American Doctors Trained in Cuba On their Way to Haiti

Cuba News Agency
February 3, 2010

Havana -- American doctors who graduated from Havana’s Latin American Medical School (ELAM) are on their way to Haiti to take care of earthquake victms alongside Cuban colleagues.

The group made up of seven doctors left from New Jersey on Tuesday, Granma newspaper reported.

In reference to the response of the American doctors, Reverend Lucius Walker reportedly said: “These dedicated and skilled doctors are ready to serve. They received their MD degrees in Cuba and they uniquely prepared for the multiple challenges of this urgent mission.”

Rev. Walker is the executive director of Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization (IFCO), the organization that administrates the scholarships granted by the Cuban school to American students.

A report posted on IFCO’s website quotes Rev. Walker as saying that the doctors were carrying backpacks full of medicines and supplies.

ELAM was created in 1999 by initiative of Cuban Revolution leader Fidel Castro. Tens of thousands of young Latin Americans and several from the United States have been trained in the Havana-based school.

Haitian graduates or those on the senior year are also working alongside the Cuban doctors in their home nation devastated by the January 12 earthquake.

source: http://www.ain.cubaweb.cu/idioma/ingles/2010/0203americandoctors.htm

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