Cuban doctors attended more than 440,000 patients in Guatemala
BY LOURDES PEREZ NAVARRO AND RENE CASTAÑO—Granma daily staff writers—
IN a space of almost two months members of the Henry Reeve Medical Brigade attended to more than 442,000 patients affected by Hurricane Stan in Guatemala and saved 1,360 lives, as announced last night by Dr. Daniel Posada, second head of that International Contingent, after the arrival in Havana of the last two groups of doctors working in that country.
The Cuban doctors, who even went as far as to work at an altitude of 38,000 meters with temperatures of below zero, left their imprint of hope in all parts of Guatemalan geography. More than 60% of them stayed in the homes of their own patients, Posada noted.
"You are raising the stature of the name of our homeland, you have demonstrated for the world to see the solidarity and quality of our professionals," affirmed José Machado Ventura, member of the Political Bureau, on welcoming the 100 members of the brigade that returned yesterday afternoon.
"The people got so fond of us that when we said goodbye many of them cried, including the hospital workers," commented to Granma Elizabeth Palago Benítez, a pediatric doctor who brought with her the thanks of Guatemalan patients and health personnel.
"We worked in difficult conditions; the majority of patients had never been seen by a doctor and far less specialists," she affirmed.
"It has been a marvelous experience, the doctor stressed. "With our input we contributed to avoiding an epidemic, we controlled illnesses and reduced the risk of death in the population; to sum up, we saved many lives," she stated with merited pride.
The last group of 118 doctors arrived yesterday evening at the capital airport where they were met by José Ramón Balaguer, minister of public health and member of the Political Bureau, who highlighted their return on a date so significant for the nation as the death in combat of Lieutenant General Antonio Maceo of the Liberation Army and the commemoration of Operation Tribute.
The MINSAP minister was presented with various acknowledgements sent to the Cuban president by Guatemalan mayors and inhabitants as a gesture of thanks for the noble labors undertaken by the Cubans.
Balaguer defined the work of the members of the Henry Reeve International Contingent as an example of what can de done in the world in terms of human solidarity.
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The Cuban doctors, who even went as far as to work at an altitude of 38,000 meters with temperatures of below zero, left their imprint of hope in all parts of Guatemalan geography. More than 60% of them stayed in the homes of their own patients, Posada noted.