Robert Lalah, Staff Reporter
Cuban Ambassador to Jamaica, Gisela Garcia Rivera, clears the air on the quality of treatement received by Jamaicans who go to Cuba for eye surgery, during an interview with The Gleaner yesterday at the Cuban Embassy on Trafalgar Road, St. Andrew. - JUNIOR DOWIE/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
ARMED WITH statistics and testimonies from satisfied patients, Gisela Garcia Rivera, Cuban Ambassador to Jamaica, has hit back at critics of the 'Miracle Operation' eye surgery programme.
The programme, which allows Jamaicans with serious eye problems to visit Cuba free of cost to receive treatment from that nation's ophthalmologists, has come under fire in recent weeks from local doctors, who have questioned the integrity of the treatment the patients receive in Cuba.
The doctors have pointed to patients who, having undergone surgery in Cuba, have developed complications since being back in Jamaica.
But the Cuban Ambassador would have none of it. "Cuba has provided this service to 230,000 persons in Latin America and the Caribbean since the beginning of the programme. Complications from these eye operations are less than two per cent of the total number of people who have gone to Cuba. This is far above the internationally acceptable standards," she said.
FURTHER TREATMENT
"We do understand, however, that for the persons with the problems, these statistics will provide no comfort. That is why the Government and people of Cuba are committed to them until the end. Even if they have to go back to Cuba for further treatment. We will do whatever is necessary. Even if they need a transplant. We will not let the patients down," said Mrs. Garcia Rivera.
She said the programme has been under attack since it first started. "There were
people who were criticising the programme before they even knew how it was going to work. The Jamaican people will have to determine for themselves what these persons' motives were," Mrs. Garcia Rivera noted.
"What of the persons who have undergone surgery locally and have developed complications? Why are we hearing nothing of these persons?" she asked.
The ambassador pointed to the case of 14-year-old Lenissa Woodcock who was suffering from a tumour in her left eye. According to Mrs. Rivera, the girl was taken to Cuba some months ago, where she received surgery at the best hospital in the country and is now doing well. All of this, at no cost.
When the programme first started in August 2005, the Cuban Government expressed a desire to set up a state-of-the-art eye clinic in Jamaica. The plan was that the entire project would be funded by Cuba and the best doctors from that country would travel to Jamaica to train the local doctors.
When asked if the present controversy has affected these plans, the Cuban ambassador said no.
"This is a very good programme and we will see it through. Our aim is to help, because we have the facilities and the expertise. We will continue to help in any way we can."
A total of 2,196 Jamaicans have received surgery under the 'Miracle Operation' programme since it started on August 26, 2005.
