Havana, March 31 (RHC)-- Specialists from the Cuban medical brigade are helping to ensure coverage of essential health services in hospitals and other facilities in Mexico, without displacing Cuban professionals.
The presence of more than three thousand Cuban doctors in Mexico is part of a government and international cooperation agreement; their positions, salaries, and social security in Cuba are guaranteed, while their living, working and subsistence conditions in Mexico are protected.
One of these specialists, ophthalmologist Magdevis Ruiz, arrived in July of last year and began working in the central state of Hidalgo, specifically at the Tulancingo Bravo General Hospital, about 112 kilometers from Mexico City.
“This specialty hadn't been available at the hospital for approximately seven years, and patients had to travel to the state capital for care, with appointments taking very long, or else seek care in private clinics, and not everyone had the financial resources,” she says.
In a conversation with Prensa Latina, the doctor explains that this is why they experienced many complications associated with the lack of care, especially diabetic patients with advanced stages of diabetic retinopathy.
For her part, Cuban pediatrician Marité Llerena arrived on September 9, 2022, in the southern state of Campeche, located more than a thousand kilometers from Mexico City, and there she began courses to learn about protocols and other specifics.
We were then placed in different municipalities in the state, “the ones most lacking in terms of specialized care,” says the doctor, who has since worked at the Pedro Lara y Lara Community Hospital of Hopelchén.
“It has always been the opinion of the hospital's governing body that specialized medical care has recovered almost 100 percent since we began operating, and they are very grateful for that,” Llerena adds, highlighting the saving of a large number of lives.
The doctor also mentions the integration with the Mexican staff and the resulting teamwork and very satisfactory results, which are also perceived by patients and family members, who express their gratitude for the quality and warmth of the care provided.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has repeatedly highlighted the work of Cuban doctors in this nation. “Now that I have been traveling around the country, visiting some health centers, I have seen the participation, how they are working, and the gratitude of the people for their participation in providing coverage to certain specialties,” the president said at a recent press conference.
(Source: Prensa Latina)
