Préval affirms during a meeting with Esteban Lazo HAITI, February 9, 2010.— Commander in Chief Fidel Castro Ruz sent a message of gratitude and fraternal greetings to members of the Henry Reeve International Medical Brigade, graduates of the Latin American School of Medicine (ELAM) and fifth and sixth year students there, via Esteban Lazo, member of the Political Bureau, and Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez, who are heading a Cuban delegation that arrived in Haiti yesterday. Marcia Cobas, deputy minister of public health, read the message from the leader of the Revolution to the Cuban collaborators, who received it with particular emotion at their posts where they are working tirelessly. Esteban Lazo, likewise vice president of the Council of State, was witness to their selfless work when he toured the Croix des Bouquets field hospital, La Paix and La Renaissance Hospitals, and the Mirebalais Comprehensive Diagnosis Center. Earlier, the Cuban leader was received by Haitian President René Préval. Lazo told Granma that Préval greeted him with great joy, above all because Cuba is not a new visitor to that country; that Cuba was not arriving, but was already in Haiti. Lazo said that Préval asked after Fidel and Raúl and acknowledged recognized the tremendous work being undertaken by the Cuban doctors, who have also organized students and Haitian doctors. Lazo informed Préval that close to 1,200 doctors are currently working as part of the Cuban medical brigade in Haiti. They have attended to more than 70,000 patients since the earthquake. Lazo noted the importance of averting epidemics and about the medical teams’ vaccination and fumigation efforts. He also told Préval that a group of U.S. graduates from ELAM have joined the Cuban brigade. Esteban Lazo spoke with the Haitian president about the proposal to strengthen the Haitian healthcare system, an agreement made during a recent meeting of ALBA member countries. “We explained to him that the idea is to contribute to building a healthcare system with solid primary, secondary, and tertiary care, which will guarantee the nation’s health through ALBA’s efforts. Since Cuba already has a large number of experienced compañeros here, it could direct this work.” To that end, and while hospital institutions are being built or reconstructed, field hospitals are to be set up in the vicinity of those facilities. Lazo explained that a contingent of young ELAM graduates is being put together to attend to patients. They are already arriving from Havana after responding to a call by Cuba. “We want to bring together approximately 2,000 doctors within a short period of time.” Lazo said that during a meeting with Préval, they also discussed issues such as cooperation on the construction of Cap-Haïtien Airport, in the sugar, fishing and communications sector, and on the literacy campaign. The Cuban leader said that Préval acknowledged how Cuba has always looked forward to the future. (Cubaminrex- Granma International) |