Speaking
in a meeting of ALBA’s Extraordinary Political Council held on
Sunday in Caracas, Venezuela, to examine the situation in Haiti,
Rodriguez made reference to a recent article by the leader of the
Cuban Revolution Fidel Castro entitled “We Send Doctors, Not
Soldiers”, and added that the ALBA countries have always made
efforts to help Haiti.
“Since 1998, Cuba, with the cooperation of other ALBA countries, has
provided medical assistance to 13 million Haitian patients,
including 207,000 surgeries and 103,000 labors. It is estimated that
hundreds of lives have been saved,” he said.
The Cuban diplomat noted that 26,000 Haitians have benefited from
the Miracle free eye care program and that more than 900 young
Haitian students have graduated from an ALBA nation with nearly 600
currently studying there. He added that 160,000 Haitians have also
learned to read and write with the assistance of an ALBA country
plus the contribution of Venezuela.
Rodriguez recalled that ALBA was also working with Haiti in
important projects in the fields of education, health, housing,
energy, fishing, agriculture, air and land transportation,
communications and sugar production.
“When the earthquake took place, ALBA did not have to go to Haiti
because it was already there,” the Cuban Foreign Minister stressed.
He pointed out that 11 says after the disaster occurred, health
professionals from Cuba, Venezuela and other ALBA countries, have
treated 23,171 people, including 2,090 surgeries, and they have
immunized 7,874 people against tetanus.
“This effort involves almost 1000 medics and paramedics, including
249 young Haitians and 16 surgical teams that have worked almost
around the clock. There are 766 Cuban specialists in Haiti with 466
of them in Port-au-Price,” Rodriguez said.
He added that emergency services are currently being provided in 14
hospitals and by mobile brigades of primary health care in dozens of
communities.
The Cuban diplomat suggested the implementation of a program by ALBA
to rebuild and equip the Haitian health system describing it as a
solid, sustainable and lasting contribution to the people of Haiti.
He also urged ALBA to create a medical contingent to join the
current efforts in the Caribbean nation along with personnel from
the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
Rodriguez reiterated Cuba’s willingness to cooperate with all the
countries in the world to solve humanitarian problems.
