Escambray ENGLISH EDITION
Although Cuban doctor Yamilse Torres has previous experiences as a health worker in Venezuela and Bolivia, she admits that her mission in Lesotho has been the most striking for her
The young health profesional, who graduated as Integral General Practitioner in 1995, in her native Sancti Spíritus, is always in a good mood, and is a very joyful person. However, since she arrived in this South African nation, she sometimes doesn’t feel like smiling, especially when “I see here diseases that in our country are almost completely eradicated, such as tuberculosis, high rates of AIDS and malnutrition, which is very common among children”.
When interviewed by Prensa Latina in Maseru, the doctor said that in Lesotho health could be further advanced, among other factors, if there were better promotion, because the population has no perception of risk.
Many people think that, for example, AIDS is viral like colds, she said when reiterating that “it is very necessary to further health promotion, not only in the communities where we have already started the work, but also in the media”. In her opinion “until the population is concerned about the dangers and risks, and understands the importance of getting protected against these diseases, it won’t be posible to eradicate them. It’s not only the treatment what matters, because prevention is the basis of community medicine. That’s why we came here for”.
What is the most gratifying thing for you? Without thinking twice, she points out: “the affection of the children, their docile behavior when they come to the clinic. They do not cry. Their little faces disarm me”.
A few days ago I took care of a little girl who ran after me until the exit door of the hospital. She wanted to go with me, and it is that natural expression of them that touches my heart, she emphasized.
In Lesotho, two other physicians from Sancti Spiritus work together with Dr. Yamilse: Jorge Enrique Pérez, who is also her husband, and Nancy Rodriguez, who has completed her work after four years.
(Source: Prensa Latina. Translated by Escambray)
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