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President Raúl Castro Ruz opens
Extraordinary ALBA-TCP Summit
• Raúl comments in opening remarks
that Ebola is a great challenge, which humanity must
confront with urgency
Cuban President of the Councils of State and
Ministers warmly welcomed heads of state and
delegations attending the Extraordinary ALBA-TCP
Summit, convened in Havana to coordinate efforts to
confront the Ebola virus.
 Raúl
commented that the terrible epidemic spreading today
among the sister peoples of Africa, which threatens
all, constitutes a threat to humanity and must be
confronted with extreme urgency.
He
emphasized that Latin America and the Caribbean owe
a great debt to the peoples of Africa, since in our
countries’ veins flows the blood of Africans who
contributed to creating our nations’ wealth.
He
recalled that Cuba has sent more than 76,000
collaborators to 39 African countries, since the
triumph of the Revolution, and that currently more
than 4,000 are working in 32 nations, and are
involved in efforts to prevent the spreading of
Ebola.
October 1, Cuba responded to a request made by the
World Health Organization and sent a specialized
medical brigade to Sierra Leona. The Cuban President
announced that tomorrow, October 21, two more
brigades will depart for Liberia and Guinea Conakry.
Advance preparation teams are already in these
countries, he reported.
Raúl
Castro said that, although a growing awareness
exists as to the need to take immediate action, to
avoid a humanitarian crisis of greater proportions,
coordination of efforts is needed.
This
threat, he pointed out, can be neutralized with an
immediate, efficient, well-equipped international
response, well coordinated under the leadership of
the World Health Organization. This requires the
effort and commitment of all the world’s countries,
in accordance with the resources of each one, he
said.
The
President said that politicization of the management
of the crisis detracts from the fundamental
objective, which is helping Africa and preventing
the spreading of the virus to other regions.
He
reiterated that Cuba is ready to work shoulder to
shoulder with all nations, including the United
States, and that urgently needed is the will to
integrate, organize and plan, as well as articulate
efforts – not only for assistance and treatment, but
for prevention and strict adherence to medical
protocols, as well.
Raúl
emphasized that the Extraordinary Summit provides
the opportunity to coordinate the training of
medical personnel, offering priority support to
Haiti and other Caribbean nations, an effort which
Cuban collaborators currently working in the region
can support. This includes 45,952 individuals in 25
countries, 23,158 of whom are doctors – 50.4%.
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