We must demonstrate our commitment to humanity, affirms Lazo in Haiti Dominican Republic, June 2, 2010. Speaking at the closing session of the World Summit on the Future of Haiti, Cuban Vice President Esteban Lazo today urged the international community to demonstrate a commitment to humanity, PL reports. "What brings us here is not a political problem, but a human drama," Lazo stated to the delegates from 55 countries and 35 international organizations attending the Summit. Lazo recalled that, before the earthquake struck Port-au-Prince, Cuban brigades had been working for 11 years in Haiti, cooperating in a number of sectors, but particularly in those of health, education and housing. He noted that, as part of that project, 400 Cuban doctors have worked in Haiti, helping to treat 14 million people, and have operated on 47,000 patients with visual disorders; moreover, 550 Haitian doctors have graduated in Cuba and a further 600 are currently studying Medicine on the island. The vice president noted that on January 25 this year, the Political Council of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) met in Caracas and, in response to a proposal from Fidel Castro, agreed to prioritize aid to Haiti in the education sector and to create an integrated health system, the results of which are palpable. "Cuba is prepared to and has the human resources to continue participating in this effort," Lazo emphasized, quoting the value of this assistance at $690 million – largely contributed by Venezuela – directed at healing the wounds left by the earthquake, and demonstrated by medical attention given to 375,865 patients since January and 180,00 operations performed. Haiti needs and deserves that effort, concluded the head of the Cuban delegation to the Punto Cana Summit. "We must demonstrate our commitment to humanity," he affirmed.(Cubaminrex- Granma Internacional)
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