Esteban Lazo Urges the World to Assist Haiti

Speaking to representatives from 55 countries and 35 international organizations during the closing session of the ‘World Summit on the Future of Haiti: Solidarity beyond the Crisis’ that took place on Wednesday in the Dominican resort of Punta Cana, the Cuban official said the situation in Haiti is not a political issue but a human drama.

Lazo noted that before last January’s devastating earthquake hit the Haitian capital, Cuban professionals had already been helping Haiti for nearly 11 years in diverse sectors such as health care, education and housing.

As part of this assistance, he added, 400 Cuban doctors have attended to 14 million Haitian patients and have performed eye surgeries on some 47,000. He pointed out that 550 Haitian health professionals have graduated from Cuba higher education centers and another 600 are being trained in the island.

The Cuban vice president pointed out that, last January 25, the Political Council of the Bolivarian Alliance of the Peoples of the Americas (ALBA), met in Caracas and —following a recommendation by the leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro— agreed to prioritize its assistance to Haiti in the education sector and in the creation of a comprehensive health system that is already proving effective.

“Cuba is ready and willing to continue participating in this effort,” Lazo stated.