Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Cuba-Bolivia Open New Free Eye Care Center

Cuba-Bolivia Open New Eye Center

La Paz, Apr 10 (Prensa Latina) Cuban Foreign Affairs Minister Felipe Pérez Roque returned to his country on Tuesday after a short visit to Bolivia to attend the opening ceremony of a new Operation Miracle center.

The Cuban minister concluded his full agenda by having breakfast with Bolivian President Evo Morales, with whom Perez Roque shared the opening of Villa Tunari Ophthalmologic center.

Perez Roque said that his presence at the opening ceremony shows Bolivia can count on Cuba and ratified the decision to collaborate with La Paz providing training and resources in the health field.

The Cuban official praised the opening of the health center, which is a result of the Cuban cooperation and in which 50 low income patients will be able to undergo free eye surgery daily.

Morales and Perez Roque also attended the closing ceremony of the Congress of the National Women Farmers Federation, which was held in the central Bolivian city of Cochabamba.

The Bolivian statesman thanked the Cuban government and people for their solidarity and highlighted that more than 6,000 low income Bolivians have undergone eye surgery in Operation Miracle and that over 4,000 young Bolivians are currently studying in Cuba.