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Min.
Ngafuan & Dr. Nunez
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Monrovia,
October 7, 2014:
A high level Cuban medical delegation comprising mainly of medical doctors,
financial and logistical officers has arrived in the country as an advance-team
of the Cuban medical brigade that will assist Liberia in its fight to control
the Ebola virus that is ravaging the West African region.
A
Foreign Ministry release says the advanced Cuban medical professionals which
arrived in the country on Saturday, October 4, 2014 is headed by Dr.
Juan Carlos Dupuy Nunez.
Other
members of the delegation include Dr.Pablo Miguel, Raventon Vaguer, Mr. Andres
Marrero Escobar, and Rolando Vergara Zito constituting of medical doctors,
financial and logistical officers.
During
a courtesy call on Liberia’s Foreign Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan at his
Foreign Ministry Office on Monday, September 6, 2014, the Foreign Minister, on
behalf of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and the Government and people
of Liberia, extended sincere
gratitude to the Government and People of Cuba for demonstrating what he
termed as a solid friendship and solidarity to people in greater needs: "You are coming to help not just Liberia,
but also the Republic of Sierra Leone”.
While
lifting praises on Cuba, Minister Ngafuan noted that Cuba has over the years
distinguished itself in the medical fields, referring to Cuban medical doctors
as medical diplomats in the world.
The
Liberian Foreign Minister further assured the advance team of his ministry’s
fullest cooperation in helping them navigate through Liberia’s governmental
system, noting that Liberia has good diplomatic relations with Cuba.
Foreign
Minister Ngafuan disclosed that as Liberia battles against the deadly
Ebola disease, the government is also working hard to upgrade the
standard of its health facilities to deal with other related illnesses that are
posing threats to the heath of the Liberian people.
Minister
Ngafuan then expressed confidence that with the coming of the Cuban doctors to
assist in the fight against Ebola, the disease will soon be eradicated.
In
brief remarks, the head of the advanced team, Dr. Nunez who introduced members
of his delegation revealed that they are
in Liberia as an advance-team of what is going to be a comprehensive team of
about 50 experts that will arrive in Liberia very soon.
According
to Dr. Nunez, the Cuban medical team will be in the country as part of
international response to control the virus in West Africa and the world and
will be in Liberia to work with government in curbing the disease.
Recently, Regla Angulo,
head of the Cuban medical relief agency last month, announced Cuba's
contribution in the Ebola fight by sending medical personnel to work in Sierra
Leone, Guinea and Liberia with the latest announcement now putting the total
number at 461 Cuban medical personnel who would have been sent to help prevent
the spread of the epidemic across west Africa.
Signed:
Horatio Bobby Willie
Assistant Foreign Minister/Public
Affairs