no. 30 wednesday, september 16, 2020 pages 4 healthcare...

No. 30 Wednesday, September 16, 2020 Pages 4

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Eritreans residing in Mannheim, Germany, made financial contribution to bolster efforts to contain COVID-19 Pandemic in Eritrea.

Accordingly, Eritreans residing in Mannheim and its environs contributed 27,000 Euros, Mother Tongue Community School in Mannheim 1,600 Euros, YPFDJ

Commendable healthcare service is being provided in Afabet Hospital thanks to the effort being made to equip the hospital with human skill and equipment, beneficiaries witnessed.

The installation of modern medical equipment is playing

In its 10th commencement, Barentu School of Assistant Nurses graduated 100 students today, 14 September.

In a speech he delivered, director of the school, Mr. Thomas Zeremariam stated that out the 116 students that were enrolled, 100 students including 48 females were graduated fulfilling the requirements of the School and the Ministry of Health. The theoretical and practical training lasted 18 months, the director added.

Coordinator of Schools for Assistant Nurses in all Regions, Sister Alganesh Teklegergish on her part said that over 3 thousand 369 assistant nurses have been graduated since 2003 owing to the effort being conducted nationwide with the

The desert locust infestation that appeared in six administrative areas in Senafe sub-zone, Southern Region, has been put under control before inflicting any damage to crops and vegetation.

The desert locust infestation that managed to cross from Ethiopia was stretched over 300 hectares of land but was put under control thanks to the coordinated effort by the Ministry of Agriculture, EDF units and local communities.

According to Mr. Nebar Gebrehiwet, seed development expert in Senafe sub-zone, the desert

Financial contribution to contain coViD-19 PanDemic

HealtHcare serVice ProVision 10tH commencement oF barentu scHool oF assistant nurses

Desert locust swarm inVasion Put unDer control in senaFe subzone

Three patients have been diagnosed positive for COVID-19 in tests carried out yesterday at Quarantine Centers in Oubel (2) and Senafe (1) in the Southern Region.

All the patients are nationals who returned from Ethiopia recently.

On the other hand, one patient who was receiving medical treatment in a hospital in the Southern Region has recovered fully and was released from the facility yesterday.

The total number of recovered patients to-date accordingly stands at 305.

The total number of confirmed cases in the country to-date has risen to 364.

Ministry of HealthAsmara

15 September 2020

announcement From tHe ministry oF HealtH

significant role in improving public health and that residents have been able to get healthcare service nearby their areas, alleviating transportation problems and expenses, the beneficiaries testified. The beneficiaries also called for infrastructural renovations at the

hospital for better services.Speaking to Erina, Mr. Alamin

Mohammed Seid, head of administration and finances at the Ministry of Health branch in Afabet Sub-zone on his part revealed a project to renovate the hospital building and its infrastructure.

objective of increasing the number of assistant nurses both in quality and quantity.

Sister Alganesh went on to congratulate trainers and trainees for successfully completing the training period respecting the guidelines to combat the spread of COVID-19 pandemic and the challenges it created.

Director General of Policy, Planning and Human Development at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Berhane Debru on his part reminding graduates that their profession demands professional ethics, humanity, patience and perseverance called on them to serve the people and Government that created them the opportunity.

locust swarm stretched around Kisad Emba, Golo, Degogolo, Adi-Abagie, Mai Goduf and Menokseito administrative areas.

Mr. Neber further called for constant follow up and reinforcement of organizational capacity as the upsurge of desert locust infestation from neighboring countries remain critical.

Early preparation, timely and integrated response has significantly contributed in the success of the effort to control the locust swarm, Mr. Bereke Misgina, head of Agriculture branch at the sub zone

commended concerted measures taken by the Ministry of Agriculture, administrations, Eritrean Defense Forces units and local communities.

In related news, effort is underway to put under control the small roaming bands of desert locust that appeared on 12 September in South Denkalia sub-zone, Southern Red Sea Region.

Speaking to Erina, Mr. Ibrahim Nur, managing director of South Denkalia sub-zone said that thanks to the timely and concerted control measures the desert locust infestation that stretched over 3 hectares of land has been put under control.

