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Cuban medical brigade concludes 27-year mission in Guatemala

From Granma · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • A Cuban medical brigade of 11,327 professionals has concluded 27 years of service in Guatemala, providing assistance in remote and impoverished areas.
  • The collaboration, which began in 1998 after Hurricane Mitch, involved extensive medical consultations, surgeries, and life-saving interventions.
  • Cuba's Ministry of Public Health criticized Guatemala's decision to end the medical cooperation, stating it will impact healthcare access for thousands.

A Cuban medical brigade returned to Havana on Tuesday after 27 years of service in Guatemala, working in the country's most neglected regions. The first group of professionals arrived at José Martí International Airport, where they were welcomed by Tania Margarita Cruz Hernández, Cuba's first deputy minister of Public Health.

The professionals return with their duty fulfilled, after writing a page of dignity, humanism, and solidarity that the Guatemalan people know and appreciate.

— Tania Margarita Cruz HernándezFirst deputy minister of Public Health, welcoming the returning medical brigade.

Cruz Hernández lauded the humanistic work of the collaborators, stating they fulfilled their duty by writing a "page of dignity, humanism, and solidarity" appreciated by the Guatemalan people. Since 1998, over 11,327 Cuban professionals provided medical assistance in Guatemala, strengthening its healthcare system. The cooperation initiative started in response to the devastating Hurricane Mitch.

During their nearly three decades of work, the brigade conducted over 62 million medical consultations, performed 625,000 surgeries (including 198,000 eye operations), assisted in over 274,000 births, administered more than a million vaccine doses, and contributed to saving over 378,000 lives. They also participated in disease prevention programs and responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. The collaboration also fostered human resource development, training hundreds of doctors and health professionals for Guatemala.

Every consultation, every surgery, and every life saved constitute the greatest recognition of the Revolution's internationalism.

— Edy Jorge Soria PollRepresenting the medical collaborators, expressing pride in their mission.

Dr. Edy Jorge Soria Poll, representing the collaborators, expressed pride in representing Cuba and affirmed their commitment to continuing their work. However, Cruz Hernández expressed regret over Guatemala's unilateral decision to end the medical cooperation, warning it would negatively affect healthcare access for thousands of people.

The unilateral decision by the Government of Guatemala to end medical cooperation affects healthcare access for thousands of people.

— Tania Margarita Cruz HernándezExpressing regret over the termination of the medical mission.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Granma in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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