February 12, 2006	Sunday	Muharram 13, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Feb 11: Cuban doctors have provided treatment to 80,000 patients, conducted 7,000 operations and admitted 4,000 patients in earthquake-hit areas of Kashmir and NWFP.

This was stated by Maj-Gen Abdul Qadir Usmani, Vice Principal of Army Medical College (AMC) and in-charge of medical section of Federal Relief Commission.

“The Cuban doctors have won the hearts of the Pakistani nation”, he said while speaking at a farewell hosted by the Federal Relief Commission for 78 Cuban doctors and paramedics.

The first batch of Cuban medical assistance team deployed in the earthquake affected areas left for Havana on Saturday.

The Cuban medical team, comprising 2,465 doctors and paramedical staff is the largest ever mission deployed in a foreign country in any disaster-stricken area, said Gen Usmani.

The team had arrived Pakistan soon after the October 8 devastating earthquake.

“The whole Pakistani nation and the quake-affected people pay tributes to President Fidal Castro, the Cuban government and people for this vital contribution”.

The Cuban team has performed more than 7,000 operations besides setting up 32 field hospitals and deploying medical teams in other hospitals.

The Cuban medical teams provided health education besides helping the trauma victims through psycho-therapy and helped the government to immunize the vulnerable population of AJK and NWFP, Gen Usmani added.

He paid rich tributes to Dr Omer Fedro one of the Cuban medical team, who died in a road accident on Friday last along with a local driver in one of the earthquake affected areas.

“We have no words to describe your services for the earthquake victims but we will remember it for a long time to come”, Gen Usmani said.

Cuba wants to improve relations with Islamabad and plans to open its embassy in Islamabad, said Ivan Mora, the Cuban Charge de Affairs-designate, while talking to journalists at the farewell.

“An ambassador-designate to Pakistan has already been appointed and all arrangements have been completed, to open the embassy in Islamabad”, he said.

At present Mr Mora is supervising the Cuban doctors team in earthquake affected areas.

The Cuban team appreciated the friendly atmosphere in Pakistan and hoped that opening of the embassy would strengthen friendly ties between Pakistan and Cuba, he added.

The Cuban departing team, he said, would also take along 14 quake victims, most of them amputees, with one attendant each and a translator to Cuba for treatment.

“We will treat them in a better way and it is hoped that they will return to Pakistan with new life”, he added.