Cuban Medical Brigade - Haiti Observer Blog

Against the wishes of many, Haiti, led by then president René Préval, began dealings with Cuba and Fidel Castro. As part of a trilateral cooperate between the two countries and Venezuela, Castro facilitated an aid package to Haiti that would include oil and energy solutions, medical and disaster support, education, etc.

During Préval's first turn as president, after the September 1998 hurricane Georges had ravaged the country and left a cholera outbreak, 500 Cuban doctors were sent to give aid. Described by Préval as second only to God in their healing abilities, the gift was looked on suspiciously by others claiming the intention was to either steal jobs or spread the 'communist influence'. Following Rene Preval's personal experience of the Cuban health system and a second visit of the doctors in the wake of 2010's cholera outbreak, Préval awarded the Cuban Medical Brigade, and by extension Castro, with the country's highest honor, the National Order of Honor and Merit in the grade of Grand Officer. Hundreds of thousands had been infected; the death toll nearly 5000, but the efforts of the Cuban doctors had saved the lives of over 73,000 Haitians.

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Hugo Chavez, late President of Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, will remain the most iconic figure of 21st century on the World Political Map. The entire population of Haiti will remain indebted to what Hugo Chavez did for Haitian people and Latin America as a whole. There is no denying of the fact that Chavez deeply loved Haiti and its people.

It was on March 12, 2007 when Chavez visited the then Haitian President René Préval at National Palace of Haiti (that was shattered by the 2010 earthquake) and declared enormous economic aids that were intended for directly aiding the poverty-struck Haitian people as well as sustainable growth of Haiti. These announcements were a part of the PetroCaribe deal signed between Haiti and Venezuela in 2006.

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The contribution of the Cuban Medical Brigade in Haiti can not be ignored. These doctors are treating cholera victims in some of the most remote regions in Haiti.

According to top officials of the United Nation Stabilization Mission, the centers operated by the Cuban Medical Brigades in Haiti are part of the important work to fight the cholera epidemic, along side with Doctors without Borders and many other medical groups.

Haiti is in need of a lot more doctors and nurses to combat the cholera epidemic. The UN top humanitarian official stated recently that Haiti needs at least 100 more doctors and 1,000 more nurses to handle the epidemic effectively. Doctors from Cuban Medical Brigade, Doctors without Borders and many other medical groups currently providing services currently will not be able to provide care to all these people.

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