400 Cuban doctors attending to flood victims in Bolivia
Campaign News | Sunday, 25 February 2007
More than 60,000 treated free of charge
A total of 400 Cuban doctors are attending to people affected by natural disasters associated with the El Niño meteorological phenomenon in eight departments of Bolivia. To date the health professionals have made more than 60,000 consultations free of charge.
Living alongside the thousands of families in evacuation camps, the Cuban doctors are also supplying the necessary medicines to confront the most frequent resultant illnesses, such as diarrhea and respiratory and dermatological problems. They are also involved in health education activities to avert the proliferation of sickness and epidemiological outbreaks linked to the worsening floods and the deterioration of hygienic conditions.
Just 12 months ago, on February 2, 2006, the Henry Reeve Cuban Medical Brigade arrived in Bolivia to deal with a similar emergency situation due to torrential rainstorms that affected more than 40,000 families.
The brigade, currently composed of 1,771 health professionals, is currently working in 236 municipalities of the country’s nine departments. During this period, the Cuban government has donated 20 hospitals, 11 ophthalmic centers and a total of 632 tons of medicines and medical supplies to assist the Bolivian population and improve the health indices of the poorest sectors, offering their services completely free.
To date, the Cuban Medical Brigade has attended to 3, 617,434 patients and has saved the lives of 4,642 Bolivians. On the other hand, the Operation Miracle program has restored or improved the sight of 66,398 people who have undergone surgery in the 11 ophthalmological centers distributed throughout the country.
http://www.granma.cu/ingles/2007/febrero/juev22/09medic-i.html
