Cuba's Advance-Medical Team Arrives, Hailed As 'Medical Diplomats'
A high level Cuban medical delegation comprising mainly of medical doctors, financial and logistical officers has arrived in the country as an advance-team of the Cuban medical brigade that will assist Liberia in its fight to control the Ebola virus that is ravaging the West African region.
A Foreign Ministry release says the advanced Cuban medical professionals which arrived in the country on Saturday, October 4, 2014 is headed by Dr. Juan Carlos Dupuy Nunez.
Other members of the delegation include Dr.Pablo Miguel, Raventon Vaguer, Mr. Andres Marrero Escobar, and Rolando Vergara Zito constituting of medical doctors, financial and logistical officers.
During a courtesy call on Liberia’s Foreign Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan at his Foreign Ministry Office on Monday, September 6, 2014, the Foreign Minister, on behalf of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and the Government and people of Liberia, extended sincere gratitude to the Government and People of Cuba for demonstrating what he termed as a solid friendship and solidarity to people in greater needs: "You are coming to help not just Liberia, but also the Republic of Sierra Leone”.
While lifting praises on Cuba, Minister Ngafuan noted that Cuba has over the years distinguished itself in the medical fields, referring to Cuban medical doctors as medical diplomats in the world.
The Liberian Foreign Minister further assured the advance team of his ministry’s fullest cooperation in helping them navigate through Liberia’s governmental system, noting that Liberia has good diplomatic relations with Cuba.
Foreign Minister Ngafuan disclosed that as Liberia battles against the deadly Ebola disease, the government is also working hard to upgrade the standard of its health facilities to deal with other related illnesses that are posing threats to the heath of the Liberian people.
Minister Ngafuan then expressed confidence that with the coming of the Cuban doctors to assist in the fight against Ebola, the disease will soon be eradicated.
In brief remarks, the head of the advanced team, Dr. Nunez who introduced members of his delegation revealed that they are in Liberia as an advance-team of what is going to be a comprehensive team of about 50 experts that will arrive in Liberia very soon.
According to Dr. Nunez, the Cuban medical team will be in the country as part of international response to control the virus in West Africa and the world and will be in Liberia to work with government in curbing the disease.
Recently, Regla Angulo, head of the Cuban medical relief agency last month, announced Cuba's contribution in the Ebola fight by sending medical personnel to work in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia with the latest announcement now putting the total number at 461 Cuban medical personnel who would have been sent to help prevent the spread of the epidemic across west Africa.