ISLAMABAD, Nov 16: Over 1,000 Cuban doctors are working in the quake-hit areas of NWFP and Azad Kashmir since Oct 8 quake and providing medical assistance to victims. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba Felipe Perez Roque, who will lead his country in the Nov 19 conference, said at a press conference at a local hotel on Wednesday that 1,091 Cuban medical teams had provided medical assistance to over 50,000 patients in different areas.

Giving details of the assistance being provided by the Cuban medical teams, Mr Felipe said they had conducted 2,000 operations and working at 19 various field hospitals and refugees camps.

He said Cuba responded to Pakistan’s call for help immediately after the Oct 8 earthquake and the first medical team arrived in Islamabad on Oct 14.

He said the Cuban team would continue their work in the quake hit areas according to the needs of affected areas.

Mr Felipe said Pakistan and Cuba had friendly relations and Cuban medical help to Pakistan was part of the efforts to strengthen these relations.

He added that Cuba would soon open its embassy in Islamabad and he had discussed this issue with Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri during his meeting.

He said Cuba had one of the best medical teams and 25,000 Cuban doctors were working in over 100 countries and providing medical care in different categories.

Mr Felipe said the Cuban government also provided scholarships to 18,000 students annually, which also included 12,000 in the medical profession.

Answering a question about working in the quake-hit areas along with American forces, the Cuban foreign minister said they were working shoulder to shoulder as it was a human cause but added, “bilateral relations between the US and Cuba are a very complex issue.”

He said rich and developed countries should extend more help and assistance to Pakistan to match the devastation caused by the earthquake.

Cuban President Fidel Castro and President Musharraf had telephonic conversation after the quake and President Castro expressed his deep sense of condolence on this tragic loss, he added. He said a fresh batch of 100 doctors would arrive on Thursday from Cuba.—APP