Honourable Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. Lemogang Kwape.
Assistant Minister, Honourable Sethomo Lelatisitswe.
Esteemed Permanent Secretary and Deputy Permanent Secretaries.
Dear officers and staff members of the Ministry of Health and Wellness.
Esteemed Tebelelo Boang, Director of Europe and Americas, of the Ministry of International Affairs and Cooperation.
Dear members of the media, here present.
First of all I would like to congratulate the Botswana government and this Ministry for the outstanding work and positive results in the fight against Covid-19.
Today is a very important and historic day for us. That is the way we feel.
We are happy and satisfied to conclude this period of analysis and discussions about the new Memorandum of Agreement for the Provision of Specialised Health Professionals.
On behalf of the Cuban government, the Ministry of Public Health and the enterprise Cuban Medical Services, S.A., allow me to express our profound gratitude to all Botswana authorities and officers involved, especially for your permanent support, guidance and patience.
Cuban humanist vocation is based on its history of medical internationalism, which goes back decades, to the first years of the Cuban Revolution.
As early as 1960, Cuba sent a team of medics to Chile after a devastating earthquake hit the country. Three years later, Havana dispatched medical workers to help newly independent Algeria build its healthcare sector.
Over the past 60 years, it is estimated that close to half million Cuban doctors have been sent abroad, to nations of all continents.
Despite the intense and offensive anti-Cuban campaign against the medical collaboration, at this moment more than 28 thousand 400 Cuban health professionals work in 61 countries, considering Africa, Middle East, South and Central America, the Caribbean, Asia and Oceania.
In Covid-19 times, Cuban assistance has been request by governments of 23 countries, thus 25 brigades with more than 2000 professionals of the Henry Reeve Contingent were sent to join forces in the fight against the pandemic.
In Botswana, Cuban health professionals have been for more than 30 years.
They are now 82 women and men, deployed in nine cities and villages across the country.
They are at the disposal of assisting Botswana people also in the fight against Covid-19, with the confidence that together we will defeat it.
Be sure that Cuban health professionals will remain in your country as long as necessary.
Thanks
Source: Cuban Embassy to Botswana
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