prime Minister of Japan Shinzō Abe convened a global conference on October 7-8 on Innovation for Cool Earth Forum in Tokyo. The Forum assembled experts around the world in order to address climate change through innovation of energy and environmental technologies including their dissemination. Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus was invited by Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) to give a key note address at the Forum.
The two-day Forum gathered more than 1,000 participants, including government ministers from many countries, scientists, researchers, business leaders, and policymakers from around the world to share a vision and establish partnerships for lasting global reduction in greenhouse gases through innovative low-carbon technologies. Muhammad Yunus in his key note address called for “Three Zero initiatives-Zero poverty, Zero unemployment and Zero net carbon emission -- to attain the vision of sustainable development goals that improve human lives.
In the sideline of the Forum Professor Yunus had finalized the agreement on a new healthcare project with the representatives of Konica Minolta. The company produces portable digital mobile X-ray units and handheld portable ultrasound devices. This joint project will use these two portable devices in the villages of Bangladesh to treat unreached remote patients and pregnant women through GrameenKalyan’s clinics. Digital Mobile X-ray units can identify diseases like: arthritis, blocked blood vessels, bone cancer, breast tumors, and conditions affecting the lungs, digestive problems, enlarged heart, fractures, infections, osteoporosis, and swallowed items. Handheld portable Ultrasound will be very effective in identifying problems related to pregnancy. Both of the devices are safe because they are based on digital technology. They are certified by Japanese government for their safety. They are internet enabled. The reports generated by these devices can be shared with the doctors in the city instantaneously.
During project development period Grameen Communications in collaboration with Kyushu University developed software to smoothly connect the urban doctor with rural patients, archive health records, and issue online e-prescriptions to remote patients. The project will be formally launched by the end of the year.
