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Friends
donate life-saving equipment
• In
contrast to the genocide unleashed by Bush, U.S.
doctors demonstrate that solidarity is possible
BY
ASTRID BARNET —Special for Granma International—
A
group of U.S. scientists and medical institutions
have donated high-technology equipment valued at
$155,000 USD to the Cuban Institute of Cardiology
and Cardiovascular Surgery.
"This
is a very important donation because it will
contribute to saving many patients and is the result
of a friendly and respectful exchange with much
desire for collaboration between our institution and
the hospitals that made this possible," stated
Dr. Francisco Dorticós Balea, first deputy director
of ICCCV.
He
went on to note: "this allows the ICCCV to meet
its equipment needs, bearing in mind efforts being
made by the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP) and
the Cuban government to meet development tasks and
advance the country’s cardiovascular surgical
network."
Dr.
Balea added that the institution has been receiving
"perhaps more modest" donations for years
from U.S. medical centers and professionals
"who have generously offered their materials to
the island," mainly during the difficult years
of the special period.
"According
to MINSAP officials, an important proportion of
total donations is received by Cuba’s U.S. friends
and medical professionals, who have being sending
aid for several years," he noted.
Two
non-governmental organizations participated in the
current donation project: World Serve and Assist
International. Heading the U.S. technical commission
were professors Samuel Dunning, president of the
Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital, and Mike Profumo,
consultant for Price Waterhouse Coopers Consulting
Firm. Ray Schmidt and Stanley Helms Assist
International’s Biomedical Engineering Team also
participated.
Dr.
Omar González Greck, of the ICCCV, was the
coordinator on the Cuban side.
The
donation includes monitoring equipment with one
centralized and one independent station; one central
telemeter station for eight patients;
tri-dimensional ultrasound equipment; electronic
stethoscopes; a defibrillator; disposable medical
material and an updated clinical bibliography.
Dr.
Dorticós Balea informed that this group of
professionals is tied to U.S. evangelical groups who
have worked as intermediaries in these activities on
several occasions, "and they have expressed
their desire to offer more help to Cuban pediatric
hospitals, especially the William Soler Children’s
Cardio-center," he highlighted.
The
Cuban cardiologist noted the significance of the
fact that in the midst of this difficult time of war
being experienced by the world while the U.S.
government is attacking Iraq, in response to such a
criminal act, scientists from that country are
donating modern materials for the purpose of saving
lives.
He
then concluded that "as destructive bombs and
missiles are being indiscriminately launched on the
Iraqi people by the U.S. armed forces, these doctors
are responding with a very humane action of
solidarity with the Cuban people and others who also
need it."
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