'There is revolutionary work to do' -Cuban doctors head to Italy to battle coronavirus
Record ID:
1465274
'There is revolutionary work to do' -Cuban doctors head to Italy to battle coronavirus
- Title: 'There is revolutionary work to do' -Cuban doctors head to Italy to battle coronavirus
- Date: 22nd March 2020
- Summary: HAVANA, CUBA (MARCH 21, 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS, CUBAN MINISTER OF HEALTH, JOSE ANGEL PORTAL, HANDS CUBAN FLAG TO CUBAN DOCTOR WHO WILL TRAVEL TO ITALY CUBAN DOCTORS CHANTING CUBAN DOCTORS CHANTING (Spanish) "LONG LIVE THE CUBAN REVOLUTION, TOWARDS VICTORY ALWAYS" (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CUBAN DOCTOR TRAVELLING TO ITALY, GRACILIANO DIAZ, SAYING: "This is a challenge for me and even more so for Cuban medicine. We Cubans must depart and fulfill this honorable work for which nearly all Cubans have trained and is based on the principles of solidarity." VARIOUS, CUBAN DOCTORS POSING WITH PORTRAIT OF FORMER CUBAN PRESIDENT, FIDEL CASTRO (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CUBAN DOCTOR TRAVELLING TO ITALY, GRACILIANO DIAZ, SAYING: "We're all afraid, but there is revolutionary work to do. Fear can be controlled and put to the side. Whoever says that he isn't afraid is a superhero and we are not superheroes; we are revolutionary doctors." VARIOUS, DOCTORS HOLDING CUBAN AND ITALIAN FLAGS VARIOUS, CUBAN DOCTORS POSING FOR PHOTOS
- Embargoed: 5th April 2020 02:31
- Keywords: Cuba Italy brigade coronavirus doctors epidemic health care medical nurses pandemic
- Location: HAVANA, CUBA
- City: HAVANA, CUBA
- Country: Cuba
- Reuters ID: LVA001C64U43R
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Cuban doctors and nurses said Saturday (March 21) they were ready to help stop the spread of the coronavirus in Italy's Lombardy region, a nation that for the first time requested the assistance of medical workers from the Caribbean island.
The Cuban brigade will travel Saturday night to Italy and is comprised of 36 doctors, 15 nurses and a logistics expert. Italy is one of the countries that has been most hard hit by the coronavirus with more than 4,000 deaths as of Friday (March 20).
"We're all afraid, but there is revolutionary work to do. Fear can be controlled and put to the side," said 68-year-old Doctor Leonardo Fernandez a specialist in internal medicine.
Cuba has 8.2 doctors for every 1,000 people, one of the highest rates in the world according to the World Bank. Cuban medical brigades have already helped fight the spread of the coronavirus in countries including Jamaica, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Suriname and Granada.
(Production: Mario Fuentes) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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