Haiti’s Tragedy Could Improve US-Cuban Relations
Haiti’s Tragedy Could Provide an Opportunity for Improved US-Cuban Relations Through Disaster Relief Collaboration
Why is there almost no media coverage of Cuba’s medical assistance to Haiti? The Cuban government has provided free health care to the Haitian people since 1998 as well as many full scholarships to its medical schools. It also should be noted that Cuban doctors work in all 10 of Haiti’s departments (administrative divisions). At the time the earthquake struck, 344 Cuban doctors were providing health service in Haiti along with over 500 local Haitian graduates of Cuban medical schools. For years, the Cubans had been implementing their model Comprehensive Health Program in Haiti, but immediately switched to treating earthquake victims when the emergency struck. The Cubans quickly established field hospitals at the University Hospital in Delmas 33, and at Rennaissance and Oftama. Cuban personnel also began performing operations on an18 hours-a-day schedule. Yet, not a word of this appears in the mainstream U.S. media. In fact, U.S. news organizations seem to make the charge that patients routinely die at US-operated makeshift medical clinics and hospitals in Haiti because of a lack of adequate facilities to care for them, yet what about Cuban-run hospitals on the island? Do they have a better record?
In a tragedy as great as Haiti’s,
there is no room for political cards to be played. All
aid-givers should be cooperating to save as many lives as
possible. They also should share resources to the greatest
extent possible, as well as integrate their medical
resources and patients. The present tragedy gives both the
US and Cuba an opportunity to work together, thereby
harvesting the benefits of medical diplomacy through a
rational integration of their respective health service
resources. This cooperation between Cuba and Washington
would increase aid to Haitian victims while improving their
own bilateral relations. Wouldn’t it be a constructive
moment if the Cuban medical teams, which have been on the
ground in Haiti for many years, and the now newly arriving
US medical teams could work together? This would allow them
to share their practical knowledge, procedures and supplies
to save more Haitian lives today, and later jointly assist
the island authorities in constructing their own viable
health care system capable of responding to future natural
disasters.
For full article click here
This
analysis was prepared by COHA Senior Research Fellow Julie
Feinsilver
ENDS