Ambassador Mohammed-Seid Mantay, Governor of the Southern Red Sea Region on his part commended all parties for their concerted efforts.

It is to be recalled that desert locust infestation that was stretched in about 250 hectares of land in Central Debkalia and Araeta sub zones was put under control recently.

members in Mannheim 400 Euros, all with a total sum of 29,000 Euros to augment the national fund for containing the pandemic in Eritrea.

In addition to this, Eritreans residing abroad and members of Paltalk Network and EPLF Vision collected 36,262 dollars from various donations and contributed it to Athlete Sibhatu

Tekeste, an Eritrean athlete who will be participating in the 2021 Paralympics in Japan.

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Acting Editor Amanuel [email protected]

P.O.Box: 247Tel: 11-41-14Fax: 12-77-49

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Acting Editor Amanuel [email protected]

P.O.Box: 247Tel: 11-41-14Fax: 12-77-49

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Aida Johar

2 No.30Eritrea Profile, Wednesday, September 16, 2020

Ruth Abraham

Since its independence, one of the major challenges Eritrea has been facing is the provision of sustainable energy in the country and making it equally accessible to the whole population. Currently, Eritrea’s energy mostly depends on diesel, which is both expensive and destructive to the ecosystem. The ever increasing demand of electricity and the cost of energy production is a heavy burden for the country to continue to carry unless economically and environmentally safe alternative sources of energy, such as thermal, solar and wind are sought.

The Ministry of Energy and Mines has been working to find a solution. For example, a study on Eritrea’s potential for renewable energy production was conducted by the ministry, in collaboration

Prospects of Wind Energy in Eritreawith the Swedish Consultants International (SWECO), in 1998. The project started by setting up Wind and Solar Monitoring Network (WSMN) in 25 locations across the country. It was a valuable step in expanding the technical and man power capabilities to promote renewable energy development in Eritrea.

According to the WSMN report, the project included two components with the following main objectives.

1. The creation of guidelines and routines for Wind and Solar Energy Information System (WSIS), increase technical and human resources to develop and sustain the WSIS, which is maintained and operated by the Energy Research and Training Center (ERTC) of the Department of Energy of the Ministry of Energy and Mines.

2. The formulation and implementation of a Wind Turbine Pilot Project (WTPP), which, in addition to increasing the energy production, should provide transfer of knowledge in wind energy technology and in the operation and maintenance of wind turbines.

The objectives have been successfully carried out by installing 25 WSMN and providing the required training to staff to ensure the proper maintenance of the WSIS.

The wind sites in Eritrea, which are distributed all over the country, can roughly be divided into three regions: the Coastal Region, Western Lowlands, and Central Highlands. The most potent site for wind power is the Coastal Region of Eritrea, Southern Red Sea Coast in particular. An overview of Eritrea’s energy sector shows that many villages in the Central highlands and Southern Coastal region are suitable for the installation of wind energy turbines.

Though the best sites for wind power installation were found in coastal regions, especially for the southern part of the country, good sites can also be found in parts of the central highland region, especially on mountain ridges. But more in-depth analysis should be performed before planning for the erection of wind turbines at

any of the studied sites. For the good sites, the seasonal

variations are most prominent in the coastal region with a peak during the period November-March. Comparing results from measurements with values from Global Wind Atlas (GWA), both the mean wind speed and wind power density are typically higher for the measurements. The difference is especially large for the more complex terrain of the

central highland sites where GWA results as well as the extrapolation of the wind speeds becomes more uncertain.

Generally, based on its speed, intensity, magnitude and other technical factors, wind is classified into seven classes. Whereas the first three are known as Low speed winds, Classes 4-7 are very speedy and have the potential to serve as an alternative source of

Mr, Tesfay Ghebrehiwet

energy. And many potential wind sites in Eritrea belong to classes 4-7, making them suitable for the generation of wind energy.

