Cuban Doctors Saving Lives in Pakistan

November 21, 2005

STATEMENT OF THE FIRST DEPUTY MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF CUBA, HIS EXCELLENCY MR. BRUNO RODRêGUEZ

ISLAMABAD, NOVEMBER 19th, 2005

Mr. President,
Mr. Secretary General,
Mr. Prime Minister,

Last October 9th, the President of the Republic of Cuba, Fidel Castro Ruz, offered President Musharraf his sincere condolences and sent him his token of solidarity together with an offer to help. On November 12th, on a personal message, the Cuban President offered to send 200 doctors; of whom 85 arrived in the subsequent 48 hours. On October 17th, once the seriousness of the tragedy and the desperate situation of tens of thousand victims were better known, Cuba arranged a shipment of 30 surgical medical teams, to perform no less than 20 thousand surgical operations in 90 days.

In view of new information related to the natural disaster and confronted with the risk of a second wave of deaths due to possible epidemics and the impending winterâs arrival, on October 20th, President Fidel Castro proposed to increase the medical staff up to 800 specialists; of who 130 arrived in the following 72 hours.

On October 26th, in a Conference similar to this one, held in Geneva, Cuba proposed to increase the aforementioned number of medical staff and to send 3 field hospitals. On the following day, another 130 Cuban doctors and paramedics arrived in Islamabad. On November 5th, in a moving talk with President Musharraf, President Fidel Castro raised to 30 the number of field hospitals to be sent, and the number of doctors to what the situation would demand.

The Cuban Medical Staff arrived with 100 tons of medicines and surgical instrumental material to work in a total self sustained manner. Moreover, we have brought 150 tons of medical and hospital equipment.

Mr. President:
Mr. Secretary General:
Mr. Prime Minister

I am not here with the intention of making announcements, or promises; I am here to provide you with testimonies of fact and actions.

Up to date, the Cuban Medical Brigade in Pakistan counts on 789 doctors, more than the half specialists and with experience in natural disasters. Forty-four percent of the doctors are women. Moreover, the Cuban Medical Brigade counts on 315 paramedics, all university graduates or technicians; and 128 back up staff, out of whom 80 are engineers and technicians mainly in electro medicine and whom work in the setting up of the medical equipment.

Seventeen field hospitals have been already deployed and another 13 already arrived and are under the process. These hospitals are equipped with the latest high tech to provide surgery, ultrasound, electrocardiogram, x-rays and clinic laboratory services, among others.

These hospitals are located in the areas most affected by the earthquake such as: Balakot and Muzaffarabad, and the coldest regions such as: Banna Alai, Maira, Thakot, Beshan, Gahri Habibullah, Hattian, Danna, Battal, Jared, Abbas Pur, and Oghi.

Our doctors also work with deep self-sacrifice in 7 evacuee camps, another 4 Pakistani or international field hospitals and in 4 hospitals of the healthcare network of the country.

The preliminary results of the Cuban Medical Brigade assistance are as follows:

60 000 patients were assisted.
2 000 surgical operations were performed.
More than 200 people were saved from the imminent risk of death.
The communities assisted were declared free of epidemics risks, and now count on a universal and systematic medical coverage.
A preliminary diagnosis was concluded with the purpose of launching a rehabilitation, prosthesis and orthopaedic service that will cover all the needs of the abovementioned population.
A medical survey is been done to initiate an ophthalmologic surgery service to return eyesight to people in the affected areas suffering from cataract, palpebral ptosis, pterygium and diabetic retinopathy, among others.
There is a project under further process to be presented to the Pakistani authorities regarding crash training of specialists in the field hospitals for 4th to 5th year students of medicine.
The Cuban Government has decided to offer a wide and free medicine scholarships program for young Pakistani from rural communities.

Mr. President:
Mr. Secretary General:
Mr. Prime Minister:

On October 21st, I was sent here to coordinate the Cuban cooperation on the field and I have travelled through tens of places, particularly on the northern mountain region.

I have witnessed your leadership and the outstanding effort of the Government and local authorities regarding the assistance to the survivors and victims. I must pay tribute to the Pakistani Armed Forces for the work carried out, under difficult conditions, with respect to the rescue and care of the victims. On several occasions, I have been with our doctors in their engineering units, while the roads to inaccessible places were re-opened.

I have also witnessed that the emergency need of help and reconstruction are enormous. I am aware that if such help does not reach the affected places with extreme urgency, lots of people will die as a result of the hard conditions of winter on the Himalayas. The international help is just insufficient and slow. It must be increased in a period of hours, which will determine the difference between life and death. I have perceived how temperature drops every night and how snow moves towards the small valleys, where the Cuban doctors share the humble and tough live and increasing cold with their patients.

Delaying or contributing less than could be achieved, would be an unforgivable selfishness that no-one will ever forget. Every year, the industrialized world spends one trillion of US dollars on weapons and another one on advertisement; 400 billions on illicit drugs, 105 billions on alcoholic drinks; 17 billions on pet food and 12 billions on perfumes. Every year, the rich countries charge us 436 billions on the service to the debt and another 100 billion on tariffs.

It would be profoundly immoral and unfair to bargain regarding the indispensable amount of 5.2 billions on emergency help and reconstruction for this nation, which has just suffered one of the biggest catastrophes in history.

If Cuba, a small, distant and blockaded country, has been able to help, all nations can, particularly the rich and developed countries. The noble Pakistani people deserve it.

I have witnessed the pain and suffering of the humblest people.

On behave of the heroic and modest Cuban doctors, who are carrying out a true humanitarian feat and from the deepest of my experience during these weeks, I issue this urgent call.

I feel that I must speak on behave of Zaled, child of 5 years of age, whose arm hanged from just one nervous and vascular package, yet it was saved. On behave of the girl of barely 10 years of age, who, in the Attar Shisha field hospital, is taking care of her brother Safir, of 8 years of age, suffering from a huge head injure, and both are the only survivors of the family tragedy. On behave of the innocent girl of 7 years of age, who brought Pervez, her, little brother of 5 years of age, to the Cuban doctors in Thakot with the hope that they could return him his missing leg.

On their behalf and on behalf of many others like them, I appeal to your conscience and sensitivity.

Shukriyah

SEE ALSO: Cuba calls for aid to Pakistan earthquake victims

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