Internationalist Health Contribution of Sancti Spíritus to the World

A large number of this staff works in Venezuela, Brazil, Angola and Ecuador

Some 1,500 workers in the health sector of this central Cuban province are currently on mission in 42 countries around the world, according to a specialist from the territorial health department.

Aris Fortain, head of the collaboration department, told the local press that a large number of this staff works in Venezuela, Brazil, Angola and Ecuador.

The territory’s health sector, he said, provides more than 600 doctors, nurses, stomatologists, clinical laboratory technicians, physiotherapists and X-ray technicians, among others.

Fortain added the cooperating partners are involved in several projects: Operation Miracle and the Special Mission to Venezuela, among other medical services.

Since 1974, when the first doctor from Sancti Spiritus arrived in Honduras, more than 8,000 professionals from the sector have participated in international missions.

In 55 years of Cuban collaboration,’ it began on May 21, 1963 with the first brigade to Algeria, ‘there are 407,000 health professionals and technicians, including 183,338 doctors, who have fulfilled the honorable mission of saving lives and raising health indicators in 164 countries.