Mr. Tesfay Ghebrehiwet, the Director of Renewable Energy at the Ministry of Energy and Mines, said that given that Eritrea has high potential of harnessing wind, the prospects of an extensive use of wind energy in the country looks promising.

Combatting Brucellosis...continued from page 4

unaltered form or as a derivative, such as cheese) that is meant for human consumption. He added that individual animal testing should be practiced both for trade and for disease-control.

“Above all raising awareness is the key. Simple facts like ‘Brucella species are readily killed by most commonly available disinfectants, including acid solutions, 70% ethanol containing products, and sodium’ should be constantly advertised,” Dr. Yonas emphasized. Although the World Organization for Animal Health Manual of Diagnostic Test

and Vaccines for Terrestrial Animals has been suggesting for all cattle of age 3–8 months to receive the Brucella aborts strain 19 vaccine, encouraged by the decreasing cases every year Eritrea was not practicing it. But with the resurgence of some cases in the town Gindae the MoA is taking all measures to apply the procedure.

Dr. Yonas calls on farmers to be careful when they bring in new livestock to their farms; he advises them to isolate the new arrivals and get them tested before mixing them with the herd. He also cautioned farmers that the infection is reported to be widespread in neighboring countries, including Ethiopia, Sudan,

Djibouti, Saudi Arabia and Yemen. As movement of animals between Eritrea and the Sudan and between Eritrea and Ethiopia is widespread, it is more than likely for the infection to spread in Eritrea.

In an effort to raise awareness about the spread of brucellosis and other communicable diseases, the MoA has on June 2 given a training workshop on disease outbreak investigation, proper field sample collection, transportation, preservation and laboratory disease diagnosis techniques, transportation and packing of biological material as per the regulation of the International Air Transportation Association (IATA).


By: Dr. Fikrejesus Amahazion

Recently, Eritrea Profile began publishing a new series of articles under the banner, “#UnderstandingEritrea”. Broadly, the series aims to clarify and help shed further light on some of the most critical elements of Eritrea’s national development plans, such as the improvement, preservation, and sustainable use of its land and water resources. Thus far, the articles featured within the series have been enlightening and several readers have commented that they have learned a

great deal about some amazing and exciting development projects. In the last issue of Eritrea Profile (published on Saturday 12 September), the article that was featured as part of the #UnderstandingEritrea series described the process of how some of the large dams in the country were actually developed, charting their path from initial ideas and early blueprints to the construction phase and then full service. While the article was informative and full of detail, mirroring those published previously, one point mentioned by the author especially piqued my interest and is worth further discussion. Specifically, the author explained how some of the dams (and other development projects in the country) have been the target of misinformation, condescending narratives, baseless criticisms, and unsubstantiated claims from abroad. What gives?

There is little doubt that a lot of this can simply be attributed to sheer ignorance and a general lack of understanding. Hence, the great value and necessity of the #UnderstandingEritrea series, which mainly seeks to provide clarity and promote greater understanding. However, there are also several other troubling factors underlying much

The “Needy and Less Capable” Africanof the misinformation, baseless criticisms, and unsubstantiated claims: racism and deep arrogance.

Unfortunately, although it is the year 2020, and one would expect much, much better, in many parts of the world, but particularly in the West, there are some that are simply unable to accept the basic fact that Africans, and those from the developing world more broadly, have agency and they can – actually often do – find creative answers, develop effective solutions, and produce things of considerable merit. There is a narrow-minded, and

flatly wrong, conventional wisdom that no problems can be solved, that no challenges or obstacles can be surmounted, that no true progress can be made, unless it is the West that is doing the planning, leading, directing, and implementing.

This mentality is, of course, not new. It can be traced back centuries, representing a part of Western schools of thought and serving to undergird and legitimize colonialism, imperialism, and slavery. Writing in

the second half of the 18th century, the German philosopher Immanuel Kant contended: “The Negroes of Africa have received from nature no intelligence that rises above the foolish. The difference between the two races is thus a substantial one: it appears to be just as great in respect to the faculties of the mind as in color.” Similarly, in the same century, the French philosopher Voltaire claimed: “If their [Africans] understanding is not of a different nature from ours, it is at least greatly inferior. They are not capable of any great application or association of ideas, and seem formed neither in the advantages nor the abuses of our philosophy.” Meanwhile, David Hume, the Scottish philosopher and historian, also regarded Africans as an inferior race: “I am apt to suspect the Negroes to be naturally inferior to the Whites. There scarcely ever was a civilised nation of that complexion, nor even any individual, eminent either in action or speculation. No ingenious manufactures amongst them, no arts, no sciences.”

