-Ethiopia, Israel cooperating in various areas
ADDIS ABABA – Three-day training on Neonatal Resuscitation and new born care has kicked off at alert hospital.
The training was organized by staff of Alert Hospital, along with the delegation from Neonatologists for Africa (NFA), with support from Mashav, Israel’s International Agency for International Development Cooperation, it was learnt.
The delegation has provided Neonatal Resuscitation and new born care training as of yesterday with the primary objective of reducing infant mortality at early stage.
Speaking at the occasion, Embassy of the state of Israel to Ethiopia, Burundi and the African Union Deputy Ambassador Tomer Bar-Lavi said that the training is aimed at creating awareness on infant mortality and saving the lives of newborns.
“We are happy to welcome this hardworking delegation, which has arrived here and is already conducting training meant to help bring down infant mortality and save the lives of newborns in the “Golden Minute” after birth,” he added.
He recalled that NFA’s previous activities here in Ethiopia have already succeeded in bringing down infant mortality at the medical institutions and this training will also help to achieve similar results. The two countries have an old -aged diplomatic relations and collaborating in different sectors apart from health.
The deputy ambassador pointed out that one of the fields in which the two countries cooperate is healthcare. “Indeed, this week alone, we see four major Israeli medical delegations in the country working in Addis and outside the capital, seeing patients and training Ethiopian health professionals in fields ranging from neonatal health to cardiology, pediatrics, orthopedics, and Ophthalmology.”
Alert Hospital Pediatrics Department Head Alem Gezachew (MD) said that the training is primarily focused on first assistance provided to infant during the first five minutes after babies were born and it’s really an important training in saving the lives of newborn babies at early stage. On the other hand the training is crucial in equipping health professionals with better experience and knowledge, she added.
Deputy Ambassador added that the Embassy of Israel in Ethiopia and Mashav are happy to help sponsor this important activity, which is an expression of the deep and special relationship between Israel and Ethiopia.
“Israel sees the relationship with Ethiopia as deep on a historical, cultural, but also a practical level. The closeness between our nations can be seen firsthand by this impressive group over here.” The training is a testament of elevating of the special bond between our two nations,” he noted.
BY HAILE DEMEKE
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD WEDNESDAY 18 SEPTEMBER 2024
