World must stop Ebola in west africa or face pandemic: Raul castro
AVANA: The world must confront Ebola in West Africa to prevent what could become one of the worst pandemics in human history, Cuban President Raul Castro told his closest allies on Monday.
He spoke in an address to six presidents or prime ministers from the leftist ALBA bloc of Latin American and Caribbean meeting in Havana, where they pledged to join forces to prevent Ebola from spreading in the Americas and to find ways to aid West Africa.
“Cuba is willing to work side-by-side with all countries, including United States,” said Castro, who took over for his ailing older brother Fidel Castro in 2008.
United States has welcomed Cuba’s aid, with US Secretary of State John Kerry highlighting the contribution of Cuban medical professionals.
The summit brought together the presidents of Cuba, Venezuela, Bolivia, Nicaragua and Haiti, the latter a specially invited guest.
They were joined by the prime ministers of Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. ALBA members Ecuador, Dominica, and Antigua and Barbuda sent senior officials, as did the United Nations, the World Health Organization and the Pan American Health Organization.
Cuba imposes strict requirements on travelers coming from the affected countries of West Africa, holding them for at least 21 days of observation before allowing them to travel freely in the country. Some 28 people have been held at a hospital in Havana, its director said on Friday.
Cuba’s aid to the West African countries hardest hit by Ebola is the latest example of its long tradition of medical diplomacy. Havana has sent medical brigades to disaster sites around the world since the 1959 revolution that brought Fidel Castro to power.
Cuba also sends doctors overseas in exchange for money or goods, notably Venezuelan oil, making professional services a top export earner. More than 50,000 Cuban medical personnel are posted in 66 countries.
