By María Josefina Arce
The collaboration that Cuba provides to other peoples in the field of health has always been the object of attacks and discrediting campaigns by the United States, which has unsuccessfully tried to present it to the world as an alleged "modern slavery" and "human trafficking."
In recent days, on his Twitter account, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez denounced that Washington launched a call for millionaire funds to promote a new campaign against Cuban medical aid.
Let's recall that under the mandate of the now former President Donald Trump, aggressions of that nature were intensified. Known for promoting subversive actions, USAID, the Agency for International Development, allocated in 2019 three million dollars for projects against the Cuban medical brigades.
U.S. persecution forced the end of cooperation programs aimed at low-income families in Brazil, Bolivia and Ecuador, whose governments at the time bowed to Washington's dictates.
But the gratitude and affection of citizens in 165 countries for the work done in 60 years by Cuban health workers are proof enough of the lies fabricated against Cuba.
The more than 605,698 Cuban professionals who have collaborated in nations of all latitudes have left a deep mark.
These 60 years have been marked by important events, such as the creation of the Integral Health Program after Hurricanes George and Mitch hit Central America in 1998.
Operation Miracle, an ophthalmologic rehabilitation program that restored sight to low-income people in Latin American and African countries, is also noteworthy.
A transcendental event was the creation in 2005, at the initiative of the historic leader of the Cuban revolution, Fidel Castro, of the "Henry Reeve" International Contingent of Doctors Specialized in Natural Disasters and Serious Epidemics. Since that date, 89 brigades have been sent to 57 states.
Cuba was the first nation to respond to the call of the UN and the World Health Organization to confront Ebola in West Africa. It also made a difference during COVID 19, which affected humanity for more than two years.
While industrialized countries around the world hoarded medicines and vaccines, Cuba helped other peoples, even more developed ones, to face the disease caused by the new coronavirus.
Cuban health professionals have helped countless people around the world. Governments and peoples have expressed their gratitude to these men and women, who regardless of the difficult conditions and at risk to their lives, have brought hope. U.S. attacks on this noble work deny many the right to health.
