Cuba is joining the fight against Ebola by sending a 165 - strong army of doctors and specialists to West Africa.
Despite decades of financial hardship, the communist country remains at the forefront of the world’ s medical expertise and know- how . The team , which includes doctors, nurses , epidemio logists and intensive care specialists , is due to touch down in Sierra Leone in the beginning of October.
Margaret Chan , the head of the World Health Organisation (WHO ), has hailed it as the “ largest offer of a foreign medical team from a single country ” since the start of the outbreak . So far , the deadly Ebola virus has claimed more than 2 , 600 lives in Guinea , Liberia and Sierra Leone .Although Cuba has suffered from a full economic embargo imposed by the United States since the early 1960 ’ s, the island remains one of the best training grounds for health care professionals.
“ Cuba is known the world over for its ability to train excellent doctors and nurses , ” WHO said , which has previously described the island nation as “ a role- model ” when it comes to its proactive medical approach and research .
Cuba ’ s demographic statistics confirm that opinion : the country enjoys the highest average life expectancy in the Americas , at 78 years old . It also has the lowest infant mortality rate , at just 4 .2 per one thousand babies born .
‘ Health a top priority ’
“ Health has always been the Cuban government ’ s top priority , ” Latin American expert Jean Ortiz said .
According to Cuba ’ s National Statistics Office , the country has the highest share of doctors per capita – one per 137 inhabitants .
According to Stéphane Witkowski , the head of the Institute of Latin American Studies in Paris (IHEAL ), Cuba is also “ among the world leaders within the pharmaceutical sector ” , adding that it “ houses the largest biotechnology centre in the world, with 20, 000 staff” .
Cuba ’ s other strong point is the quality of its medical training. United Nations chief Ban Ki Moon recently described Havana ’ s Latin American School of Medicine ( ELAM ) as the “ world ’s most advanced” school for medicine studies . The school has 11 , 000 students from more than 120 countries .
‘ Medical diplomacy ’
Ever since the Cuban revolution in 1959 , the country has a tradition of
applying “ medical diplomacy ” to foster positive relationships with its
neighbours and other countries . In all , the communist regime – led by Fidel Castro and his brother Raoul – has deployed more than 135, 000 health care specialists to country ’ s struck by natural disasters and other humanitarian crises.
According to the Cuban health ministry , there are currently 50, 000 Cuban doctors and health care
specialists in 66 countries around the world .
One of Cuba ’ s most celebrated medical contributions include
“ Operation Miracle ” , an eye surgery program launched in Venezuela in 2004 to offer Latin American low - income earners free eye surgery and optical care . In exchange for the Cuban contribution , Venezuela provides Cuba with oil . Since the launch of the program, more than 2 .8 million people have received free glasses and contact lenses . The program has since been extended to cover 14 Latin American countries .
Not free
Even though Cuba ’ s medical sector has been hit hard by the country ’s strained economy , Witkowski said “ the quality of the country ’ s doctors, and in particular its psychiatrists and GPs , remains indisputable ” .
In Brazil , more than 10, 000 Cuban doctors have been deployed to poverty - struck areas abandoned by their local colleagues. Earlier this year, Cuba also launched a malaria vaccination campaign in some 15 countries in West Africa .
But the expertise doesn ’ t come for free . Cuba ’s massive expertise export – including also sport and education specialists – account for the largest source of revenue for the island , bringing in an estimated $10 billion a year.
The Cuban medical mission in Sierra Leone is expected to last for about six months . WHO has said it hopes the move will “ send a strong message of solidarity for Africa to the rest of the world and will catalyse additional offers of support from other countries ” .
Source:Nigeriacamera
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