Over subsequent centuries, this racist, arrogant, “nothing good can come out of Africa” mindset proved to be highly resilient. Today, it can still be found, if not clear, outright, and overt then flowing just under the surface, within a broad array of disciplines and areas, including academia, economics and international development, world politics, international relations, media, and journalism, among others. It is obvious, for instance, in Western academic assumptions that what is said in Euro-American universities is only what has been said or only what matters (Davies 1994). It is also on display when an all non-African

panel of “experts” or a non-African journalist, often having never set foot on the continent or when having done so not venturing too far from the comfortable confines of the local air-conditioned, five star hotel, will “Africasplain” something about Africa to Africans in a condescending, patronizing manner.

A young, low-income, African developing country, Eritrea faces numerous challenges within many different areas. However, it also remains proud and unbowed, and it has long striven to strike an independent, self-reliant path. It seeks genuine partnerships with all and is fiercely protective of its independence and sovereignty. The country also retains close control of its development agenda. It is thus relatively easy to understand how for those steeped in arrogance and racism, who remain possessed by a messianic conception of themselves as the saviors of the world and the inferiority of Africans, Eritrea is a target for criticism.

The country’s initial independence and continued sovereign existence vexes those who worked tirelessly

Eritreans strive to improve their lives and their communities.

Eritrea’s development projects have had a positive, transformational impact on people’s lives.

against that outcome and grates those experts who confidently told all that it would be a weak, needy, unviable entity. The country’s desire to be self-reliant pushes back against the misguided notion that Africans are passive and absolutely dependent on outside help. Its noble desire to be independent also puts it at fundamental odds with those who have long been used to the paternalistic approach of monopolizing control over resources, imposing conditionalities, driving programs, and possessing inordinate influence over strategy in developing countries. Anything positive that Eritrea manages to achieve or produce – such as constructing effective development projects that are positively transforming communities – poses a challenge for those who believe that Africans are somehow inherently and naturally less capable.

That is why biased reports and stories over-report, sensationalize, or exaggerate “negative” aspects about Eritrea and underreport challenges, ignore context, and downplay, dismiss, or overlook “positive” developments in the country. And that’s why transformational dams, planned by creative, local experts, constructed through the sweat and tireless efforts of so many Eritreans, and happily rejoiced by many locals for having brought about an array of tremendously positive changes to their standard of living, can be arrogantly criticized and dismissed by those without a clue thousands of miles away.

Instead of continuing with assertions that are not grounded in any observable reality, or the promotion of condescending, paternalistic narratives rooted in arrogance and racism, the significant advancements and important progress Eritrea has made in many sectors should be recognized.

There is still a misguided belief that Africans are inherently needy and less capable.


Milka Teklom

Brucellosis, which is also known as Undulant fever, Malta fever, and Mediterranean fever, is a highly contagious disease mainly caused by consuming unpasteurized milk, raw and undercooked meat from infected animals, or close contact with their secretions. Although human to human transmission is rare, it can be spread through breastfeeding and sexual contact.

It is widely believed that brucellosis

Combatting Brucellosis in Eritreais more common in countries that do not have good and effective public health and domestic animal health programs, but developed countries still have some cases. Knowledge about the prevalence of brucellosis in a country is crucial to setting up a strategy to control and eradicate the disease. For this reason, the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) in Eritrea has been carrying out serological surveys for many years to be able to estimate the seroprevalence of brucellosis in dairy cattle and to draft strategies for control and eradication of the disease

in the country.

