Vientiane: The director of Jose Marti Eye Hospital in Uruguay, Alejandro Fishel, praised what he called the partnership between the medical staff of his country and the members of the Cuban medical brigade. The record is impressive, with more than 119,000 ophthalmological surgeries, over 900,000 consultations, and a figure exceeding 200,000 patients screened.

According to Lao News Agency, the hospital is a national reference center with a significant contribution from Cuban medical professionals, particularly in the oculoplastic service, a specialty that covers vision problems and cosmetic surgery. Notably, the hospital boasts only one surgeon in this field, who is Cuban.

Visual health and technology, prevention of healthcare-associated infections, age-related macular degeneration, and intraocular lens calculation were some of the topics presented and shared by Cuban and Uruguayan specialists. Dr. Adan Gonzalez, a Uruguayan doctor, highlighted the impact of Cuban medical education, stating, ‘There are more
than 600 of us, Uruguayan doctors, who graduated from the Latin American School of Medicine in Cuba.’

The Charge d’Affaires of the Cuban embassy, Antonio Pardo, emphasized the humanitarian nature of Cuba’s health cooperation, which he claims is under attack by the United States government. Pardo noted that the Cuban ophthalmological brigade faces challenges and pressures from Washington aimed at undermining Cuba’s medical services in various countries.