[NYTr] Cuba Increases Solidarity with Third World
 
Date: Thu, 29 Nov 2007 12:11:06 -0600 (CST)

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Agencia Cubana de Noticias (ACN)
http://ainch.ain.cu/mailman/listinfo/ingles

Cuba Increases Solidarity with Third World

Havana, Nov 28 (acn) Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Eumelio Caballero 
announced on Tuesday that almost a million patients from 31 Third World 
countries have recovered their sight thanks to the work of Cuban 
doctors who participate in the free eye-surgery program Operation 
Miracle.

Speaking at the 14th International Conference on European Studies that 
began on Tuesday in Havana, the diplomat explained that this program, 
promoted by Cuba and Venezuela, is mainly aimed at low-income people 
from the Latin American and Caribbean region.

He added that, as part of this initiative, the island has donated 37 
ophthalmologic centers to eight countries and it is currently working 
on the setting up of seven others.

Operation Miracle, which began in July 2004, aims at restoring eyesight 
to six million Latin American people in a ten-year period.

Regarding Cuba's medical cooperation all over the world, the Deputy 
Foreign Minister recalled that the island's doctors have treated more 
than 371 million people, mainly in Latin America, Africa and Asia. They 
have delivered more than 800,000 babies; they have performed 2.4 
million surgeries and they have immunized 9.3 million children.

Caballero noted that there are currently more than 36,000 Cuban medics 
and paramedics making their contribution in remote places of difficult 
access in 97 Third World countries.

In addition, he said that there are currently 49,700 youths from 121 
nations studying medicine on the island or with Cuban professors in 
their respective countries.

He also stressed that, in the last four years, 2.6 million people in 22 
countries have learned to read and write thanks to the Cuban 'Yo si 
puedo' (Yes, I Can) literacy program, validated by the UN Education, 
Science and Culture Organization (UNESCO).
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