In Eritrea, with its estimated indigenous resource of about 1.65 million tropical livestock units, agriculture and livestock are regarded as one of the most important sectors for developing the country’s economy. Surveys by the MoA show farmers employ three cattle husbandry methods: intensive urban and semi-urban method, extensive mixed crop-livestock method used in the southern highlands, and the traditional pastoral method used in the western and eastern lowlands. The traditional pastoral method is believed to be the reason for an increase in the number of brucellosis-infected humans, as traditional herds-men tend to constantly consume unpasteurized milk.

The percentage of dairy cattle infection with brucella is generally low in Eritrea. In 7,979 tests for bovine brucellosis that were carried out throughout the five regions, 2.9% (230) of the cattle were positive. Follow-up testing is underway with a focus on the Central and Southern regions, the two regions where the

The National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) is promoting potato production through research based on farmers. The project, which was launched in 2015 includes potato seed provision, multiplication, and, capacity development of farmers and experts on potato seed management to boost the productivity of seed and ware potato.

Mr. Medhanie Mehari, Potato Seed Project Coordinator, stated: “The intervention has shown promising results towards sustainable potato seed supply program to farmers”.

Community Based Potato research Brings Commendable Change in farmers

majority of dairy cattle are located and dairy production is common.

In Anseba region, livestock owners volunteered to cull reactor animals. The MoA has been implementing programs such as the elimination of brucella reactors, payment of an indemnity or compensation for slaughter of reactors, testing and quarantine of imported herds, veterinary service provision in all sub-zones, prohibiting the sale of

milk from TB and brucella infected cows, sensitisation of dairy farmers and consumers through the provision of information.

Dr. Yonas Weldu, Director of Animal and Plant Health, said the main way of preventing brucellosis is by using fastidious hygiene in producing raw milk products, or by pasteurizing all milk (in its

In the past five years since the launching of the program, more than 1100 farmers have benefited directly from the supply of certified potato seeds while more than 2000 farmers and 300 experts received extensive training courses in various regions.

As a result, potato productivity has increased dramatically in all the targeted areas.

This newsletter presents an exemplary farmer and beneficiary of the project.

Eyob Tsegay, 49, is a farmer who has been involved in potato farming for the last 12 years in Adi-nefas, Maekel Region. This farmer is known for his extra-ordinary experience in vegetable production and disease management. According to a report from the project, Mr. Eyob and his Father Mr. Tsegay are among the early beneficiaries of the potato seed project. Initially he was given G2 Electra variety potato seed in September 2015. This farmer has been able to multiply the seeds on

his own initiative and saved every generation for next season. At this time, he has successfully maintained the generation up to ninth sequence, G9.

This exemplary farmer has been enrolled in the continuous training and seed provision programs enunciated by the project. He confirmed that he had attended three different potato production and disease management training courses and farmers’ field days in the past years.

Mr. Eyob explains that “Electra potato seed is very rewarding even in adverse conditions. The variety is robust and can last long but it needs change of place every season and enough manure to maintain its capacity”.

Mr. Eyob further underlined: “Crop rotation is one of the key factors to the success of potato seed production and increases productivity as it mitigates the disease and pest reoccurrences. Moreover, I always

avoid the off types during flowering and I remove yellowish and stunted crops; and I throw them far away as they are the main causes of potato seed degeneration diseases.” Finally Mr. Eyob points out that he saves the egg-sized potato tubers in ventilated shades for next generation to use them as seeds.

The Project Coordinator, for his part, noted that in addition to the diligence of the farmer, his farm location also helped him to get bumper harvest. The farm is situated in a windy area which inhibits free

Mr. Medhanie Mehari

movements of aphids and other disease transmission vector insects which are the main causes of potato degeneration. Currently the farmer is not only known for his good harvests but also as a potato seed distributor to some farmers around Mendefera city, Southern Region. For instance, this season he has sold about 30 quintal of potato seeds. He had harvested 164.7 quintals of potato tuber from 11 quintals of seed. This yield is equivalent to around 300 quintals per a hectare.

Ministry of Agriculture

continued on page 2

no. 30 wednesday, september 16, 2020 pages 4 healthcare...

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