Cuban health professionals have reached remote and marginalized places in Mexico to make their humble contribution to the commitment of the government of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to make medical care accessible to all citizens.

By María Josefina Arce

Cuban health professionals have reached remote and marginalized places in Mexico to make their humble contribution to the commitment of the government of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to make medical care accessible to all citizens.

More than 500 specialists from Cuba are already in Mexican territory, in places where for many years there has been no health coverage, hence their presence has a great impact on the population.

The authorities of the sister nation have highlighted the vital importance of Cuba's collaboration, which materialized after the signing of an agreement between the two countries last year.

Mexican and Cuban professionals, who have years of experience and have previously put their knowledge to the benefit of other peoples of the world, in the face of natural disasters or to help improve health indexes, work together.

The specialists from the archipelago have been inserted in the work system already established in the areas where they are located, they comply with the protocols and exchange opinions with their Mexican counterparts to give the best response to a given health problem.

Although sectors of the opposition carried out a campaign against the Cubans, they have been very well received. They have highlighted the warm treatment from the managers and professionals with whom they work, as well as from the citizens who have expressed their satisfaction with their presence.

López Obrador defended the arrival of the Cuban doctors, in view of the lack of professionals in the country, since, as he stressed, during the neoliberal period they stopped supporting public health, which, he said, was treated as a commodity.

In fact, the government had launched last May a call to fill more than 14 THOUSAND vacancies. However, one month later, more than 50% of the vacancies had not been filled.

The Cuban medical brigade includes specialties that are lacking in Mexican territory, such as nephrology, ophthalmology, cardiology, oncology and others, which come to reinforce the attention to people suffering from such ailments.

Professionals from the Greater Antilles had already supported Mexico in its fight against COVID 19. Likewise, the Cuban vaccine Abdala, of proven efficacy and safety, is being applied in that nation against the disease caused by the new coronavirus.

Mexico and Cuba are two brotherly countries with common objectives, such as guaranteeing access to health care for all citizens. Ensuring this human right is a commitment of the government of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, to which Havana can contribute, given its long history of solidarity in health matters.