15 years of medical assistance in Haiti
• The Cuban medical brigade has contributed to saving the more than 314,000 lives throughout the country

Leandro Maceo Leyva, Special correspondent

PORT-AU-PRINCE.— During 15 years of uninterrupted presence in Haiti, the Cuban Medical Brigade (BMC) has saved a total of 314,363 human lives, as Dr. Michel Escalona Martín, deputy coordinator of BMC Medical Assistance and Human Resources, informed Granma.

In this context, he stated that a total of 20,946,528 consultations have been provided; of these, 6,792,394 were visited in their own homes.

Cuban health professionals have performed 373,513 operations, of which 140,191 were major surgeries, and were present at 150,336 births, of these, 16,481 by Cesarean section.

At the same time, through the Operation Miracle program, 60,281 Haitians have had their vision restored or improved, while 322,753 have been provided rehabilitation; of these, 55,707 have been completely rehabilitated.

Since the beginning of the cholera epidemic in October, 2010, 76,897 cases of cholera have been reported, with a mortality rate of 0.35%. The work of the active monitoring groups in controlling outbreaks of the disease has been outstanding.

In relation to teaching activities, 367 of the 878 Haitian doctors who graduated in Cuba did so in the specialty of Comprehensive Medicine, with guidance from the Brigade here.