Cuban Ambassador to Echorouk: “Health, a cornerstone in Algerian-Cuban cooperation”

The Ambassador of Cuba in Algeria Mr Eumelio Caballero Rodriguez has reiterated his country's availability to further bolster the links of cooperation with Algeria in several fields of endeavour with a prime focus on the health sector. 

• Speaking during a press conference held yesterday at the premises of the Cuban embassy in Algiers, Mr. Eumelio Caballero Rodriguez expressed his country’s will to promote  Cuban collaboration in the field of health, notably in ophthalmology treatment and surgery by providing a know-how and a technology transfer for the benefit of Algerian hospitals.
• Algeria and Cuba have initiated a host of projects which are already operational or under achievement, the Cuban Ambassador asserted.
• He indicated, in this respect, that 3 ophthalmology hospitals were in the final phase of achievement in Béchar, El Oued and Ouargla and would be inaugurated before the end of 2009.
• The Djelfa ophthalmology hospital for its part is already operational and has so far taken in charge over 60.000 patients with up to 3.000 eye surgical operations having been performed with much success, he said.
• He added that 3 similar hospitals would be achieved in the course of the year 2010 precisely in Sétif, El Oued and Tamanrasset.
• Cuba, he said, is intent on bringing its expertise in the manufacturing, in the very near future, of the vaccine against Hepatitis B in Algeria itself as part of this exemplary partnership between the two friendly countries.
• The Cuban Ambassador also affirmed that Algerian-Cuban cooperation would be expanded soon to encompass other health specialties including pediatrics, neurology, surgery and radiotherapy.