CubaMinrex. Sitio del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Cuba

First VP Machado Ventura Presides over Ceremony Marking ELAM’s 10th Anniversary

CUBA, November 16, 2009. Cuban First Vice President Jose Ramon Machado Ventura on Sunday presided over the ceremony to mark the 10th anniversary of the Havana-based Latin American School of Medicine (ELAM).

The idea of the educational center was conceived by the leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, in response to two devastating hurricanes – George and Mitch - that hit Central America. Its official inauguration by Fidel was attended by several heads of state and government on November 15, 1999, on the occasion of the 9th Iberoamerican Summit that took place in Havana.

Dr. Juan Carrizo, the founding rector of the institution, told ACN that the project has already expanded to all Cuban medical universities and, after five graduations, a total of 7,256 health professionals from some 30 countries – including 33 youths from the United States - have graduated.

He added that there are currently more than 21,300 undergraduate students from nearly 100 countries receiving medical training in Cuba while more than 2,500 graduates are currently taking post-graduate courses.

The inauguration of ELAM ten years ago was a significant contribution to the Latin American dreams of integration and a high expression of humanism and solidarity, he stressed.

The main address of the ceremony was given by Public Health Minister Jose Ramon Balaguer in the presence of students, professors and government leaders. (Cubaminrex- ACN)

<< Back