CubaMinrex. Sitio del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Cuba

Thousands of Uruguayans Have Benefited from Operation Miracle

CUBA,   June 28th, 2010.-   About 20,000 Uruguayans have recovered or improved vision, thanks to Operation Milagro, a joint plan by the governments of Cuba and Venezuela, for the ophthalmologic rehabilitation of people with low incomes.

Within two years of the implementation of this initiative in Uruguay, there have been about 17,500 cataract operations, and the rest for pterygium, reported Geza Stari, representative of the retirees and pensioners on the Social Insurance Bank, of Montevideo.

Since starting the exercise, there have been 40,000 consultations for retirees, reported the website of the presidency of the South American country this Saturday, cited by Prensa Latina. The solidarity contribution is based at the José Martí Ophthalmology Center in the capital, where local doctors are working and a brigade of health specialists from Cuba, specifies the news agency report.

Stari recalled that the first inquiries began in the neighborhood of Cerro Montevideo and Sayago on June 19, 2008, and have now been conducted in 80 locations. (Cubaminrex-Granma)