Inspiring Cuban doctors

Regarding the Cuban doctors in Venezuela, when somebody says "I’m certain he/she is a whole lot better than nothing at all", I just can not agree more. When Chavez's government start his term, the first program launched was Plan Bolivar 2000, which was their first attempt to solve a enormous variety of problems. The heath care was just one of them. A health emergency situation was declared and all Venezuelan doctors was summoned to fill up those vacancies in this first program, very few attend the call. Their reasons for their denial was a broad spectrum, from very low salary according to their expectations, or better patient goes to doctor's private clinics that they going to the patient's homes, to insecurity within the barrios or simple racism. But mainly the personal interest of Venezuelan doctors were put above their duty with their profession and with their countrymen.

After the coup d'état, oil strike, industrial sabotage and recall referendum, Chavez finally had the resources to re-launch a new strategy that bypass this enormous stopper to achieve a heath care system with free access to everyone. He called it "Mission", because that was the only word that could describe the magnitude of the self sacrifice that Venezuela was asking to each individual. Again he call Venezuelan doctors and even less doctors attend, but the help came from Cuba, with a different understanding about what was all involve. Once the people see the difference between having nothing or to have a doctor near by their home, committed with his/her wellbeing; the people understood that many others thing were possible.

Of course, I rather see ALL Venezuelan doctors fully involved in this system, but I know all sort of specimens within medical colleague association. The ones that are honest, knowledgeable and hard workers with a deep interest on the wellbeing of everybody, and those that are money eaters, profit chasers, Miami-mall-shoppers, superficial and frivolous doctors, very self centre. Mainly the first ones are with Chavez, and mainly the second ones are against him.

Nowadays, there are around 30,000 Cuban doctors in the front line of health care in Venezuela, in "Barrio Adentro" program. Some of them had been killed by robbers, some of them had taken the opportunity to fled from the country, even some of them are suing Cuba and Venezuela for "modern slavery", of course in front of a US court and an American TV camera. But most of them, the enormous majority of them is giving me the toughest example of dignity and generosity. We shall reattribute them in the same terms, with dignity and generosity.

For that reason, the allegations of slavery introduce in US have deep implications. The doctors Julio César Lubián, Ileana Mastrapa, Miguel Mafjud, María del Carmen Milanés, Frank Vargas, Julio César Dieguez, and nurse Osmani Rebeaux, had plead with PDVSA to pay millionaire compensations, which for sure the American judge had guaranteed. But, how much of these can be a truly mistreatment of the Cuban personal? How we know the real dimension of these allegations?, aside the TV show that US is preparing for right-wing spectators to enjoy. Where the true lay?

Whatever happens, now my hopes rest on the new generations of Venezuelan doctors that are training six (6) full years on medicine, three on them working with their communities. What fascinate me is I am able to see indigenous people receiving this kind of training. So, one day, sooner than later, when the new generation overtake the current generation of doctor that had failed so badly to our country, and that day when the Cuban doctors return home, they will do so with my eternal gratitude and deepest respect, because what they had done and achieved in such a short piece of time, in such environmental adversity and colleague hostility, is just inspiring.