 Cuban
FM Praises ALBA’s Role in Haiti Crisis
HAVANA, Cuba, Jan 25 (acn) Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez
Parrilla praised the role of and the assistance provided by the
Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of the Americas (ALBA) to the
people of Haiti after the devastation caused in this Caribbean nation
by an earthquake almost two weeks ago.
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.
Taken
from the web site (www.cubanews.ain.cu/)
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