Cuba Stands By The Haitian People

Cuba Stands By The Haitian People

The solidarity of the Cuban People with Haiti did not arrive because of the earthquake. This special collaboration has been offered to our sister nation for more than one decade.

This is not a conjunctural conduct, instead it is a Cuban tradition which has been existing since the beginning of the Cuban Revolution.

Cuban Doctors have been helping to different countries in different kind of natural disasters for the last 50 years. We have been supporting in different tragedies, since the earthquake of Argelia in 1963 and to Pakistan and Indonesia.

Currently Cuba has 40.000 Doctors, Nurses and Technical Health staff Around 70 countries, including Medical brigades in Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Tuvalu.

At the moment of the earthquake that struck Haiti, four hundred Cuban collaborators were working in that sister country, on free basis and without any interest rather to save lives and provide health to one of the most poorest countries in the world if not the first one.

The Cuban doctors began to offer their services immediately after the earthquake. It was the most important health care assistance received by Haitian people in the first 72 hours.

On 13 January, over 60 health staff joined those in to Port au Prince, including specialists from the Henry Reeve Contingent with experienced in emergencies when similar disasters occurred in Asia and Latin America countries.

•Until Wednesday 20th of January the Cuban Medical Brigade had assisted 14551 patients and performed 1252 surgeries, at 21 health centers in Port au Prince, around the capital and in others departments. Besides Cuba still holding there 14 rooms of surgery with 16 surgical teams.

About 400 young Haitians trained as doctors in Cuba are now working with the Cuban reinforcement to save lives in this critical situation.

We can confirm the published information on the authorization by Cuba, immediately it was requested, to allow U.S. aircrafts to use the Cuban airspace in the eastern territory.

Cuba is ready to cooperate with all nations, including the U.S., in order to help the Haitian people and save more lives. Cuba has the necessary staff and infrastructure in that country to do it.

At present, Cuba is cooperating with Venezuela, Namibia, Norway, China, Dominican Republic, Mexico and Russia in the field to support the Haitian people.
Cuba has requested to the Pan-American Health Organization logistic support, surgical disposables, hospital support, and other materials to ensure medical care in Haiti.

Since December 1998, Cuba offers medical assistance to the Haitian people through a Comprehensive Health Program.

To date 6 thousand 94 collaborators have worked in this sector in Haiti More than 14 million doctor visits, more than 225 thousand surgeries, handled more than 100 thousand deliveries, and save more than 230 thousand lives.

In 2004, after the Tropical Storm Jeanne struck Gonaives City, Cuba helped with a brigade of 64 doctors and 12 tons of medicine.

Five Integral Diagnostic Centers, built by Cuba and Venezuela, provide services to the Haitian people before the earthquake.

Since 2004, Operation Miracle is been carry out in Haiti. Until 31 December 2009, a total than 47 thousand 273 Haitians were operated.

Currently, 660 young Haitians are studying in Cuba, of whom 541 are trained as doctors. 917 professionals have been trained, of whom 570 as doctors.

Cuba cooperates with Haiti in sectors such as agriculture, energy, fisheries, communications, besides health and education.

Because of Cuba’s cooperation in the field of education, 160 thousand Haitians are now literate.

ENDS

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