Like the father who comes to visit his children and to give them the necessary hug that comforts, that commits, that invites to continue doing, was the member of the Political Bureau and Prime Minister, Manuel Marrero Cruz, at the meeting with more than 200 cooperants of education and public health, who work in the capital of this brother country.

“We are very proud of you and of your work, which is very well spoken about in these lands,” said the Head of Government, at the beginning of a diaphanous and relaxed dialogue of almost two hours, which left experiences and many challenges for the future.

There were also Equatoguinean graduates from the universities of the largest of the Antilles, Cubans living here and the personnel of our state mission, because, as recognized by Guadalupe Viltres Peraza, a stomatologist from Granma, “for us this exchange means a lot”, it is a visit “of impulse, of support, of strength”.

He also recalled that when medical collaboration began in this country in 1974, Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz told him that they would go to the most remote places, where there were no roads or electricity. “Indeed, all our colleagues are there, and we continue to fulfill that pledged word, with our fundamental task, which is to serve humanity.

“Today, in this room, are seated some specialists of the second level of care, who took on the urgent and emergency consultations during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the characteristics of the disease were not known, specialists in Pneumology, Intensive Care and Pediatrics,” he mentioned.

For his part, Cuban doctor Abel Fernández explained to the Head of Government about a novel initiative linked to postgraduate training in Imaging and Intensive Care in Nursing. “This is the first time that Cuba takes short postgraduate training abroad, a novel experience that we are implementing here, and which is already having results.”

The meeting also heard the feelings of Equatoguinean graduates from Cuban universities. Carlos Martín, a graduate of the Latin American School of Medicine, who currently runs a hospital in Malabo, confessed that the medical brigade “has been an important support, and we see it as brothers, we work together.”

“Equatorial Guinea is the only Spanish-speaking country in Africa, and because of that, this union of communication, of the word, of the language, unites us; that is why we thank Cuba for having trained us, and because this visit is an impulse, of support, of orientation, to, from now on, provide a better service, a better collaboration”. He assured that “we have never abandoned Cuba, nor will we abandon it; we will always be by its side.”

While emphasizing the presence of Cuban collaborators in all the regions of the country, dedicated to medical assistance and teaching, and that the medical brigade is “in a good moment”, José Ángel Véliz Gutiérrez, its chief, confirmed that they are ending a year “in which we feel, above all, satisfaction with responding to the health needs of this people.

“More than 11,000 surgeries have been performed, many of them for the first time in Central and Southern Africa, not only in Equatorial Guinea, and our doctors have been there,” said the specialist, while pointing out that the School of Medicine here has 1,700 students, and offers different careers such as Nursing, Health Technology, as well as Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation.

CUBANS ARE LOVED, AND TRULY LOVED

Ena Elsa Velázquez Cobiella, head of the educational mission, spoke about the work of infinite love developed here by the teachers, who informed that the brigade is made up of 256 professionals, located in six of the eight provinces of the country. “Our brigade has earned prestige in all educational institutions, and the Equatoguinean students love our teachers.”

He said that this is possible because of the work they do, the preparation, the quality of the classes, the differentiated attention they give to students who have learning problems, the number of activities that are very attractive to them, such as scientific societies, the attention to the monitors and the development of teaching aids.

In emotional words, Dignalis Cairo Arteaga, president of the Association of Cuban Residents in Equatorial Guinea, thanked for the opportunity of this meeting, and said that the “Cuban, the one who is 100%, here in this country is recognized, is applauded, is admired for what the Revolution impregnated in us. He who is formed in a Revolution like the Cuban one does not fade anywhere in this world.”

As a culmination of his words in this meeting, the Prime Minister acknowledged that “it is extremely important” the work carried out by our collaborators in the training and support to the health and educational system of this African country.
“We are doing something that has always been a hallmark of our revolutionary process, which is to share what we have, to bring education, health, welfare, to bring those principles of humanity, of solidarity to any part of the world, which implies a great sacrifice.”

In another moment of his speech, he was concerned about the living and working conditions of internationalists, and reiterated that Cubans living outside the largest of the Antilles “are as Cuban as we are, and we will always be in communication and seeking that their solidarity, from the front in which they are, is also to help our country.”

In addition, Marrero Cruz gave an update on the economic, political and social context Cuba is going through, marked by high tensions caused by the tightening of the U.S. blockade. “We are not standing idly by, and we are fighting hard alongside the people, to whom, as Fidel once said, we will have to build a monument for their firmness and heroism.”

Then, he spoke about the Government Program to correct distortions and re-drive the economy in the year 2025, which seeks to overcome the complex moment we are going through. “We do have clarity on one thing: we have complex years ahead of us, but we are clear about the path we have traced and that we are going to gradually improve.”

“We have to do different things, change, but what we are not going to change are the foundational roots of the Revolution, that Revolution of social justice that Fidel and Raúl made, and that we defend.”