The Israeli government has stressed its commitment to help address fertilizer challenges facing Ghana’s agriculture.
According to the Ambassador to Ghana, ShlomitSufa, Israel would introduce Israeli companies with affordable solutions in advance fertilisers with less damage to the soil, to address the challenges.
The partners, she said, would be linked to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Ministry of Food and Agriculture to provide relevant solutions.
Already, she said, Israeli government was assisting the government of Ghana in its Planting for Food and Job initiative as well as guiding entrepreneurs in manufacture of equipment in providing solutions to waste management in line with government’s policies.
Ms Sufa was interacting with some journalists during a visit to the Kumasi metropolis.
She touched on “Education for Digital Innovation” as an initiative of the embassy, and consisted of the provision of a fully set up Information Communication and Technology (ICT) laboratories and training workshops for selected Senior High Schools across Ghana, and aimed at contributing to the Ministry of Education’s ICT in education policy.
In the first phase of the project, three Senior High Schools: Amasaman Senior High Technical School, Tema Manhean Senior High Technical School and Walewale Senior High Technical School were selected to be beneficiaries.
The Embassy of Israel in collaboration with the Ministry of Education would inaugurate the project on Tuesday, April 12, 2022.
On health, she mentioned Israel’s Agency for International Development and Corporation (MASHAV), in cooperation with the Alliance for Global Good and Soroka Hospital in Isreal, to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality at the Suntreso and Kumasi South Hospitals in Kumasi.
MASHAV, she indicated, had established a Mother and Baby Care units each at the hospitals, to provide advanced neonatal care through low-cost intervention.
The Ambassador noted that had proven to be an appropriate approach to reduce neonatal mortality and reduce unnecessary, or sometimes impossible, transfers to other medical facilities, adding, “through this initiative, the Suntreso hospital has been able to treat more than 800 babies in the past year.”
They had also been able to establish a special care unit with open incubators which uses low-tech and low-energy.
The success of this project has currently attracted the Manhyia Hospital to replicate the Kangaroo Mother Care model.
Contributing, Dr Golan Agneta, a retired paediatrician and an expert in neonatal care, attached to the South Suntreso Hospital, said in January 2022, 60 doctors, midwives and nurses from the Kumasi South and Suntreso Hospitals received online training in advanced neonatal care.
A graduation ceremony was held in Kumasi to acknowledge the participation of the doctors, midwives and nurses of the two hospitals.
FROM KINGSLEY E.HOPE, KUMASI
