International doctors graduate
News from Cuba | Friday, 29 June 2012
More than 15,000 foreign doctors from 100 countries have graduated in Cuba in the last seven years thanks to Havana’s Latin American Medical School (ELAM).
According to Nancy Remon, director for International Relations of the ELAM, over 8,000 of these finished their studies in 2012, the eighth and the largest graduation in the schools history. ELAM was established by Fidel Castro in 1999,as part of Cuba’s Comprehensive Health Program and international medical solidarity.
“This shows what a nation that is poor in economic resources but rich in spirit and with the necessary political will can do to help other peoples”, said Dr. Juan Carrizo, director of the ELAM Remon. There are currently more than 19,000 students from 100 Latin American and Caribbean countries, as well as from the United States, Africa, Asia and Oceania studying at the school.
In July, ELAM held its 2nd International Graduates Encounter, where previous graduates gathered exchange experiences on their courses and on their current work. In April, Cuba released figures showing that more than 50,000 Venezuelans have received medical treatment in Cuba. Since November, 2010, there have been 409 flights from Venezuela to Cuba carrying patients for free medical treatment. A total of 28,060 from the almost 51,000 citizens treated,have been direct patients, and 22,851 were persons accompanying them, who were also treated in many cases for various ailments.
