Geneva, May 15 (RHC) – The World Health Organization (WHO) is preparing in Geneva its annual assembly to be chaired by Cuba, a country with high international recognition in the area of medicine.

Delegations from 194 WHO member countries will attend the meeting, to be held May 19th through the 24th at the Palace of Nations, European headquarters of the United Nations.

The annual assembly is the top decision-making body of the World Health Organization and is also in charge of drawing policies of the entity and approving its budget for a two-year term.

The fact that the region of The Americas has chosen Cuba to chair the meeting for the first time is an acknowledgement of the achievements of the Revolution in the area of medicine, said the head of the international department of the Cuban Health Ministry, Doctor Antonio Gonzalez in recent statements to the Prensa Latina news agency.

In 2013, Cuba reported an infant mortality rate as low as 4.2, which places the island among the nations with the best indicators at world level. Cuba also guarantees all its citizens universal and free access to health care, while its vaccination program has one of the largest coverage in the world after preventing 13 diseases.

On the other hand, nearly 50,000 Cuban health professionals are offering their services in other nations.