Pretoria, August 15 (RHC)-- The South African Minister of Health, Zweli Mkhize, thanked on behalf of his government the contribution of Cuban doctors to the confrontation and containment of the COVID-19 pandemic in his country.

In a virtual meeting with members of the medical brigade and the Cuban diplomatic mission in South Africa, headed by Ambassador Rodolfo Benitez Verson, Mkhize highlighted that Cuban doctors have been deployed in all South African provinces.

The Cuban health personnel, based on the analysis of the areas with scarce resources, and among many benefits, their presence has allowed to reduce the workload and pressure on their South African colleagues, which has provided them with much needed relief.

Mkhize asked to hold the meeting, above all, to thank the performance of this brigade of the Henry Reeve Contingent, whose presence was requested by the South African government by virtue of the historical ties between both countries and Cuban excellence in preventive medicine, an issue that the authorities of that country consider necessary to introduce in their health system.

The collaborators of the Caribbean nation, work primarily in zones declared in quarantine and isolation, as well as in the tracking of contacts, epidemiological surveillance and in hospitals where a substantial nosocomial propagation has been registered.

The contribution of specialists from Cuba to the design, installation, adjustment, repair and provision of technical support for biomedical equipment has also been valuable, said the South African Minister of Health.  Among the areas of cooperation, he also mentioned data analysis and information management, a key element in assessing the impact of health intervention strategies.

This is not the first time that Cuba has supported South Africa, Mkhize stressed, and affirmed that his country will always be indebted to the Cuban people for their solidarity, support and decisive contribution to the elimination of the racist, apartheid regime.