CubaMinrex. Sitio del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Cuba

New Group of Cuban Healthcare Workers Arrives in Haiti.

By Juan Diego Nusa Peñalver, Special Correspondent
CUBA, February 26th, 2011.- A new group of some 30 doctors, nurses and other healthcare specialists from Cuba arrived in Haiti to strengthen the work carried out by the 1,300 heath professionals that make up the medical brigade currently providing free healthcare services and fighting the cholera epidemic in Haiti.

Haitian child Mique Sinat Lore, six, suffers from kidney disease and hypertension with acute cardiovascular problems . treated at the Dokter Sansarik Adriyen Anse D'Hainault Community hospital in Grand'Anse, the boy would have perished withouth the assistance of cuban doctors.

The head of the Cuban Medical Brigade in Haiti, Lorenzo Somarriba, welcomed the newcomers and spoke of the comprehensive program carried out by Cuba to contribute to the reconstruction and strengthening of Haiti’s national health system, and the efforts made to fight the cholera epidemic.

He also briefed the new comers on the preventive health measures to be observed to avoid contracting cholera.

According to the last report by the Haitian Ministry of Public Health and Population, in four months, more than 241,300 people have contracted cholera and 4,573 of them have died. The departments of Artibonite and West in Port-au-Prince are the most affected areas.

A group of 23 Cuban healthcare workers returned to Cuba after serving in Haiti for two years. Among them was Dr. Jose Cerito Machado, deputy human resources coordinator for the Cuban brigade.

A HOSPITAL REOPENS

On Thursday, the L'Estere community hospital in the department of Artibonite was reopened following renovation works carried out as part of the Cuba-Venezuela program to strengthen the national health system in this country.

A devastating earthquake hit the country more than a year ago, destroying 30 hospitals and other facilities in Haiti

The following hospitals have be repaired and are currently operating: Bassin Bleu (Northwest), Raboteau (Artibonite), Grand Riviere (North), Trou du Nord (Northeast), Mirebalais (Center), Anse d'Hainault (Grand'Anse) , Anse a Veau (Nippes), Aquin (South), Grand Goave (West) and Cayes Jacmel (Southeast). In the next few days, the Thomazaeu and Arcahaie hospitals in the West department will reopen.

Eight others hospitals operated by Cuban personnel are currently being repaired.

The manager of the Grand Goave Hospital, Dr. Eisy Infante Pérez, told Granma newspaper that the staff under her direction had treated 77,319 patients the previous year, including 25,821 rehab patients. They also delivered 349 babies and operated on 1,153 patients. (Cubaminrex-Granma)

 

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