HAVANA, Cuba, Feb 17 . Another 100 Salvadorian youngsters from low-income families are getting ready to travel to Cuba to begin studies at the Latin American School of Medicine (ELAM).
The scholarship program boosted by Cuba for El Salvador and other Central American nations started at the end of the 1990s when this region faced the damage by Hurricane Mitch, and the lack of socially committed doctors became evident.
Nowadays, there are over 500 Salvadorians studying Medicine in Cuban universities, where in August 2005 the first 120 youngsters from that country graduated as general practitioners.
Prensa Latina news agency reported that this new group thanked Cuba's government and Cuban leader Fidel Castro, for this opportunity to become doctors in order to be able to help their people.
Jorge Luis Rivas, from the Chalchuapa municipality, in the Santa Ana department, said: "We go with the commitment that our return will bring well-being and health to our people, with no exclusions"
At the farewell ceremony, the youngsters paid homage to Schafik Handal, historic leader of the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) who died in 2006, and who boosted the ELAM project to improve the health of his people.
Juana Concepción Vásquez, grandmother of one girl with the scholarship, reminded them that lots of people died from lack of medicines, from not being able to pay for a consultation or an operation.
(Otros 100 salvadoreños estudiarán medicina en Cuba)
martes, 17 de febrero de 2009
Fidel Castro Bestowed Guatemala´s Top Distinction
HAVANA, Cuba, Feb 16. The Quetzal Order, in its Great Collar degree, was granted to Cuban Revolution leader Fidel Castro Ruz by Guatemalan President Alvaro Colom Caballeros.
During a solemn ceremony at Havana´s Revolution Palace, the distinction was handed over to Cuban President Raul Castro. In backing his decision, President Colom said he granted the distinction in a gesture of gratefulness for the over 17 million medical consultations and more than 40, 000 eye surgeries practiced in the context of the Miracle Operation free-eye surgery program, undertaken by Cuban doctors in the benefit of the Guatemalan people.
“I took the decision to grant Fidel the top Guatemalan distinction, and we do it with affection, esteem and acknowledgement, but also based on the thankfulness of all men and women, who are now enjoying the fruit of the Revolution, which has implied a high cost to the Cuban people,” said President Colom.
The distinguished visitor also recalled that Cuban doctors in Guatemala are working in the most remote mountainous areas and settlements; he thanked Cuba for the preparation of Guatemalan youths in the island´s education centers.
On behalf of the historic leader of the Revolution, Raul Castro, stressed that both countries are united by historic and brotherhood bonds. He recalled that illustrious citizen of the eastern Cuban town of Bayamo Jose Joaquin Palma wrote the lyrics of Guatemala´s National Anthem and that the central American nation, know as the Quetzal´s Land, welcomed Jose Marti during his independence pilgrimage throughout Latin America. He also explained that both nations closed ranks against Spanish colonial rule.
The Cuban President also said that after the devastating passage of hurricanes on Central America, thousands of Cuban doctors arrived in the most remote sites of Guatemala to first cure the wounded of the huge tragedy and secondly to contribute to guarantee all citizens access to health care services, particularly for the humble people.
“We feel that once again our two nations are united in a hug of mutual gratefulness and confidence and I also reiterate our will to jointly work with Guatemala to build a common Latin American and Caribbean homeland, in which all its children have a right to enjoy peace, justice and development,” Raul Castro concluded.
Present at the ceremony were the members of the Guatemalan delegation, as well as Cuban government officials and leaders.
(Otorgan a Fidel máxima condecoración de Guatemala)
During a solemn ceremony at Havana´s Revolution Palace, the distinction was handed over to Cuban President Raul Castro. In backing his decision, President Colom said he granted the distinction in a gesture of gratefulness for the over 17 million medical consultations and more than 40, 000 eye surgeries practiced in the context of the Miracle Operation free-eye surgery program, undertaken by Cuban doctors in the benefit of the Guatemalan people.
“I took the decision to grant Fidel the top Guatemalan distinction, and we do it with affection, esteem and acknowledgement, but also based on the thankfulness of all men and women, who are now enjoying the fruit of the Revolution, which has implied a high cost to the Cuban people,” said President Colom.
