THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Israeli Doctors Fight Blindness in Black Africa
NEW YORK–Blindness Rwanda, Tanzania, Lesotho
among children under age and Swaziland.
Since 1974, Israel has
five in the Black African re-
public of Malawi has been been providing highly so-
reduced by more than 90 phisticated training to doc-
percent in the 10 years tors from countries where
since Israeli physicians ophthalmological services al-
launched a remarkable new ready exist. At present, Je-
eye-care program in the rusalem is hosting students
young nation, according to from Haiti, Cyprus, San Sal-
Dr. David Ben-Ezra, an Is- vador and Mexico.
raeli eye-specialist who has At the request of several
just completed 14 months governments, Israeli ex-
working in Malawi. He perts have carried out medi-
noted that eye disease was cal surveys on tuberculosis,
a particularly serious prob- trachoma, malaria and the
lem at gthe time of Israel's prevention of blindness. Stu-
independence, but that with- dents from Latin American
in a decade Israel had vir- countries are so eager for
tually eliminated it within training in rural health serv-
rders. ices that courses in Israel
's success served as a are now offered in Spanish.
model for Israel's inter- Since 1958, Israel has had
national medical coopera- no fewer than 551 medical
tion program, which was programs operating in 25
launched at the same time. countries.
The ophthalmology project
Israel medical personnel
alone has provided modem involved in Israel's pro-
eye care to 40 million gram of "exporting" health
people around the world care play down political fac-
over the past 18 years, Dr. tors such as Kenya's deci-
Ben-Ezra said. sion to break diplomatic re-
Requests for assistance lations with Israel during
from other countries—par- the Yom Kippur war—a de-
ticularly from independent cision that halted a promis-
republics in Africa—led to ing experiment in public
Israel's establishing its first health in the Black state.
eye-care program in Liber-
Israelis prefer to stress
ia. Two Israeli eye special- the excellent personal and
fists were sent to Liberia to professional ties they have
set up a clinic, while two established with developing
Liberian nurses and a doc- countries. They report, for
for were sent to Jerusalem instance, that a young Eth-
liked the people, he told
them, and was getting excel-
lent training. He saw no rea-
son to leave.
"In human terms we re-
main the best of friends,"
commented Prof. Hana Zau-
berman, current head of
sure
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The Liberian programs war, despite the closing of
later served as a model for the Ethiopian Embassy and
Israel's eye-care programs pleas from family and
in Ethiopia, Malawi, friends to return home. He
IN THE FARRELL SHOPPING PLAZA
For Further Information
Knesset Organization Debated
TEL AVIV (JTA)— DMC. No decisions were
Squabbling has begun over reached and the organizing
the organization of the next committee will meet again.
Knesset, the number of
committees and the award-
ing of committee chairman-.
ships in Israel's first parlia-
ment where the Labor
Alignment will sit in opposi-
tion.
A special Knesset organiz-
ing committee held hear-
ings on these subjects and
voices were raised in opposi-
tion to a Likud proposal to
establish a committee for
world Jewish affairs.
r
The objectors said that
such a committee would
create the impression that
Israel was trying to inter-
vene in the internal affairs
of communities . abroad.
There is also a dispute over
Likud's proposal to have -11
Knesset committees. The
Labor Alignment wants
nine, as in the previous
Knessets.
the Hadassah-Hebrew Uni-
versity Eye Department.
"And we think this is an ex-
cellent link for the future.
Political situations change,
but personal and profes-
sional ties remain per-
manent."
Friday, June 10, 1977 29
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DOUG HOFFMAIS.
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Likud wants five com-
mittee. chairmanships and
poses three for Labor
one each for the Demo-
atic Movement for
Change (DMC), the Nation-
al Religious Party (NRP)
and the Aguda Israel. The
Rakah Communists, who
- will have five seats in the
next Knesset against the
. Aguda's four, are demand-
ing equal treatment. They
said they would boycott all
Knesset committees if they
are not given a chairman-
ship.
The Labor Alignment pro-
posed four Likud chairman-
ships, three for itself and
one each for the NRP. and..
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