Cuba For West Africa - Africa Called, Cuba Answered : CNC campaign for Cuban medical mission in West Africa

The Canadian Network On Cuba (CNC) is launching the Cuba For West Africa Campaign to raise funds to assist the ongoing Cuban medical missions in the West African nations of Guinea-Conakry, Liberia & Sierra Leone that are engaged in fighting the Ebola epidemic. The Cuban medical mission is by far the largest sent by any country. Standing side-by-side with the peoples of West Africa, 461 Cuban doctors and nurses – chosen from more than 15,000 volunteers - have gone to West Africa and joined the struggle against Ebola.  Jose Luis Di Fabio, a representative of the World Health Organization, underscored that  “there are more human resources from Cuba than from many, many NGOs put together.”

      Such is the magnitude of Cuba’s solidarity with Africa that even the corporate media, usually unduly harsh in their views concerning Cuba, had to give the Caribbean nation plaudits for its actions. For example, the New York Times, recognizing at last Cuba’s virtue, has been moved to editorialize its position that the U.S. economic embargo against the island should end and the three Cubans still imprisoned in the U.S. as fighters against terrorism should be freed. Also, on October 9th, the Wall Street Journal stated: “Few have heeded the call, but one country has responded in strength: Cuba.” As Jorge Lefebre Nicolas, Cuba’s ambassador to Liberia, declared: “We cannot see our brothers from Africa in difficult times and remain there with our arms folded.” Havana’s contribution is to be contrasted with that of Washington, which dispatched thousands of soldiers, instead of more desperately needed healthcare personnel and resources. 

      The Cuban doctors serving in West Africa are motivated not by financial gain but by the profound internationalist values of solidarity inculcated since the triumph of the Cuban Revolution. Since 1959, more than 300,000 Cuban medical workers have served in 158 countries. Currently, 50,000 Cuban doctors and nurses are serving in 66 countries across Latin America, Africa and Asia.  Indeed, before the Ebola epidemic there were more than 4,000 Cuban healthcare personnel treating people in 32 African countries. As Dr. Jorge Perez Avila, the director of the Pedro Kouri Institute for Tropical Medicine in Havana - where those going to fight ebola get three weeks of intensive specialized training before going overseas - noted: "Our principle has been to share what we have." 

      In 2010 Cuba rose to the immense challenge of helping the heroic people of Haiti after the earthquake that inflicted such horrendous suffering. In response, the CNC launched the Cuba For Haiti Campaign as the best way by which Canadians could help Haiti. The success of the Cuba For Haiti Campaign demonstrates the confidence and respect that Canadians have for the people for Cuba. The respect and confidence increase the better we know Cuba. 

      In 2014, as it has always done, Cuba is taking up the cause of humanity in Guinea-Conakry, Liberia & Sierra Leone. Africa has called and Cuba has answered. 

        At the September 16, 2014 meeting of the United Nations Security Council, Cuban representative Abelardo Moreno declared: “Humanity has a debt to African people. We cannot let them down.”

       The CNC is asking Canadians to support the invaluable work of the Cuban medical mission by donating to the Cuba For West Africa Campaign. You can support the Cuba For West Africa Campaign by sending a check to the Canadian Network On Cuba. The cheques should be made out to the Canadian Network On Cuba, writing Cuba for West Africa Campaign on your cheque’s memo line. Your donation should be mailed to: THE CNC, Attn: S. Skup, 56 Riverwood Terrace, Bolton, ON L7E 1S

- Isaac Saney, Co-Chair & Spokesperson, Canadian Network on Cuba, November 14, 2014 -

  Concert at Patchwork House Concerts 

with Augusto Enriquez

Jeff Goodspeed, Silvio Pupo, David Burton, Danny Parker

November 10 at 8 pm

Where? 30 First Avenue, Bedford

Reserve your spot by email  

mleblanc.patchwork@gmail.com 

or by calling 902 434-8355

Patchwork House Concerts, in partnership with the Los Primos Project, is thrilled to host internationally acclaimed Cuban musician Augusto Enriquez on Monday, November 10.  Augusto will be supported by a 4-piece band (woot woot).  Show starts at 8 pm.  A suggested donation of $25 per person will be collected at the door.  Note 100 % of funds collected will go to support Augusto and his work with Los Primos, a local charity that raises money to promote cultural exchanges between Nova Scotian and Cuban youth, buy instruments for children in Cuba.

Augusto sings every style imaginable, has played all over the world with the likes of Pavarotti  but he loves to do house concerts in Nova Scotia because it is such an intimate performance experience.

We’d love it if you RSVP’d  – it helps us plan.  And we’d love it if you tell all your music-loving friends about Patchwork and bring them with you to a show.  RSVP via email (mleblanc.patchwork@gmail.com) or by calling 902 434-8355.

A Note from Monique LeBlanc about Patchwork House Concerts: 

A Patchwork House Concert is a special experience. It’s a chance to really listen to live music by great Canadian and international artists in a relaxed, intimate setting. It’s kind of like having your favorite artists play in your living room.  Heck, that’s exactly what it is!  We invite musicians in fairly regularly and our audiences listen…

‘Tickets’ average $20 however we do not sell tickets per se.  We ask for guests to make asolid commitment to attend and bring their contribution with them.  Shows generally start early (at 8 pm) so we begin welcoming guests around 7:30pm to allow everyone time to get a soft drink (or if you have brought your own, something stronger), grab a snack, find a seat and get comfortable.

