CUBA
has an unenviable record of helping countries when natural disasters hit
them. Every one knows about their efforts after the Earthquake and during the
Cholera epidemic in Haiti. A whole field hospital was set up in the mountains
of Pakistan when there was the
earthquake and subsequent disaster in northern Pakistan a few years ago. When
Hurricane struck New Orleans a few years ago, Cuba offered to send 1500 doctors
to help but the then president refused the offer! In South Africa, Venezuela or
Bolivia where the local doctors fear to tread, Cuban doctors readily go to
provide public health services
But the latest offer to help truly shows
the humanitarian nature of Cuba and its solidarity with Africa.
You don't take Ebola lightly and extreme
precaution is necessary when treating or trying to prevent the spread of this
deadly infection. While other countries and Christian organizations have
withdrawn their medical personnel from the area, Cuba has offered to send 165
health care personnel to Sierra Leone!
It is truly a magnanimous gesture on the
part of Cuba!
MSF is still there I am sure, Medicines
sans Frontieres, the French humanitarian medical group and this is certainly a
boost to those others who remained behind to help this dreadful situation!
{A recently graduating class of Cuban Doctors}
From WHO Bulletin:
Experienced
team that has worked in crises
The Cuban
team consists of 100 nurses, 50 doctors, 3 epidemiologists, 3 intensive care
specialists, 3 infection control specialist nurses and 5 social mobilization
officers, all overseen by epidemiologist Dr Jorge Juan Delgado Bustillo.
All of
the Cuban health workers have more than 15 years’ experience and have worked in
other countries facing natural disasters and disease outbreaks. Some of the
workers have already been working in Sierra Leone and Guinea for some years and
are willing to continue their service there.
Once they
have all followed WHO-standard infection control training in Cuba, the team
will pack supplies of PPE and travel to Sierra Leone in early October. They
will stay there for 6 months, working in shifts in smaller teams in Ebola
treatment centres and community clinics.
Strong
message of solidarity
Dr Bruce
Aylward, Assistant Director at WHO, says “Those of us who have been working on
the response efforts at WHO know how truly valuable this offer is. Many
countries have offered money but no other country has offered such a large
number of workers to go in and help do the most difficult jobs in this crisis.”
It is
hoped that this offer of support will send a strong message of solidarity for
Africa to the rest of the world and will catalyse additional offers of support
from other countries.
I received the following note from a colleague in Cuba. Why is this important gesture by Cuban doctors and People not covered in the Media? had they been European or American or Canadian, the media would have jumped on it.
My own answer is that: Little Island Country of Cuba, which is a poor developing country, is putting these giants to the North to shame, because of their lack of HUMAN side of helping, they throw money but not the help that is needed which is expertise and human presence. Once again, Thank you CUBA..
I received the following note from a colleague in Cuba. Why is this important gesture by Cuban doctors and People not covered in the Media? had they been European or American or Canadian, the media would have jumped on it.
My own answer is that: Little Island Country of Cuba, which is a poor developing country, is putting these giants to the North to shame, because of their lack of HUMAN side of helping, they throw money but not the help that is needed which is expertise and human presence. Once again, Thank you CUBA..
HOLA A TODOS TODAS, SI ME PARECE UN BUEN PUNTO LO Q EL AMIGO SUDAH NOS COMENTA DESDE SU LECTURA ANTROPOLOGICA, YO HOY PENSABA, COMO ES QUE LOS MEDIOS DE PRENSA DEL MUNDO NO MENCIONAN , X EJ, LA AYUDA EN PERSONAS CALIFICADISIMAS QUE CUBA LE DARA EN BREVE A SIERRA LEONA 165 PERSONAS Q IRAN A TRABAJAR EN LA EPIDEMIA DEL EBOLA A SIERRA LEONA, LA MAYOR CONTRIBUCION Y RESPUESTA CON SERES HUMANOS, AL LLAMADO DE LA OMS, DICHO ASI Y AGRADECIDO POR LA DIRECTORA GENERAL DE LA OMS!! EL 4o. PODER, EL DE LOS MEDIOS ES INNEGABLE QUE DA LAS INFORMACIONES DESDE EL LADO Q MEJOR LES PARECE.
Creo q x elemental sentido de solidaridad, de sensibilidad, y agradecimiento ante ese gesto, esa respuesta a una emergencia y una realidad tan dramatica para Africa y para los seres humanos de quien sabe cuantos lugares, debia conocerse, y sin temor alguno, ser diseminada!! SON CUBANOS Y CUBANAS QUIEN EN MAYOR NUMERO VAN HASTA AHORA PARA ALLA A AYUDAR! , ESCAMOTEAR UN GESTO UNA PRESENCIA ANTE UN PROBLEMA TAAAN GRANDE DE SALUD ES , UNA VEZ MAS, INJUSTO! Y la prensa mundial al silenciar esa informacion no esta haciendo su trabajo de informar con veracidad, y no es que les falte la informacion, ya que se las dio la propia directora general de la OMS!! X QUE SILENCIAN ESTO?
Bueno, ahi lo dejo, ya sabemos,
If you wish to know more about the magnanimous efforts of Cuba in the field of International Public Health, please watch GAIL REED at TEDMED 2014
Comments received from a colleague in La Habana:
Comments received from a colleague in La Habana:
Muy bien por Sudah, el representante plenipotenciario de Cuba en el mundo.
Nuestras misiones son siempre en secreto. Pero siempre hay algo que nos saca del silencio y en este caso es el amigo de Cuba.
Muy bien...
