Back in the 1990s, on the initiative of a group of Swiss doctors, MediCuba-Europe was born, a network that today brings together associations and non-governmental organizations from 13 countries, which over the years has circumvented the genocidal U.S. blockade against the Caribbean nation and provided solidarity assistance in the area of health.
By María Josefina Arce
Back in the 1990s, on the initiative of a group of Swiss doctors, MediCuba-Europe was born, a network that today brings together associations and non-governmental organizations from 13 countries, which over the years has circumvented the genocidal U.S. blockade against the Caribbean nation and provided solidarity assistance in the area of health.
At a meeting this week in Havana, Cuban President Miguel Díaz Canel thanked the president of Medicuba-Europa, Dr. Franco Cavalli, for the contribution of that organization to our country's health system.
This is not the first time that the renowned Swiss oncologist visits Cuba to evaluate existing joint projects and explore new possibilities for collaboration.
In 2020, during one of his trips to Havana, an agreement was signed between Medicuba Europe and the business group BioCubaFarma for the economic support of the organization from the old continent to research initiatives related to the Cuban health system.
Invaluable has been the support of this organization, which in recent times has backed the efforts of the largest of the Antilles to immunize, with its own vaccines of proven efficacy and safety, its entire population against COVID 19.
The solidarity campaigns launched in the complex panorama of the world health emergency made it possible to raise funds for the acquisition of syringes, but also of pulmonary ventilators and reagents for the diagnosis of the virus.
The prestigious Institute of Tropical Medicine "Pedro Kouri" has received the support of this group, which has provided supplies and equipment for microbiological analysis.
The solidarity organizations that make up Medicuba-Europe have also contributed to the installation of modern molecular biology laboratories in several health institutions throughout the archipelago.
That, for example, is the case of the one inaugurated in 2018 at the Faustino Pérez Clinical-Surgical University Hospital, in the province of Matanzas, to determine the viral load in patients with HIV-AIDS and hepatitis.
After the devastating passage of Hurricane Ian through the western part of the archipelago last September, Medicuba Europa called on its affiliates to support the Caribbean nation in that difficult moment, in a new demonstration of that group's strong solidarity with the Cuban people.
Throughout three decades, a close collaboration, bonds of trust and friendship have been built, which have made it possible for Havana and MediCuba-Europe to advance together in the satisfaction for Cubans of an essential human right, free and universal medical care.
