http://www.granma.cu/ingles/2010/febrero/mar9/lazo.html
Havana. February 9, 2010
In Haiti
Cuba is not arriving, Cuba was already here
Préval affirms during a meeting with Esteban Lazo
Leticia Martínez Hernández Photo: Juvenal Balán
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti.- Commander in Chief Fidel Castro Ruz sent a
message of gratitude and fraternal greetings to members of the Henry Reeve
International Medical Brigade, graduates of the Latin American School of
Medicine (ELAM) and fifth and sixth year students there, via Esteban Lazo,
member of the Political Bureau, and Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez, who are
heading a Cuban delegation that arrived in Haiti yesterday.
Marcia Cobas, deputy minister of public health, read the message from the
leader of the Revolution to the Cuban collaborators, who received it with
particular emotion at their posts where they are working tirelessly.
Esteban Lazo, likewise vice president of the Council of State, was
witness to their selfless work when he toured the Croix des Bouquets field
hospital, La Paix and La Renaissance Hospitals, and the Mirebalais
Comprehensive Diagnosis Center.
Earlier, the Cuban leader was received by Haitian President René Préval.
Lazo told Granma that Préval greeted him with great joy, above all because Cuba
is not a new visitor to that country; that Cuba was not arriving, but was
already in Haiti. Lazo said that Préval asked after Fidel and Raúl and
acknowledged recognized the tremendous work being undertaken by the Cuban
doctors, who have also organized students and Haitian doctors.
Lazo informed Préval that close to 1,200 doctors are currently working as
part of the Cuban medical brigade in Haiti. They have attended to more than
70,000 patients since the earthquake. Lazo noted the importance of averting
epidemics and about the medical teams' vaccination and fumigation efforts. He
also told Préval that a group of U.S. graduates from ELAM have joined the Cuban
brigade.
Esteban Lazo spoke with the Haitian president about the proposal to
strengthen the Haitian healthcare system, an agreement made during a recent
meeting of ALBA member countries. "We explained to him that the idea is to
contribute to building a healthcare system with solid primary, secondary, and
tertiary care, which will guarantee the nation's health through ALBA's efforts.
Since Cuba already has a large number of experienced compañeros here, it could
direct this work."
To that end, and while hospital institutions are being built or
reconstructed, field hospitals are to be set up in the vicinity of those
facilities. Lazo explained that a contingent of young ELAM graduates is being
put together to attend to patients. They are already arriving from Havana after
responding to a call by Cuba. "We want to bring together approximately 2,000
doctors within a short period of time."
Lazo said that during a meeting with Préval, they also discussed issues
such as cooperation on the construction of Cap-Haïtien Airport, in the sugar,
fishing and communications sector, and on the literacy campaign. The Cuban
leader said that Préval acknowledged how Cuba has always looked forward to the
future.
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