Fidel Challenges U.S., EU to Send 200 Doctors to Africa
The Post (Lusaka)
NEWS
January 2, 2006
Posted to the web January 3, 2006
By Tabitha Mvula
Lusaka
CUBA's President Fidel Castro has said the island is finding social and economic formulas and solutions that are useful not only for that country but other world nations too.
In his speech to mark the 47th anniversary of the Cuban revolution, President Castro said the country would continue assisting countries in need.
President Castro said nearly 1,000 Cuban doctors had attended to more than 300,000 patients amidst an intense winter in Pakistan.
He said Cuba had also offered to send doctors to Zimbabwe to help in the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic, which he said was killing millions of Africans.
President Castro challenged the United States of America and the European Union to send 200 (100 doctors each to Africa instead of soldiers, in order to contribute to a concrete fight against HIV.
On health, President Castro spoke of the possibility of training 100,000 doctors from other countries in the next 10 years.
President Castro added that Cuba was also training doctors in rural Africa with the help of audiovisual equipment, including computers, television sets, videos and interactive programmes.
"At the same time, Cuba is already offering medical treatment and carrying out eye operations to patients from Venezuela, Bolivia and other Latin American and Carribean countries free of charge under the name 'Operation Miracle'," he said.
President Castro said in 1959 when the Revolution triumphed, the island had 6,000 doctors, half of whom left the country for the United States in its early years.
"Now Cuba has more than 70,000 doctors and specialists in medicine and nearly 30,000 of them are working in Venezuela and other countries of Latin and Central America, the Carribbeans and Africa," he said.
President Castro said Cuba closed with an 11.8 per cent economic growth rate in 2005.
He projected a 10 per cent growth rate this year.
President Castro said the social and economic results of 2005 could be summarised, among other achievements, the conclusion of 700 projects of different nature, associated to the Battle of Ideas - an ambitious programme of the Revolution whose main goal is to seek economic, social, cultural and spiritual betterment of the people of Cuba.
He explained that it was too late for the 'enemy' to obstruct the progress that Cuba was making in areas such as the energy saving programme, which he said had seen an investment of 25 billion Cuban Pesos in 2005.
"We were prompted to its implementation by the damages caused by hurricanes and other factors," he said.
President Castro said there was no way the 'enemy' could block such programmes even though there was pressure caused by the US economic blockade against his country.
"If they have any sense of pride left," President Castro said in reference to the United States government, "they won't mess with Cuba in any way. They are morally and politically bankrupt and our countries have answers to their lies, and is invulnerable militarily."
He reiterated that the United States would not take over Cuba and that they had greatly underestimated the strength and will of the Cuban people.
The Post (Lusaka)
NEWS
January 2, 2006
Posted to the web January 3, 2006
By Tabitha Mvula
Lusaka
CUBA's President Fidel Castro has said the island is finding social and economic formulas and solutions that are useful not only for that country but other world nations too.
In his speech to mark the 47th anniversary of the Cuban revolution, President Castro said the country would continue assisting countries in need.
President Castro said nearly 1,000 Cuban doctors had attended to more than 300,000 patients amidst an intense winter in Pakistan.
He said Cuba had also offered to send doctors to Zimbabwe to help in the fight against the HIV/AIDS pandemic, which he said was killing millions of Africans.
President Castro challenged the United States of America and the European Union to send 200 (100 doctors each to Africa instead of soldiers, in order to contribute to a concrete fight against HIV.
On health, President Castro spoke of the possibility of training 100,000 doctors from other countries in the next 10 years.
President Castro added that Cuba was also training doctors in rural Africa with the help of audiovisual equipment, including computers, television sets, videos and interactive programmes.
"At the same time, Cuba is already offering medical treatment and carrying out eye operations to patients from Venezuela, Bolivia and other Latin American and Carribean countries free of charge under the name 'Operation Miracle'," he said.
President Castro said in 1959 when the Revolution triumphed, the island had 6,000 doctors, half of whom left the country for the United States in its early years.
"Now Cuba has more than 70,000 doctors and specialists in medicine and nearly 30,000 of them are working in Venezuela and other countries of Latin and Central America, the Carribbeans and Africa," he said.
President Castro said Cuba closed with an 11.8 per cent economic growth rate in 2005.
He projected a 10 per cent growth rate this year.
President Castro said the social and economic results of 2005 could be summarised, among other achievements, the conclusion of 700 projects of different nature, associated to the Battle of Ideas - an ambitious programme of the Revolution whose main goal is to seek economic, social, cultural and spiritual betterment of the people of Cuba.
He explained that it was too late for the 'enemy' to obstruct the progress that Cuba was making in areas such as the energy saving programme, which he said had seen an investment of 25 billion Cuban Pesos in 2005.
"We were prompted to its implementation by the damages caused by hurricanes and other factors," he said.
President Castro said there was no way the 'enemy' could block such programmes even though there was pressure caused by the US economic blockade against his country.
"If they have any sense of pride left," President Castro said in reference to the United States government, "they won't mess with Cuba in any way. They are morally and politically bankrupt and our countries have answers to their lies, and is invulnerable militarily."
He reiterated that the United States would not take over Cuba and that they had greatly underestimated the strength and will of the Cuban people.
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