Cuba sends doctors to Italy to fight the coronavirus.
Since the 1959 revolution, Cuba has practiced what has become known as "medical diplomacy." In the 2010s, Cuban doctors were on the front lines of the fight against cholera in Haiti and Ebola in West Africa.
Sputnik – The Cuban government reported sending a medical brigade to Italy after receiving a formal request from Lombardy. Cuba has a high rate of doctors per capita, but has already confirmed 21 cases of coronavirus on the island.
Since the 1959 revolution, Cuba has practiced what has become known as "medical diplomacy." In the 2010s, Cuban doctors were on the front lines of the fight against cholera in Haiti and Ebola in West Africa. In Brazil, Cuban doctors were sent to the most remote areas of the country to help combat dengue fever and the lack of continuous healthcare services.
However, this is the first time Cuba is sending its "army in white coats" to a developed country, Italy.
"We are afraid, but we have a revolutionary mission to fulfill, so we take that fear and put it aside," said Leonardo Fernandez, a 68-year-old intensive care specialist, on his way to Italy.
Fernandez told Reuters that this will be his eighth international mission, which included work in Liberia during the Ebola crisis.
"Anyone who says they're not afraid is a superhero. But we're not superheroes, we're revolutionary doctors," said Fernandez.
Italy has the highest number of deaths from the coronavirus, with 4.825 fatalities and 53.378 confirmed cases of COVID-19. In comparison, China, even with more than 81 infected patients, recorded 3.144 deaths.
"We will carry out an honorable task, based on the principle of solidarity," said the 64-year-old Cuban doctor, Graciliano Díaz.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Cuba has already sent medical brigades to Jamaica, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Suriname, and Grenada.
In Brazil, the Minister of Health declared that he will request that Cuban doctors who remained in Brazil after being dismissed from the Mais Médicos program return to work to combat COVID-19.
Cuban healthcare system
The island of Cuba developed a a healthcare system that's "enviable" in developed countries reported According to Reuters, the system was built in the second half of the 20th century with the help of the Soviet Union, but suffers from a lack of medical equipment due to the economic blockade the country is facing.
However, Cuba has one of the highest per capita doctor rates in the world, even when a portion of its healthcare workers are deployed on international missions.
"In a moment of crisis, the Cuban government - the Cuban people - rose to the occasion and answered our call," said Jamaica's health minister, Christopher Tufton, on Saturday (21).
The United Kingdom also thanked Cuba for allowing a cruise ship carrying COVID-19 infected patients to dock at the port of Mariel. The ship had previously been refused entry by several countries. With Havana's authorization, the more than 600 passengers were able to be evacuated and repatriated – most of them to the United Kingdom.
But Cuba must also prepare for the spread of the virus at home. So far, [number] cases have been recorded on the island. 21 cases of COVID-19 and one death..
This Friday (20), Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel announced the closure of borders to non-residents. According to Reuters, thousands of doctors and medical students are conducting house-to-house screening.