The National Organization of Associations of Retirees and Pensioners of Uruguay (Oajpu) defended the continuation of Operation Miracle in the country, at a time when the United States is pressuring for the withdrawal of the Cuban Medical Brigade (BMC).
Oajpu President Sixto Amaro expressed this view in a radio interview, stating that it is a matter of solidarity and sovereignty.
“We are a sovereign country that makes our own decisions. The decisions our country makes belong to us, to all Uruguayans, and to no one else, anywhere,” he said.
He referred to the 19th anniversary of the presence of a medical brigade from the Caribbean island, which, from the José Martí Eye Hospital (another achievement of bilateral cooperation), has restored sight to thousands of Uruguayans, mostly elderly and from low-income backgrounds.
Amaro recalled the experiences of those who regained their sight in a country where the waiting list for cataract surgery stretched up to seven years, condemning many to blindness from a condition that is reversible.
He commented that “discovering the blue of our grandchildren’s eyes, watching the sunset, being able to see our children, reading a book—these things are priceless for most retirees and pensioners who cannot afford the two thousand dollars that cataract surgery costs in private practice.”
“We are talking about 122,928 free surgeries performed by Cuban doctors,” he noted, adding that this number increases weekly.
He also mentioned the 222,873 screenings conducted by the doctors throughout the country to identify patients and schedule treatments and surgeries for cataracts, pterygium, and oculoplastic surgery.
The Cuban doctors, with the support of ONAJPU (National Organization of Cuban Medical Associations), have conducted screenings in all departmental capitals and in small towns where an ophthalmologist has never before visited, stated Sixto Amaro.
He recalled the waiting rooms filled with retirees suffering from visual impairments, a common sight during the screenings that the Cuban Medical Brigade (BMC) carries out every Saturday.
This has been done from Artigas to Rocha, from Fray Bentos to Colonia, he said, citing departments that mark cardinal directions, and mentioning towns such as Pueblo Gallinal, Paso de los Mellizo, Eucalipto, Quebracho, and Piedras Colorados, among many others. Others where the Caribbean specialists arrived.
“This is Operation Miracle, a decision made by our government and the government of our sister nation of Cuba. So, what do we mean? That this is a beautiful example of solidarity, a testament to policies implemented by previous governments and maintained over time,” he emphasized.
And he concluded: “Our commitment is to continue with the responsibility, the maintenance, and the development of Operation Miracle. And this will continue until not a single retiree or pensioner anywhere in the country has vision problems.”
[ SOURCE: PRENSA LATINA ]
