The Cuban Hospital in Dukhan is a centre of excellence in healthcare with about 500 Cuban medical professionals providing more than 30 specialty services, the Cuban ambassador has said.

“The hospital started operations in January 2012 with about 300 staff. Now we have about 500 Cuban nationals working in the hospital and there are about 30 specialties. The Cuban Hospital is not a private hospital but it is part of Hamad Medical Corporation.

It has already become a major healthcare facility for the citizens and residents of the country,” said Eumelio Caballero Rodriguez.

In an interview with Gulf Times, the envoy said the Cuban Hospital is guaranteeing excellent service not only to the population of the region for which it was conceived, but to an increasing number of Qatari citizens, expatriates and the diplomatic community who travel from Doha and other distant places to meet with Cuban doctors. "This hospital, a marvelous healthcare facility that is the result of collaboration between the two countries, has become a reference medical centre in the entire Gulf region, receiving several awards from important international institutions for the excellence of its medical care.”

The diplomat pointed out that the health sector, highly prioritised in the social development plans of the Qatari government, constitutes one of the areas in which the collaboration between Cuba and Qatar must continue to grow significantly.

He also stated that a large number of Cuban healthcare professionals are working around the world providing the best in healthcare services. “Around 29,000 Cuban healthcare professionals are currently working in 68 countries around the world. In Algeria, Cuba has set up four hospitals and about 1,000 Cubans are presently working in that country. We have provided more than 407,000 healthcare professionals to 164 countries since 1963. Today about 29,000 Cuban medical professionals are working in 68 nations,” said the ambassador.

He also noted that all these have been achieved despite the economic blockade imposed on his country by the United States.

“In the most difficult conditions created by almost 60 years of US blockade, Cuba today has more than 95,000 medical doctors with 8.5 doctors per 1,000 citizens. At the same time, we have trained in our universities 35,000 health professionals from 136 countries. Currently 8,478 students from 121 nations are studying in Cuban medical institutions,” he highlighted.
The ambassador alleged that the present US regime is trying to spread a distorted image of the renowned Cuban medical system.

“The failure of almost six decades of blockade and policies of isolation and hostility against Cuba was recognised by President Barack Obama, who in December 2015 decided to initiate a new policy aimed at normalising relations between both countries, a process that today, the new administration of President Donald Trump intends to revert,” added the envoy.

Dialogue the only way to solve Gulf crisis

Cuba supports Qatar’s policy of dialogue as the best possible way to solve the Gulf Crisis, noted the Cuban ambassador.

“We admire Qatar’s refined diplomacy and adherence to the principles of international law and its permanent defence of dialogue and negotiations as the only civilised ways of settling international differences and conflicts, which are precisely the principles that in Cuba's opinion should prevail in the search for a prompt peaceful solution to the Gulf crisis,” said Eumelio Caballero Rodriguez, Ambassador of Cuba.

“This can create the proper conditions for all neighbouring countries and brotherly people of this region to concentrate their efforts and resources in the economic and social development, in a harmonious atmosphere of peace and security for all,” noted the envoy.

“We admire the extraordinary dynamism of Qatar, its patriotism and defence of national sovereignty, its well defined strategies for economic and social development, the wise way in which it uses the bonanza of its natural resources to guarantee the well-being of its people and that of the future generations, as well as their spirit of solidarity with other peoples in need,” he added .