- Title: CUBA: Chernobyl children celebrate Cuban health assistance
- Date: 30th March 2010
- Summary: UKRAINIAN CHILDREN CELEBRATING
- Embargoed: 14th April 2010 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Cuba
- Country: Cuba
- Topics: International Relations,Health
- Reuters ID: LVA4OBOANRAK7RO6HTNR6VZ6JGMO
- Story Text: Nearly 24 years after the world's worst nuclear accident, Ukrainian children affected by the Chernobyl explosion celebrated on Monday (March 29) the 20th anniversary of Cuba's free health care program.
Many of these children are still living at Cuba's beach resort of Tanara, on the eastern outskirts of Havana, where they receive free medical treatment by local doctors.
Communist Cuba began the program in 1990 and kept it going through its own economic meltdown following the collapse of its international sponsor, the Soviet Union.
Mother of one of the children, Irina said she could only thank Cuba for its assistance.
"I'm not going to speak of anything apart from what Cuba represents and its help towards these children. Thank you for everything, Cuba," she said, during a celebration where children danced and recited poems.
Cuban and Ukrainian officials organized the celebration to mark the success of the health program which changed the lives of many pale and sometimes bald children.
They have been treated for cancers, kidney and thyroid ailments, digestive and nervous disorders, and the loss of hair and skin pigmentation.
Head of the Chernobyl victims' program, doctor Julio Medina de Armas, said Cuba was the only country to offer permanent health treatment for the children.
"They (Chernobyl children) have benefited from the help of several countries, of which some helped financially, others by taking them to shelters... But a program that offers permanent medical attention, Cuba is the only country that has done that," he said.
Former Ukrainian president, Leonid Chuzma, said Cuba helped restore hope for many children.
"Over the past 20 years, they (children) have received medical treatment here in Cuba. Can you imagine, these children were young and they grew up. Before, they had no future and now they are healthy," he said.
Figures have never been released for the cost of the program, which Havana says is part of it international solidarity efforts that have sent tens of thousands of Cuban doctors to work in poor Third World countries.
The government said over 20,000 Ukrainians have received treatment in the Communist island over the two past decades. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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