Save A Child's Heart (SACH), an Israeli-based NGO signed Memorandum of Understanding with Addis Ababa University, College of Health Sciences - Black Lion Hospital (AAU-BLH) to perform heart surgery on 50-75 children from Ethiopia at Wolfson Medical Center in Israel over the next year.
This MOU builds on a foundation relationship between SACH and the Children's Heart Fund that performed over 300 pediatric heart surgeries in Israel over the past 15 years. It also expands on a relationship between SACH and Jimma University Hospital (JUH) which has served over 50 children and includes building capacity at JUH.
SACH is an Israel-based international humanitarian project, whose mission is to improve the quality of pediatric cardiac care for children from developing countries who suffer from heart disease and to create centers of competence in these countries. SACH is completely dedicated to the idea that every child deserves the best medical treatment available, regardless of the child's nationality, religion, race, gender or financial situation.
SACH has also provided advanced training to three Ethiopian pediatric cardiologists, one cardiac care physician, and a surgeon from Jimma University is currently in training with SACH in pediatric cardiac surgery.
The MOU with AAU-BLH also includes support from SACH and Danya International in assisting to build long term capacity for pediatric cardiac care within Ethiopia. This MOU is also supported by Ethiopian Airlines who will be providing partial assistance to fly the child patients to Israel for surgery. Special thanks also go to the Israeli Embassy in Ethiopia and the Ethiopian Embassy in Israel for their sincere support.
This new phase of cooperation between SACH and Addis Ababa University - Black Lion Hospital, as well as Jimma University Hospital, Ethiopian Airlines, and Danya International was announced at a press conference held on January 22, 2014 at the Hilton Hotel in Addis Ababa. H.E. Mrs. Belaynesh Zevadia (Israeli Ambassador to Ethiopia); Dr. Ahmed Reja (Chief Executive Director of the Addis Ababa University, College of Health Sciences-Black Lion Hospital); Dr. Abraham Haileamlak (Pediatric Cardiologist and Dean of the College of Public Health and Medical Sciences at Jimma University Hospital); Dr. Jeff Hoffman (CEO of Danya International and SACH US Board Member); as well as former patients who have received life-saving heart surgery in SACH Israel gave speeches at the signing event.
Ambassador Belaynesh speaking at the signing event
Here are some excerpts of chronicles by local media who attended the event (Capital, The Ethiopian Herald, and The Daily Monitor newspapers respectively):