The graduation ceremony at the Victoria de Giron Preclinical Sciences Institute, Cuba boasts an additional 2,314 healthcare professionals who received diplomas along with 1,593 young students from 26 countries.
Public Health Minister Dr. Jose Ramon Balaguer spoke at the ceremony. "If a large scale system for training doctors, like the one used in Cuba, is not implemented, the future of poor people would be uncertain, as epidemics and increasing social marginalization keep their health under constant threat."
The Victoria de Giron center was inaugurated by Fidel Castro 44 years ago as a response to the mass emigration of Cuban doctors to the United States. It was the first institution for massive medical training.
Dr. Balaguer pointed out that today Cuba has 71,000 doctors. "Thanks to their competency and compassion, we have created a giant army that lavishes solidarity in and outside of the island, raising not only the quality of life of their patients, but other values that also promote health."
Our country is currently providing medical assistance in 68 countries and has offered help in 100, Minister Balaguer said. He added that plans are underway to create eleven medical training institutes in several Third World Nations, and above all in Africa, modeled after the Latin American School of Medicine (ELAM) in Cuba.
Brazilian Doctor Alexander Sales, ELAM's top graduate this year, said that the principles forged during the six years of schooling will be put into practice in their countries of origin and anywhere else that is necessary.
After reading the doctors' oath, Honors Graduate Julio Arma spoke about the importance of maintaining the ethics of the profession throughout the world and putting it at the service of the planet's most unprotected people.
The graduation ceremony, dedicated to the 80th birthday of Cuban President Fidel Castro and the 50th Anniversary of the landing of the Granma, was also attended by several top officials from the . Party of Cuba including Jose Ramon Machado Ventura, Pedro Ross Leal and Concepcion Cam