The distinguished visitor also recalled that Cuban doctors in Guatemala are working in the most remote mountainous areas and settlements; he thanked Cuba for the preparation of Guatemalan youths in the island´s education centers.
On behalf of the historic leader of the Revolution, Raul Castro, stressed that both countries are united by historic and brotherhood bonds. He recalled that illustrious citizen of the eastern Cuban town of Bayamo Jose Joaquin Palma wrote the lyrics of Guatemala´s National Anthem and that the central American nation, know as the Quetzal´s Land, welcomed Jose Marti during his independence pilgrimage throughout Latin America. He also explained that both nations closed ranks against Spanish colonial rule.
The Cuban President also said that after the devastating passage of hurricanes on Central America, thousands of Cuban doctors arrived in the most remote sites of Guatemala to first cure the wounded of the huge tragedy and secondly to contribute to guarantee all citizens access to health care services, particularly for the humble people.
“We feel that once again our two nations are united in a hug of mutual gratefulness and confidence and I also reiterate our will to jointly work with Guatemala to build a common Latin American and Caribbean homeland, in which all its children have a right to enjoy peace, justice and development,” Raul Castro concluded.
Present at the ceremony were the members of the Guatemalan delegation, as well as Cuban government officials and leaders.
(Otorgan a Fidel máxima condecoración de Guatemala)
UNODC Executive Secretary Met with Cuban First Vice President
HAVANA, Cuba, Feb 17 . Cuba´s First Vice President Jose Ramon MachadoVentura met on Monday evening with the Executive Secretary of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, Antonio Maria Costa. Also present at the meeting was Cuba´s Justice Minister Maria Esther Reus, in her capacity as president of the National Commission on Drugs.
During the meeting, the Cuban First Vice President briefed the visiting UN official on the Cuban experience in the prevention and struggle against drugs and he ratified his country´s willingness to keep cooperating with United Nations mechanisms in that particular issue.
The Cuban government maintains its firms political will in the fight against drugs; it is an effort aimed at achieving the appropriate combination of prevention actions and the struggle in that area, for which the Cuban state allocates the necessary resources despite current economic limitations.
The Cuban effort has allowed increasing effective control and preventing the negative impact of drug abuse in Cuban society.
(Se reúne machado ventura con director ejecutivo de la oficina de la onu contra las drogas y el delito)
During the meeting, the Cuban First Vice President briefed the visiting UN official on the Cuban experience in the prevention and struggle against drugs and he ratified his country´s willingness to keep cooperating with United Nations mechanisms in that particular issue.
The Cuban government maintains its firms political will in the fight against drugs; it is an effort aimed at achieving the appropriate combination of prevention actions and the struggle in that area, for which the Cuban state allocates the necessary resources despite current economic limitations.
The Cuban effort has allowed increasing effective control and preventing the negative impact of drug abuse in Cuban society.
(Se reúne machado ventura con director ejecutivo de la oficina de la onu contra las drogas y el delito)
Panamanian President Acknowledges Cuba's Solidarity
HAVANA, Cuba, Feb 17 . Martin Torrijos, President of Panama, praised Cuban solidarity by saying that the Caribbean nation doesn't give what it has in excess, but shares what it has.
During the granting ceremony of scholarships to 82 Panamanian youngsters to study Medicine in Cuba, Torrijos pointed out that the number of people helped by these scholarships is close to 600, reported Prensa Latina news agency.
The Panamanian President also mentioned the positive outcome of the eye surgery program, Operation Miracle, which has benefited some 37,000 Panamanians to improve their sight thanks to this humane project.
"We are sure that Cuba shares the goal of Panama with more social justice, since we agree on the principle of a more sharing society" said Torrijos.
(Reconoce Presidente panameño solidaridad de Cuba)
During the granting ceremony of scholarships to 82 Panamanian youngsters to study Medicine in Cuba, Torrijos pointed out that the number of people helped by these scholarships is close to 600, reported Prensa Latina news agency.
The Panamanian President also mentioned the positive outcome of the eye surgery program, Operation Miracle, which has benefited some 37,000 Panamanians to improve their sight thanks to this humane project.
"We are sure that Cuba shares the goal of Panama with more social justice, since we agree on the principle of a more sharing society" said Torrijos.
(Reconoce Presidente panameño solidaridad de Cuba)
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