The Embassy of Israel in Ethiopia in collaboration with UNAIDS Ethiopia, the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and the Ethiopian Pediatricians Association are convening introductory course in Pediatric Emergency medicine to doctors selected from throughout the country.
Considering the vast need for pediatric emergency care in the country, the joint intervention brings health professionals working in pediatric and emergency wards from all regions of Ethiopia to enhance their knowledge and practice. According to the organizers the course will augment the country's pediatric emergency care by building human resource capacity.
Israel's Ambassador Belaynesh Zevadia said "Deaths of children in hospitals often occur within the first 24 hours of admission. Many of these deaths could be prevented if children with acute sickness were identified and provided with immediate and appropriate treatment upon their arrival at health facilities."
Ambassador Belaynesh also added that to respond to this growing demand for emergency care, building professional capacity and dissemination of best-practice guidelines, appropriate for children’s emergency care in resource-constrained settings, would be a very important task.
On her part, Country Director for UNAIDS in Ethiopia, Miriam Maluwa noted that “the training is essential as Pediatric Emergency conditions are varied and multi-factorial. Better management of these emergencies through early, timely & quality triage assessments and treatment will contribute to greater survival, including of pediatrics with HIV or AIDS.” Given the scientific developments in HIV and AIDS, “No child should be born with HIV or die of an AIDS related death. Trainings like this could help to address HIV Pediatric treatment coverage which remains unacceptably low in Ethiopia”. She emphasized.
The Course that takes place from 14th to 17th of November is based on lectures, simulations and workshops that address topics essential for the immediate medical response and treatment of acutely ill children. The workshop is led by Israeli professionals, Dr. Yoram Ben-Yehuda and Dr. Saar Hashavya.