Cuban Medical Brigade honored by Uruguayan unions

Uruguayan labor unions and retiree organizations held a tribute in Montevideo to honor the Cuban Medical Brigade for its 19 years of collaboration through ‘Operation Miracle’. The event, organized by the Association of Retirees and Pensioners of the Meat Industry Workers Federation (AJUPEN-FOICA) and supported by the PIT-CNT, recognized the significant impact of the sanitary mission on the Uruguayan population.

Since the initiative began, the brigade has performed over 120,000 ophthalmic surgeries, helping citizens recover their sight. Additional statistics provided during the ceremony include approximately 956,433 consultations and 222,873 screenings conducted across retiree associations nationwide. The mission, which saw its first patients travel to Cuba in 2004, led to the 2007 inauguration of the José Martí Eye Hospital.

Administrative adjustments have been made to the agreement to facilitate direct salary payments for the approximately 20 ophthalmologists currently in the brigade. The State Health Services Administration manages the accommodation, food, and transport for the medical staff.