Cuba against COVID: Doctors return from Sierra Leone and others travel to Panama

Havana, December 24 (RHC) "You are arriving at a time when the country is perfecting its protocols of action in times when the number of travelers coming from abroad is increasing, and family responsibility is fundamental," commented President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, as he welcomed on Wednesday the Henry Reeve contingent brigade that fought the COVID-19 in Sierra Leone.

The group of 16 health professionals worked in that African nation since July 5, together with the National Central Hospital's health personnel in Freetown.

Along with the group returning from Africa, another contingent, number 55, received their flag from Dr. José Angel Portal Miranda, Minister of Health of Cuba, and is made up of 230  health professionals that will fight the pandemic in Panama.

 "Our professionals are very sensible about the life of the patients. They do not interfere in internal political matters of any of the countries where they provide their services", assured Dr. Santiago Badía, General Secretary of the Health Trade Union, who added that about 30,000 employees of the sector currently work in 66 countries. Other 470,000 have already shown their willingness to go where they are needed.

Meanwhile, the Ambassador of Panama in Cuba,  Reinaldo Rivera Escudero, explained the complicated situation his country is going through and, with much emotion, conveyed his Government and his people's gratitude for the deployment of the Cuban doctors.