Deepening diplomatic relations and the strengthening of existing programmes such as Operaci??n Milagro (operation miracle), were among the areas discussed when Cuban Ambassador to Barbados, Lissette P??rez P??rez, paid a courtesy call on Minister of Health, Donville Inniss.
During the meeting at the Ministry of Health’s, Culloden Road, St. Michael, location today, Mr. Inniss reiterated Government’s commitment to working with Cuba on Operaci??n Milagro, as well as in the area of environmental health.
He added: "Barbados, and its people, are particularly grateful for the assistance rendered over time and there are other areas that we would explore, to foster this relationship in the health sectors between Cuba and Barbados."
In turn, Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Joy St. John, praised the Cuban consultant who had assessed the Ministry’s malaria programme and gave pointers that assisted officials with their vector control research. This intervention, she said, had led to the establishment of an Insectory.
"We have done research into the aedes aegypti mosquito and detected its changes in life cycle, which we attributed to climate change.?? We [Ministry of Health] also did research on wetlands and have discovered that we may have another breed of carrier vector for malaria, so we have to do some more work on that very powerful carrier vector," Dr. St. John underlined.
Ambassador P??rez P??rez gave the commitment to further dialogue in these areas, as well as assisting government in the management of diabetes.?? "We are in your hands and if you have an approach, we are willing to discuss it."
Minister Inniss disclosed that a meeting would be held with key stakeholders on this matter early next year to thrash out the way forward on the management of this chronic non-communicable disease.
Barbados and Cuba established diplomatic relations in 1972.??jwilson@barbados.gov.bb