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Cuba to assist with Antigua-Barbuda health care system

Friday, April 22, 2005

ST JOHN'S, Antigua: Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Baldwin Spencer, on Thursday announced that Cuba will provide tangible assistance in the enhancement of the country’s health care delivery system.

The Prime Minister revealed that during his visit to Cuba last week, the Fidel Castro Administration agreed to donate to the people and Government of Antigua and Barbuda an integrated diagnostic centre (polyclinic) with Intensive Care Unit and rehabilitation centre, including design and equipment. An ambulance will also be provided for the polyclinic.

The Prime Minister noted that the facility will be staffed by Cuban medical collaborators both for medical attention and teaching purposes. Antigua and Barbuda medical students on internship will also be trained at the facility.

In addition, the Cuban government will provide a power generation unit for the Holberton Hospital, upgrade and revise the present operation theatre and provide a second operation theatre and equipment for Holberton Hospital.

The country’s leader also revealed that Cuba will also provide training of persons in a number of areas including mental health, clinical nursing, oncology care, dialysis care, health administration and clinical pharmacology. Technical support will be provided in the areas of mental health, primary care and HIV/AIDS.

It was also announced that Mr. Roberto Lepez; Senior Advisor to the Cuban Vice President Carlos Lage along with Cuban Ambassador to Antigua and Barbuda Jose Jaoquin Alvarez Portela will arrive on the island this weekend for the initial assessment and planning of the implementation of the projects.

Ambassador Alvarez and Roberto Lepez while here will meet with Prime Minister Spencer, Finance Minister Dr. Errol Cort, Education Minister Bertrand Joseph and Tourism Minister Harold Lovell.

Meetings will also be held with Health Minister the Hon. John Maginley, Agriculture Minister Joanne Massiah, Social Transformation Minister Hilson Baptiste and representatives of regional airline LIAT.

Prime Minister Spencer said that Antigua and Barbuda is a happier nation today not only because its future is guided by a government focused on the development of its human resources, but because of the relationship it has with the Republic of Cuba.

“In the entire history of Antigua and Barbuda, no other country with which we have diplomatic relations has made a greater contribution to our educational and health care development as Cuba has done,” the Prime Minister concluded.

Cuba presently has a medical brigade of some 37 health professionals in Antigua and Barbuda, while over one hundred students are in Cuban universities.

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