• Submitted by: Luis Manuel Mazorra
• Health and Medicine
• 04 / 05 / 2012

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Internationalism, free services and universal access are principles that govern the Cuban health system, about 135 thousand professionals have offered their services in other nations of the world showing their altruism.

Currently 38 000 868 health professionals, of whom 15 000 407 physicians, found in 66 nations, said Yiliam Jimenez, director of the Central Medical Cooperation of the Ministry of Public Health of Cuba.

During the recent visit of the Director of the World Health Organization (WHO), Margaret Chan, along with regional directors of that entity, Jiménez explained that the Cuban medical aid began since the very beginning of the Revolution.

He recalled the first group that traveled to Chile in 1960 to serve the victims of the earthquake, which continued in 1963 when the first brigade was formed with specialists who worked in Algeria.

Today the cooperation strategy in health is provided in several forms, from the special program for Venezuela, through the International Contingent of Doctors Specialized in Disaster Situations and Serious Epidemics, Henry Reeve, an organization unprecedented in history, said Jiménez.

Initiation of Comprehensive Health Program in 1998 as a result of damage caused by hurricanes George and Mitch in Central America, sending employees, who still serve in rural areas, without regard to race, creed, ideology and respecting the laws and customs of the countries.

It also includes the study of people with disabilities (made in Venezuela, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Bolivia) and the Operation Miracle, an initiative of Fidel Castro, led since 2004 by the Governments of Cuba and Venezuela, which has restored the eyesight of millions people.

Excel also the formation of human resources through the project of Latin American Medical School in Cuba and other nations, and other programs of study, which allowed graduate more than 14 thousand doctors in 122 countries.