By María Inés Álvarez Garay (*)
In the speech delivered in the act of constitution of the International Contingent of Doctors Specialized in Disaster Situations and Serious Epidemics «Henry Reeve», on September 19, 2005, the historical leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, expressed:
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Cuban Medical Brigade (BMC) in Gambia, which provides its services in this African nation for more than 20 years, began its training and refresher courses to diagnose and assist patients infected with Covid- 19.«These words would seem presumptuous if our country could not be qualified today with all justice as the country that has done the most in the world to share its medical knowledge and experiences with other countries»
Not once, throughout its selfless revolutionary history, our people stopped offering their solidarity medical aid in the event of catastrophes to other peoples that required it, no matter how abysmal the ideological and political differences were, or the serious offenses received of the governments of any country «.
Today, 15 years later, our brave heroic guerrillas rise up, and with a fighting spirit and a Bronze Titans strength, they face Covid-19 in numerous countries.
They do so in the midst of a world stirred by the deadly pandemic that takes infinite lives from humanity, and when ruthless governments have turned all their fury against the Cuban doctors with incredible insults and lies, trying to discredit all the wonderful human work that this Pacific army in white coats unfolds in all corners of the planet.
They continue the legacy of our eternal Commander, aware that, as he very well said: «… each person and each people has the right to a healthy life and to enjoy the privilege of a long and useful existence.»
Throughout this process, they have been prepared in the updated treatments and protocols, they have enriched their epidemiological and biosafety knowledge, in addition to showing their willingness to move to any point where they are needed, provide efficient services and adequate care.
The specialists in Intensive Medicine Dr. Darwin Padrón and Dr. Yurina Lara, as well as the specialist in Internal Medicine, Dr. Marcos Antonio Sastre Acevedo, have been in charge of these trainings not only for Cuban doctors and nurses, but also for Gambian colleagues.
The health professionals of the Caribbean island provide medical assistance and also share their knowledge, which is part of their altruism and solidarity with the peoples.
At this time when Africa is suffering from the pandemic, like all humanity, the members of the BMC Gambia are on the red line and as our always Fidel said: “..Our concepts about the human condition of other peoples and the duty of brotherhood and solidarity were never and will never be betrayed. Tens of thousands of Cuban doctors and health professionals scattered around the world are irrefutable testimony of what I affirm. For them there will never be language barriers, sacrifice, dangers or obstacles»
For the members of the BMC Gambia, there are no obstacles or sacrifices that prevent them from fighting Covid-19, and defeating it definitively. They will uphold their principles because they demonstrate it in each attitude, in each conduct, in the value of conscience, in the love for the profession they exercise, and in the ethics that allow them to defeat death and offer life.
They do have positive responses to humanity’s tragedies, and they will never rest until they show that a better world is possible for everyone.
Committed to the sacred duty of saving lives, the BMC Gambia is a continuation of Fidel’s ideas, of his always accurate thinking that today is more alive than ever in each of these brave white-uniformed soldiers with immense hearts, full of altruism. and solidarity.
There is no way to forget you Commander because you live forever.
(*) Collaborator and professor at BMC in The Gambia
"An Island on a Continent" 