PHA-Exchange> Speech by Fidel Castro Sept 19

[claudio at hcmc.netnam.vn]

Although every person and every people has the right to a healthy life and to 
enjoy the privilege of a long and useful existence, the richest, most 
developed societies, ruled by consumerism and a thirst for profit, have made 
the health service into a common business, inaccessible to the poorest sectors 
of the population.

While the world watches this happen, military spending amounts to one trillion 
dollars every year, a figure only comparable to one other absurd expense, that 
is, commercial publicity, which also equals one trillion.  Either of these 
sums, invested wisely year after year, would be more than enough to ensure 
that all the people of the world lived a decent life.

Neither the climate nor genetic potential are causing this tragedy.  Cuba, a 
tropical country, with a hot and humid climate, a favourable environment for 
viruses, bacteria and fungus, whose population is a mixture of ethnicities, 
subjected to a cruel blockade and economic war for almost half a century, has, 
despite all this, an infant mortality rate of less than 6 per 1000 live births 
under one year of age, a rate that falls just below that of Canada, and is 
headed towards 5 and maybe even less than 4 in the near future, which will put 
Cuba in first place in the continent.  Furthermore, it will take our country 
half the time it took Sweden and Japan to raise life expectancy from 70 to 80 
years, as it today stands at 77.5 years of age.  Its medical services have 
increased this expectancy by almost 18 years, from a rate of approximately 60 
years at the time of the triumph of the Revolution in January 1959.

These words might sound presumptuous if it were not possible to rightly 
describe our Homeland today as the country that has done more than any other 
nation in the world to share its medical expertise and experience with other 
peoples.

Tens of thousands of Cuban doctors and healthcare professionals stationed 
around the world are irrefutable proof of what I am saying.  For them, there 
will never be any language barriers, sacrifice, danger or obstacles.  It is 
now 43 years since Cuba sent its first brigade to Algeria, a country that had 
only just freed itself from colonialism following a heroic struggle for 
independence.

After more than four decades, and with the special period drawing to an end, 
the healthcare system has become the most important sector in the exchange of 
goods and services between our country and the rest of the world in economical 
terms; but despite this Cuba has not failed to offer its medical assistance 
completely free of charge to more than 60 Third World countries lacking 
economic resources.  That is how it has always been and how it always will be.

It is a fact that the medical assistance given by Cuba and its scientific 
institutions to other parts of the world is spreading rapidly in the interest 
of humanity.  There is nothing strange about the behavior of Cuba, which did 
not hesitate to offer the people of the United States the immediate dispatch 
of experienced doctors with the essential resources needed to administer 
emergency care to people in mortal danger following a serious natural 
disaster.  Also, our country was closest to the area hit by the hurricane and 
was in the position to send over human and material aid in a matter of hours.  
It was as if a big American cruise ship with thousands of passengers aboard 
were sinking in waters close to our coast.

We could not remain indifferent.  No-one would believe that this aid could be 
taken as an offence or a humiliation.  Our message was sent to the federal 
authorities of the United States just after Katrina, with her devastating 
force, battered New Orleans.  It hurts to think that maybe some of those 
desperate people, trapped by the water and at death’s door, could have been 
saved.  It is a harsh lesson for those who’s false pride and mistaken concepts 
led them to decide not to respond even belatedly, to our offer, which isn’t 
the first time in these circumstances.

We discussed this issue publicly because on the long list of countries that 
offered help, the name of Cuba was omitted, which confused and even startled 
many friends of our country around the world.  We explained this on September 
2, three days after making our offer, specifying that we were prepared to send 
1,100 doctors by air, in a period of between 12 and 36 hours, with 24 tons of 
essential medications in their backpacks; 48 hours went by, and on September 
4, that force already composed of 1,586 professionals and ready to leave with 
36 tons of medication, was meeting at the Convention Center where it was given 
the name of “Henry Reeve” Medical Force, in memory of that exceptional young 
American combatant who died fighting for Cuba’s independence.

On September 12th the International Contingent of Doctors Specialized in 
Disaster Situations and Serious Epidemics was formed.  This will take the 
place of the Medical Force formed to help the people of the United States when 
Katrina hit the south of this country with all its brutal force.  Its aim will 
not just be to help a certain nation, but to give immediate assistance, with 
its specially trained staff, to any country that suffers a catastrophe, 
particularly those that are hit by hurricanes, floods or other natural 
phenomena of this severity.

By then, 14 days had gone by without any reply to our offer.
During the night of Wednesday, September 14, I met again with all the members 
of that force, who were in the process of deepening their knowledge, in order 
to inform them of the statement made by the Governor of Louisiana, which had 
been received in Cuba that every same day, and the message sent by Bruno 
Rodriquez, First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, the content of which I 
shall read out now, word for word, so that you may all know about it.

“Honorable Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, Governor of the state of Louisiana. 
“Madame Governor:

“We have carefully read your Executive Order No KBB 2005-33 establishing the 
Declaration of Public Health Emergency and Suspension of In-State Licensure 
for Medical Professionals and Personnel Licensed Out-of-State, quoting that 
although scores of people have been rescued, there are many more persons 
waiting for rescue, evacuation and medical assistance, and many citizens have 
suffered or will suffer injury and/or illness
.’.  The Declaration also states 
that `
.. the number of medical professionals and personnel currently 
available to the State to respond to this emergency are insufficient and there 
is a need to immediately supplement their number in order to serve those 
affected by this disaster 

”

“I would like to communicate to you that the necessary Cuban personnel, up to 
1,586 qualified and experienced physicians, carrying the appropriate medicines 
that the new circumstances may dictate, that was offered to the United States 
to assist the population and relieve the suffering of the victims of Hurricane 
Katrina, stands ready to fly immediately to the State of Louisiana as soon as 
you have the corresponding authorization from the federal authorities.

Bruno Rodriquez Parrilla, a.i”

Now, it is September 19, another five days have passed and the federal 
authorities haven’t said a word.  There is, therefore, growing reason to 
believe that on this occasion the generous and timely offer made by our people 
will not be accepted.

It is necessary to train the doctors needed in the countryside, in the 
villages, in the poor and marginalized neighborhoods of Third World cities.  
Even in extremely rich countries like the United States, tens of millions of 
Afro-Americans, Indians, Latin American Immigrants, Haitians and many other 
have no healthcare programs or medical care.

We are offering to train professionals who are prepared to struggle against 
death.  We shall prove that there is a solution to many of the planet’s 
tragedies.  We are proving that man can and must better himself.  We are 
proving the value of conscience and ethics.  We are offering life.




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