Kingston, Jamaica.15 January 2019. Dr. Dayton Campbell, Member of Parliament and Opposition Spokesman on Health, visited the Embassy of Cuba in Jamaica today, where he was received by Ambassador Inés Fors Fernández.
Dr. Campbell and Ambassador Fors talked about the epidemiological situation in Jamaica –which currently suffers an outbreak of dengue hemorrhagic fever– and the collaboration provided by Cuban specialists in health matters.
Dr. Campbell took the opportunity to thank the members of the State Mission of Cuba in Jamaica for answering a call made by him days ago in Parliament, to go massively to donate blood to assist the victims of hemorrhagic dengue. Here we reproduce the message that he sent to the Ambassador in this regard:
January 14, 2019
Ines Fors Fernandes
Cuban Ambassador to Jamaica
9 Trafalgar Road
Kingston 5
Dear Ambassador Fernandez,
I am Dr. Dayton Campbell, Opposition Spokesman on Health and Member of Parliament for St. Ann North Western. With 830 presumed or suspected cases of Dengue reported with a total of 23 confirmed cases, Jamaica is now in the midst of a Dengue outbreak.
The outbreak of Dengue has left many Jamaicans with Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever as a result of their platelet count falling. In light of this, there is need for ample blood supply to assist those who may develop complications. It is with this in mind that a call was made for national blood drive to assist these individuals.
On behalf of the Jamaican people we would like to register our gratitude to you and members of the team from Cuba who hastily answered the call to donate blood. We have long enjoyed a friendly relationship with the people of Cuba, our neighbors, whom we see as our friends and true humanitarians. Your kindness will no doubt result in a better quality of life for many persons and may even give someone another chance at life.
We laud you for your contribution in supporting the movement to create a health care system in Jamaica that works for all. Once again we express a heartfelt gratitude to you and encourage you to continue to allow altruism to be your guiding light. We crave your continued support and I am looking forward to future partnerships with you.
We stand in solidarity with Cuba. “La Lucha Continúa”.
Yours sincerely,
Dr. Dayton Campbell M.P.
Opposition Spokesman on Health