This article was originally published on Ghana News Agency here.
The government of Israel, as part of efforts to deepen relationship with the Ghana Health Service (GHS), has inaugurated two neonatal units in two health facilities in the Kumasi Metropolis.
The beneficiary hospitals are the Kumasi South and the Suntreso Government Hospitals.
Each of the 16 bed capacity units for newborns would provide essential services such as Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) and clinical training for medical and physician assistants, while also serving as maternal and child health research hubs.
Ms. Shani Cooper, Israeli Ambassador to Ghana, who inaugurated the facilities at separate ceremonies in Kumasi on Wednesday, said the aim was to improve performance, and reduce neonatal and maternal deaths in the Mother and Baby Units (MBU).
The units were created by an Israeli Physician, Dr. Miki Karplus in 2009 for the two hospitals, under the joint MASHAV and Soroka initiative.
So far, the two units have been able to register significant achievement with the introduction of new methodologies, computerized data collection system and a sharp decrease in maternal and neonatal mortality rate.
Additionally, the units have ensured permanent distant medical consultations between the Israeli team of doctors and their counterparts in the two facilities.
Ms. Cooper said the Israeli government had also helped to install bubble CPAP, infusion pumps, radiant warmers, oxyhoods and phototherapy equipment at the facilities, all being aids that promote effective delivery of neonatal services at the facilities.
She mentioned that a delegation from the Ghana health Service was already in Israel attending a conference on health technologies, adding that, her government remained committed to partner the Ghana government to speed up socio-economic development.
Dr. Ashura Bakari, Head of the MBU of the Sunterso Government Hospital, said the Hospital had an annual admission of more than 900 babies between ages of zero to two months.
He said neonatal deaths decreased from 23 in 2017 to 16 in 2018 at the facility and commended the Israeli government for the continued support to improve neonatal services at the two facilities.
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