Cuba celebrates "heroes in white coats" back from Italy

" Our heroes in white coats ": like footballers returning to the country after winning the World Cup, Cuba received in triumph Monday evening its doctors sent two months to Italy to help fight against the coronavirus.

Tired faces but waving Italian and Cuban flags at the exit of the plane, the medical brigade, composed of 36 doctors, 15 nurses and an administrator, landed at the end of the afternoon in Havana, coming from Milan, images broadcast live on Cuban television.

All wearing a mask, gloves and a white blouse, they each received a red rose and a medal during an official ceremony at the capital's airport, which they left on March 22 to go to Lombardy, which was then the epicenter of the disease.

Prudence obliges in these times of pandemic, it is by giant screen interposed that the president Miguel Diaz-Canel paid them a tribute supported, since the room of the Council of Ministers and accompanied by several members of the government.

" You represent the victory of life over death, of solidarity over selfishness, of the socialist ideal on the market ", he launched them, also wearing a mask on the face. And " you have shown the world a truth that the enemies of Cuba have tried to silence or denature: the strength of Cuban medicine ".

Controversy and return to grace

Because this program of sending Cuban doctors abroad, which has existed since the 1960s but experienced a real revival during the coronavirus pandemic, is not unanimous. It is harshly criticized by the United States and Brazil, which denounce in particular the working conditions of these professionals, of which a large part of the salary goes to the State.

Cuba, which began billing the wealthiest countries for this service from the 2000s, earned $ 6.3 billion in 2018, making it one of its main sources of revenue. Last, the island suffered from the political reconfiguration of Latin America, which largely shifted to the right.

Consequence: she had to give up contracts to send doctors to Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador and El Salvador, a political and financial blow.

Since the start of the coronavirus epidemic, this program has experienced a return in grace: Cuba has sent 1,870 health professionals to 26 countries, including Mexico, the Principality of Andorra, South Africa and Qatar.

" We saved lives "

For these doctors who have just returned from Italy, and who paraded by bus through a part of the city, the controversy is far away. Experienced professionals often having carried out several missions abroad before this one, they come back with the feeling of accomplished duty. " In Italy, it was hard work because the Lombardy region was the epicenter of Covid-19, but, as in the previous missions, we were able to give the best of ourselves ", says Carlos Carrilla, 53-year-old nurse: “ We succeeded, we worked well and we saved lives! "

Doctors land on Monday in Havana POOL / REUTERS

Dean of the brigade, doctor Leonardo Fernandez, 68, is already on his eighth mission abroad, with an impressive list of achievements: " I was in Nicaragua, for the earthquake in Haiti and for the one in Pakistan, (...) for Ebola in Liberia, in Mozambique twice ... "This kind of crisis," we face it knowing the risks, but in a determined manner ", because" it is our job " he said simply.

Much younger, Doctor Roberto Arias, 28, completed his first mission abroad, " an unimaginable experience ". " We got there, and we really found a completely overwhelmed hospital, with even patients in the hallway, almost all the patients on assisted ventilation, a huge amount of deaths, ambulances constantly passing by and all the streets deserted ", he remembers. He is now happy to return to his family. " Just today my son is one year old!" ", He says with emotion. But he will still need a little patience: the whole brigade will now spend 14 days in isolation, before being able to return to normal life.