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Twenty Cuban Doctors For Sierra Leone
By Marian Samu
The health sector, one of the hardest hit by the
rebel war is gradually being salvaged through government's
collaborative efforts with bilateral and multilateral
partners. With a substantial number of hospitals,
health centres and clinics already rehabilitated
by the National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA)
and through ngos, the age-old problem of insufficient
Medical Doctors to cover the entire country has
been another area that has received government's
urgent and serious attention.
To
address this area the President, Alhaji Dr. Ahmad
Tejan Kabbah, identified it as one of the priority
areas of co-operation during his recent visit
to Cuba in February, 2005. Through discussions
with his colleague, Cuban President Fidel Castro,
an agreement was reached for Sierra Leone to receive
twenty doctors and diagnostic equipment from Cuba
for the health sector.
Presenting
the medical team to President Kabbah, the Minister
of Health and Sanitation, Mrs. Abator Thomas informed
the President that the team arrived in Freetown
last week and six members of the team are already
in Bo, Southern Sierra Leone, where they have
started work.
Introducing
members of the team, Dr. Manuel Enrique Pèrez
said their team comprises doctors specialized
in various areas of the medical field including
an epideomologist, an anatomist, surgeons, psychiatrist,
gynaecologist, an orthopedic, a biochemist and
a group of family doctors who are mainly concerned
with general medicine.
Dr.
Pèrez explained that they are in Sierra
Leone to give medical attention to the people
free of cost, emphasizing that they are not here
to look for money but to create friendly relationships
with the people of Sierra Leone.
He
said that even though they will be missing their
families back home, he expressed confidence that
they will have familial ties with the people of
Sierra Leone, as is already expressed by their
colleagues in Bo who have described the people
in Bo as very hospitable and friendly.
Welcoming
the doctors to Sierra Leone President Ahmad Tejan
Kabbah said he was
quite pleased that the doctors have explicitly
stated that they are not in Sierra Leone to work
for money, as doctors here charge exorbitant monies
for treatment which the people cannot afford.
Enquiring
about the diagnostic centres which were part of
the medical package for Sierra Leone, the Cuban
Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Lucas Domingo Hernàndez
Polledo, assured President Kabbah that arrangements
are currently being made to freight some equipment
to Sierra Leone, including 115 sets of solar panels
as the issue of electricity is quite critical
to their work. He also informed President Kabbah
that the ten scholarships previously promised
to the Ministry of Youth and Sports for training
purposes is on course and the ten individuals
are expected to be in Cuba by August this year.
Vice President Solomon Berewa who was also present
to welcome the doctors assured them of the nation's
hospitality during their stay in Sierra Leone.
The Vice President appealed to the Sierra Leonean
doctors to co-operate and show understanding for
the free medical services as the people need good
quality medical facilities without paying exorbitant
fees.
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