DILI, 15 july 2021 (TATOLI) – Bilateral cooperation between Timor-Leste and Cuba has been started since 2002 until now.
At that time, the most prioritized bilateral cooperation was the cooperation in the health sector.
This cooperation in the health sector began when the former President of the Republic of Timor-Leste Xanana Gusmão and former President Fidel Castro held a meeting in Singapore and after that the first constitutional government led by the former Prime Minister of Timor-Leste, Mari Alkatiri followed up on this collaboration and in 2004 the government began to open scholarships to Timorese students who wished to continue their medical studies in Cuba.
Coordinator of Nacional de la BMC to Timor-Leste, Dr. Juan Carlos Chaves Godoy said the cooperation in the health sector was very successful because Cuba was able to produce 1.054 doctors who are currently serving the country of Timor-Leste to serve the sick in all health centers in Timor-Leste.
“1.054 doctors have worked as medical professionals in all health centers in Timor-Leste, to serve the sick,” said Godoy in Republic Embassy of Cuba, Farol, Dili to Journalists of TATOLI News Agency on thursday.
Godoy explained that from 1.054 doctors, all of them studied medical science in Cuba for seven years and returned to Timor-Leste and graduated at the National University of Timor Loro Sa’e (UNTL).
From 1.054 doctors who studied in Cuba in different years, there were the 2004 and 2005 because of that their graduation from UNTL also done in different years, begun from 2011 above.
In the same place, Consul & Third Secretary of the Embassy of the Republic of Cuba to Timor-Leste, José Ernesto Diaz Perez, greatly appreciated all Timorese Cuban doctors who had dedicated their services to the people of Timor-Leste who needed them when they were sick.
Cuba is very proud of bilateral cooperation in the health sector with the aim of strengthening harmonious and prosperous bilateral relations between Timor-Leste and Cuba.
“I see the Timorese doctors of Cuban are very useful because they have served the sick wisely and professionally.
The doctors have also fulfilled the philosophy of the character of a doctor that, a doctor must be friendly with sick people to diagnose the patient’s illness to be treated and if no patients, doctors have to approach patients in remote areas, I see Timorese doctors have carried out this mission in Timor-Leste,” Perez.
Perez appealed to all these 1054 East Timorese doctors to provide better services and to get closer to sick people in remote areas because they really need your presence to cure their illness.
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor:Rafy Belo
