Pretoria, Septiembre 19.- The International Medical Brigade was created on 19 September 2005, in response to the damage caused by hurricane Katrina to New Orleans in the United States, which brought about approximately 1,336 casualties.
The Brigade was called Henry Reeve as a tribute to an American man, born in New York, who joined the Cuban independence war against Spanish colonial domination. In the history of Cuba, Henry Reeve became a paradigm of international solidarity.
Its members mobilize immediately and voluntarily between 24 and 48 hours, to provide humanitarian-medical-health aid to the populations of countries that are victims of natural disasters and epidemics, and help their recovery.
Up to 10 August 2020, the Henry Reeve International Medical Brigade had provided assistance to 45 nations and 5 non-self-governing territories in the 5 continents. More than 9,000 Cuban health professionals have participated in these missions and medical care has been provided to approximately 4 million people, from whom the lives of more than 89,000 have been saved.
After COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, the Henry Reeve International Medical Brigade prepared to help any nation that would request its assistance.
In the course of five months, the Brigade has gone to 38 states, treating 355,785 people and saving 9,736 lives. More than 3,700 Cuban healthcare professionals have taken part in these missions.
The “Henry Reeve” Contingent arrived in South Africa on April 27, 2020. The Brigade, made up of 217 Health professionals, was deployed in the 9 South African provinces, with the greatest presence in those provinces with a greater number of COVID19 cases and greater human resource shortage.
As of September 13, the Brigade had treated a total of 38,321 case patients, with 219 lives saved. The Northern Cape, Gauteng and Free State provinces present the highest accumulated cases seen by Cuban professionals.
The work of the 31 electromedical doctors, with around 4,004 machines processed in the 9 provinces of the country, represents to date around 89 million Rand (5 million USD) in savings for South Africa. In addition, these professionals have trained young South African technicians, which will contribute decisively to the continuity of this work by national technicians.
We congratulate this army in white coats that during these 15 years has been part of the international efforts to increase health cooperation among nations, in defense and in the exercise of the human right to health.
We share images of some of our “Henry Reeve” brigade professionals in South Africa. Special congratulations to all, we will prevail!
See more pictures in: https://www.facebook.com/1400548026936492/posts/2766450930346188/