akzente | Das Magazin der GIZ

Destination: the future

Strong digital initiatives are at the heart of this year’s GIZ Innovation Fund. akzente presents the winners and their ideas.

GIZ delivers results worldwide

GIZ’s new results data are available now – akzente provides an overview, with explanations of how they are produced from Lennart Bendfeldt-Huthmann.

A promising harvest

Cocoa is an important product in western and central Africa. Together with various partners, GIZ has developed a training programme to help smallholders farm their land sustainably.

Medications at the touch of a button

A South African-German partnership is breaking new ground by giving people with chronic illnesses easy access to essential medicines: the pharmacy of the future operates almost like a cash machine.

Four-legged therapist

In eastern Ukraine, specially trained dogs are helping to treat disabled children and those traumatised by conflict.

Five perspectives

Public debate about China is often characterised by superlatives and clichés. akzente asked five experts to present their views.

With 10,000 deliveries a year Bishkek City Perinatal Center is one of the busiest maternity facilities in Kyrgyzstan. It is one of the first hospitals in the country to introduce epidural analgesia for women in labour. On behalf of BMZ, GIZ supports the Centre in building up expertise. Photo: ©GIZ/Maxime Fossat

Most people in Kyrgyzstan are unfamiliar with epidurals as a form of pain relief. Altinai, 28 years old, was offered the option of an epidural when she went into labour. She listens as an anaesthesiologist explains how the epidural will be administered and what the potential side effects could be. Photo: ©GIZ/Maxime Fossat

While the World Health Organization recommends the use of epidural analgesia for healthy pregnant women requesting pain relief during labour, epidurals are rarely if ever used in Kyrgyzstan. Photo: ©GIZ/Maxime Fossat

Dr Gerlinde Partecke (centre) is an anaesthesiologist who recently retired from the Martin-Luther-Krankenhaus in Berlin. She spent three weeks at the Bishkek City Perinatal Hospital in February 2019, providing on-the-job training to anaesthesiologists on how to safely administer epidurals to women in labour. Photo: ©GIZ/Maxime Fossat

After Altinai has been correctly positioned on her side, with bent knees, Dr Partecke assists an anaesthesiologist into new robes. Epidurals must be placed under totally sterile conditions to minimise the risk of infection. Photo: ©GIZ/Maxime Fossat

A sterile epidural set is unwrapped. If any part of a catheter touches a non-sterile surface, it cannot be used. <em>Photo: ©GIZ/Maxime Fossat</em>

A sterile epidural set is unwrapped. If any part of a catheter touches a non-sterile surface, it cannot be used. Photo: ©GIZ/Maxime Fossat $Colleagues observe as the anesthesiologist administers the first fractionated dose of anesthesia. ‘The staff were highly motivated and paid close attention to what I taught them,’ said Dr Partecke. ‘The key now is to keep practicing in the same way they have learned.’ <em>Photo: ©GIZ/Maxime Fossat</em>$
Colleagues observe as the anesthesiologist administers the first fractionated dose of anesthesia. ‘The staff were highly motivated and paid close attention to what I taught them,’ said Dr Partecke. ‘The key now is to keep practicing in the same way they have learned.’ Photo: ©GIZ/Maxime Fossat

The use of epidurals is so new that it attracts a lot of attention. A junior doctor and three residents observe from the doorway as the epidural is administered. Photo: ©GIZ/Maxime Fossat

After the catheter has been taped in place, the anaesthesiologist remains in close contact with the patient for at least another 30 minutes to monitor for any unusual symptoms. Photo: ©GIZ/Maxime Fossat
Find out more about the Perinatal Health in Kyrgyzstan project at https://giz-health.kg/en

Information and background

Intercultural bridge-builders

Part partner, part competitor, part opponent – China’s relationship with Germany and Europe is more important than ever. With a network of contacts, GIZ is working to strengthen mutual understanding.

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Gathering momentum

The electric miracle of Shenzhen, smart traffic lights in Jinan and a dialogue about future mobility – a trip through China with Guido Beermann, State Secretary at the German Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure

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Making way for startups

akzente gathered insights on the Tech Entrepreneurship Initiative ‘Make-IT in Africa’ featuring the voices of four young African experts and an interview with the Head of the programme.

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Building up hope

Simple ideas - such as running a small shop - are turning around the lives of refugees and local people in northern Iraq following the end of terror in the country.

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Our job: to promote decent work

GIZ promotes employment around the world – often delivering rapid results. Tilman Nagel explains what this involves.

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Much needed temporary jobs

On behalf of BMZ, GIZ has helped partners to create 22,000 temporary jobs in Dohuk Province.

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Highlights

China

Five perspectives

Public debate about China is often characterised by superlatives and clichés. akzente asked five experts to present their views.

Intercultural bridge-builders

China’s relationship with Germany and Europe is more important than ever. GIZ is working to strengthen mutual understanding.

Faster, higher, further

Environmental protection and pollution, extreme poverty and growth – China’s development remains contradictory.

‘China is hungry for success’

Interview with Zheng Han, Chair of the Sino-German School for Postgraduate Studies at Tongji University in Shanghai

Facts and figures

million people are migrant workers. That is nine per cent more than in 2013, when there were around 150 million. Around 60 per cent are concentrated in three world regions: northern, southern and western Europe, North America and Arab countries.
billion people, primarily in developing countries, depend on forests. They provide them with food, medicine and fuel. This habitat is also vital for the climate, as trees store carbon dioxide. Despite this, humans destroy 13 million hectares of forest every year.
million women in developing countries have little or no access to modern contraceptives. Meanwhile, unsafe abortions are a leading cause of maternal mortality.
million children and young people of school age are not receiving education. The figures for primary school children have not improved since 2008.
billion USD less is spent each year on things like energy and food as a consequence of natural disasters.
new cases of malaria have been reported by Paraguay over the last three years. This means that the country is considered to be free of the disease.
MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Climate Action
Almost 1.1 billion people still have no access to electric power. Solar lights are cheaper and more frequently purchased.
of 91,523 species of flora and fauna examined are threatened with extinction.

Insight

A brush with success

Delicate hand-made brooms form a work of art covering the floor of a cooperative in Maozhuang in north-eastern China. The products are in demand all over the world – especially in South Korea and Japan. Maozhuang in the province of Hebei is famous for this traditional craft.

Photo: picture alliance/Photoshot

akzente | Das Magazin der GIZ

A good start into life: Perinatal Health in Kyrgyzstan

Information and background

Highlights

Half the world

Facts and figures