The island is an example to all, especially in sending doctors to often-dangerous and poor areas, writes Blade Nzimande.
Johannesburg - Last year, Cuba deployed its internationalist healthcare workers’ brigade to do extremely dangerous, face- to-face work with Ebola patients after the outbreak of the deadly virus in West Africa which affected Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.
The 461-strong brigade was named after Henry Reeve, an American who fought in the Cuban War of Independence from Spain.
The region where Cuba’s Henry Reeve internationalist health care workers brigade conducted their work has minimal health care facilities.
Even basic infrastructure such as roads and communications systems are lacking.
Yet Western imperialist countries continue to exploit its resources and people.
Former colonial powers, which in most instances are present-day neo-colonial powers and imperialist countries, have amassed massive resources out of their exploitation of the oppressed the world over.
As a result, historically oppressed people have been set back by many years. The colonisers and the imperialist exploiters would not spend those resources on reversing the tide of underdevelopment and the suffering they have left behind.
In sharp contrast, Cuba, a small and economically poor country, has always extended its hand of solidarity to many poor countries by placing human life first, through its health workers, without expecting anything in return.
Not only has Cuba exported its health workers to the rest of especially the poor world, but it has also trained thousands of foreign students in its medical schools.
Cuba’s role in this regard has been widely praised by, among others, the World Health Organisation.
No wonder it has now been rightly nominated by the Norwegian Trade Union Federation for the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize for its sterling work.
Despite the sometimes negative credibility of the Nobel Peace Prize, including the fact that questionable individuals have been honoured in the past, a country such as Cuba deserves the recognition.
The international solidarity role played by Cuba, a small island with modest material resources, far surpasses its size.
In addition, Cuba has been facing serious internal constrains imposed from outside. It has, for more than half a century, endured an illegal economic blockade by the US, the world’s largest military and economic power.
This embargo was initiated almost immediately after the Cuban revolution of 1959, to effect a regime change after US-backed dictator Batista Zaldívar was overthrown.
US foreign policy was designed to paralyse Cuba’s economy, devastate the quality of life of its people, and support a regime change agenda. The recently released Cuban Five heroes were incarcerated in the US for their heroic work to counter some of these destabilisations conducted from the US.
For all these heroic actions by the Cuban people and their government, to withstand an illegal economic blockade, and simultaneously sending its health workers to risk their lives by fighting deadly scourges like Ebola, Cuba deserves recognition for such outstanding international and humanitarian solidarity with the peoples of our African continent.
The US must lift its economic blockade of Cuba, and evacuate its occupied territory of Guantanamo Bay. A free Cuba is essential both for the Cubans and the whole of humanity.
Cuba, since 1961, has a record second to none in assisting poor countries with medical care. This through, among others, provision of doctors to remote and poor areas on the African continent and in South America.
Cuban doctors often go to the remotest and most difficult areas in other countries, where even national doctors of those countries do not want to serve. Here in South Africa, Cuban doctors are found in the remotest and most rural areas of our country.
Cuban assistance to West Africa was not a “one off”. When Haiti experienced its devastating earthquake in 2010, which killed about 100 000 people according to some modest estimates, it was Cuban doctors who treated 40 percent of those victims.
In the aftermath of the Kashmir earthquake of 2005, Cuba sent 2 400 medical workers to Pakistan and treated more than 70 percent of those affected, also leaving behind 32 field hospitals and donating medical scholarships.
Even when Hurricane Katrina hit the American Gulf Coast in August 2005, Cuba offered aid to an embarrassed US administration, which was to discover its disaster management capability was far inferior to that of many much smaller countries like Cuba.
The US was quite willing to let its own people suffer rather than acknowledge its inadequacy to the world.
Cuba’s largest healthcare programme is with Venezuela, in a solidarity trade relationship. This includes 31 000 doctors and dentists, and the training for 40 000 Venezuelan medical personnel.
For its sterling socialist achievements and international solidarity, Cuba truly deserves a Nobel Peace Prize!
In Cuba itself, healthcare, like education, is totally free. Cuba’s life expectancy is about equal to that of the US and its infant mortality rate is considerably lower.
As South Africans, we should also note Cuba’s assistance in health care. Many white doctors left South Africa following the end of apartheid. But, since 1995, hundreds of Cuban doctors have come to assist South Africa. In addition, South Africa has medical students studying in Cuba. These new doctors are an essential part of advancing the implementation of our planned National Health Insurance.
Further, in May, South Africa received 40 Cuban engineers to help with infrastructure development. The majority are specialists in the important areas of water and sewerage.
The internationalism of Cuban people, both in times of war and peace, is exemplary, and should by rights be a key feature of international co-operation in today’s highly unequal world.
* Blade Nzimande is Minister of Higher Education.
** The views expressed here are not necessarily those of Independent Media.
The Sunday Independent