Usually we have 2 sets with a break in between for enjoying some refreshments, socializing, and maybe having a chat with one of the artists. CDs and other musician merchandise are often available for purchase so it is wise to bring a little extra cash to pick up a cd or two for your music collection.  At the break, we also collect money for the show.   

All the proceeds go to the performers.  

Why do we do this?  Well, we like listening to live music in small spaces.  

We like the little bit of extra chaos this brings to our lives.

 We like the fact that we are supporting hard-working musicians.  

We like seeing old friends and meeting new people.  

We hope to see you soon!

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Cuban president Remarks in ALBA Summit on Ebola

HAVANA, Cuba, Oct 20 (acn) Cuban President Raul Castro addressed the Heads of State and Government of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America-Trade Treaty of the Peoples (ALBA-TCP) and its observers that gathered in Havana in a Special Summit on Ebola.

Cuban News Agency now reproduces his remarks to open the debate:

Key address by the President of the State Council and the Council of Ministers of Cuba, Raúl Castro Ruz, at the Special ALBA-TCP Summit on Ebola

Esteemed heads of State and Government, and chiefs of delegations; His Excellency Mr. David Nabarro, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General; Her Excellency Mrs. Clarisse Etienne, Director of the Pan American Health Organization; His Excellency Mr. Didacus Jules, Director General of the Organization of East Caribbean States

We welcome you to our country on the occasion of this Special ALBA Summit on Ebola convened on the initiative of President Maduro.

Ladies and Gentlemen, comrades;

A dreadful epidemic is advancing today on our fraternal peoples of Africa, and threatening us all. A high number of cases have been diagnosed with Ebola and many people have perished from the disease in several countries, including two outside the African continent.

This poses a huge challenge to humanity, one that should be met with utmost urgency. The action of the international community as a whole, under the leadership of the World Health Organization, the Pan American Health Organization and the UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response, is much needed.

As part of the melting pot of Latin American and Caribbean cultures, African blood flows through the veins of ‘Our America’, contributed by those who fought for independence and helped in the creation of wealth in many of our countries and others, the United States included.

Africa and Cuba are bound together by deep affection. Over 76 thousand Cuban collaborators have rendered health services in 39 countries, while 45 nations have had 3,392 physicians trained in Cuba absolutely free of charge.

At the moment, more than 4 thousand Cuban healthcare collaborators are working in 32 African countries and, as our Public Health Minister will explain; they are all joining in the preventive effort against Ebola.

Last October 1st, in response to a request from the Director General of the World Health Organization, Dr. Margaret Chan, and UN Secretary General, Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, a specialized Cuban medical brigade traveled to Sierra Leone to take part in the struggle against that epidemic; and tomorrow, Tuesday, October 21st, two other Cuban brigades, whose leaders are already in the field, will be leaving for Liberia and Guinea.

The numerous alerts and concerns recently manifested over the insufficient resources contributed and the pace of the actions are a reflection of the growing universal awareness on the necessity to move ahead promptly in order to avoid a humanitarian crisis of unpredictable consequences.

I stand convinced that if this threat is not held back and resolved in West Africa, through an immediate and effective international response, with sufficient resources and coordinated by the World Health Organization and the United Nations, it may evolve into one of the gravest pandemics in the history of mankind.

Actually, such a noble and urgent endeavor demands the indispensable commitment and dedication of every nation in the world, to the extent of everyone’s possibilities.

We are of the view that this grave problem should not be politicized to avoid the risk of losing track of the main objective, which is helping to confront the epidemic in Africa and to prevent its expansion to other regions.

Following my conversation with the UN Secretary General last September 5th, instructions were given to our representatives in events called by the World Health Organization and the United Nations, to reaffirm that Cuba is willing work side by side with every country, including the United States.

The modest experience accumulated by the Cuban healthcare system indicates that an integrating disposition is required, along with the proper organization, planning and coordination, not only of the clinical and healing work but also of preventive measures. An inescapable complementation to this would be the systemic and permanent labors of the specialists who shall exercise great

discipline and severity in the observation of the medical protocols established. In the course of this meeting, we shall discuss the practical features of this matter.

In order to avoid being affected by the virus, we should prepare ourselves intensively, work together throughout the Americas on preventive measures, and be ready to deal with the disease and prevent its dissemination.

We wish to submit to the consideration of the member countries of ALBA and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac) some collective proposals of cooperation that may help in training the healthcare personnel and designing and implementing comprehensive and effective preventive measures, giving a priority to Haiti and the Caribbean countries; we should all assist the most vulnerable states.

At the same time, we invite the countries of North America to also cooperate in this endeavor.

If the respective governments would agree, our healthcare collaborators currently working in Latin America and the Caribbean, could support, to the extent of their capabilities, the preventive actions and the training of local personnel, as well as offer advisory.

In summary, we have 45,952 Cuban healthcare collaborators working in 25 countries of Our America, 23,158 of them, that is, 50.4% are doctors, who along with their colleagues from the continent make up a powerful force capable of meeting such a challenge.

It’s worthwhile recalling that many countries of our region count on 23,944 doctors graduated in Cuban universities until today, basically in the past fifteen years.

Finally, on December 14th, we will host another Summit in Havana to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Alliance, the fruit of the will of our peoples in the region and of the actions of Hugo Chavez Frias and Fidel Castro Ruz. We look forward to that opportunity when we shall examine the implementation of what we agree here today.

Without further delay, we declare this Special Summit open.