By: Kebba AF Touray
The Republic of the Gambia and Cuba have on Wednesday January 8th 2020, at the Health Ministry in Banjul renewed the Health Cooperation Agreement between the two countries.
The long-term cooperation agreement in the field of Health has been maintained by the two nations for some time now and the platform provides doctors and medical staff from the Greater Antilles to the people of the Gambia.
The updated agreement which was signed by Gambia’s Health Minister Dr. Ahmadou Lamin Samateh and the Cuban Ambassador to the country Rubén G. Abelenda, was done in the presence of the head of the Medical Brigade of the Caribbean Island Anaris Marta I Hate and some Government officials.
Health Minister Samateh and Ambassador Abelenda, both congratulated the two nations on the renewed Health Agreement and stated that their rubric evidences the positive state of relations between both Governments and peoples; that this relation was connected by their history, roots, culture and friendship based on respect and mutual assistance.
For the information of the reader, the beginning of Cuban/Gambian Medical Cooperation dates back to June 1996 when 38 health personnel from Cuba, arrived in Banjul on Technical Assistance.
Three years later, The Gambia became the first African country where the Comprehensive Health Program (PIS) was implemented and materialized with more than 150 Cubans.
And from the idea of the historical leader of the Cuban Revolution Fidel Castro, the Gambia Medical School was created in 1999. And from that time until now, the Gambia has worked with the support of health professors and personnel from this great Caribbean nation.
