Canadian province initiates cooperation with Holon hospital, Jerusalem museum

The health minister of the province, Dr. Eric Hoskins, visited Wolfson Medical Center in Holon to understand how it runs its famed Save a Child’s Heart (SACH) program.

By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH
Updated: MAY 22, 2016 00:44
ONTARIO HEALTH MINISTER Dr. Eric Hoskins (center) visits Wolfson Medical Center in Holon last week for a close up look at its famed Save a Child’s Heart program. (photo credit: SACH)
ONTARIO HEALTH MINISTER Dr. Eric Hoskins (center) visits Wolfson Medical Center in Holon last week for a close up look at its famed Save a Child’s Heart program.
(photo credit: SACH)
Two senior officials of the Canadian province of Ontario last week agreed on cooperation agreements with an Israeli museum and hospital.
The health minister of the province, Dr. Eric Hoskins, visited Wolfson Medical Center in Holon to understand how it runs its famed Save a Child’s Heart (SACH) program which has already performed lifesaving cardiac surgery on 4,000 children from 50 disadvantaged countries.
“This is an example of assistance that Canadians and Israelis can give when they work together,” said Hoskins, who was part of the delegation from Ontario. He was received by Wolfson director-general Dr. Yitzhak Berlovich, Dr.
Simon Fisher of SACH and Jesse Birnbaum, a representative of the voluntary organization in Canada.
During the visit, the two sides agreed to initiate a program between the government of Ontario and SACH. The program will also be observed by Canadian students who are pursuing medical degrees in related fields.
Hoskins, who is a physician and head of the War Child organization, which helps children in conflict-ridden regions around the world, promised to support SACH and contribute his experience to the collaborative effort. “I am proud of our important joint work and expect to continue it,” he said.
Surgical residents in Canada will come to watch Wolfson cardiothoracic surgeons perform operations on children with congenital defects.
Meanwhile, Ontario Prime Minister Kathleen Wynne on Friday visited the Bloomfield Science Museum in Jerusalem to sign the first cooperation agreement between the museum and the Ontario Science Center, considered one of the most advanced of its kind worldwide.
She was accompanied by Canadian Ambassador Vivian Bercovici and a delegation of businesspeople and scientific researchers who are interested in cooperating with Israeli companies in the life sciences, technology and communications.
Wynne said that the agreement with Bloomfield “will strengthen ties with Israel in the fields of education and innovation. It will also help youngsters and adults learn about the latest breakthroughs in science, engineering, technology and mathematics.”
Bloomfield director Maya Halevy said she is excited about the cooperation because “both of us believe that our job is to create fruitful dialogue between creativity, innovation and technology.