The Holland-Cuba Medical Foundation
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The isle of Cuba in the caribbean has a unique position as " third world country ". After the revolutuion by Fidel Castro (1959), a lot of money was spent on training and medical facilities for health care. As a result e.g the child/infant mortality is among the lowest of the world, even lower than in some western countries. The Cuban medial world can be considered as the best in the treatment of some diseases. Western physicians visit Cuba to acquire knowledge. |
| However,
since the Soviet Union withdrew the financial support Cuba lacks a lot
of basic facilities to maintain the standard of medical care. The Holland-Cuba
Medical Foundation was established in 1996 on the initiative of Dutch
doctors of the " Sophia Children's hospital " / " Medical Faculty
Rotterdam " and the " Amsterdam Boven-IJ hospital ". Purpose of the foundation is to co-operate with Cuban physicians in the treatment of and research on (viral) infectious diseases and heriditary metabolic disorders. The World Health Organisation is highly interested in the preventive medicine, as practised in Cuba, of these diseases of which little is known. We primarely focus on the micro-organisms Mycoplasma pneumoniae and the Epstein-Barr virus. Cuba does not have the means for modern research. Presently we are negociating with the Cuban Ministry of health to have blood samples tested in the Netherlands. Next to this we support our Cuban colleagues with medecines and medical aids. The Dutch airline company Martinair suppports us by free transport of these goods. We also organize the exchange of physicians and scientists (researchers) for short training periods. The Foundation mainly co-operates with the William Soler Children's hospital in havana. This hospital can accommodate 450 young patients and is specialised in congenital genetic and infectious heart-diseases. At the moment a library on infectious diseases is being set up with the help of the Holland-Cuba Medical Foundation. We hery contribute to the health care in Cuba, which is highly appreciated by the population as well as the government. The Foundation urgently needs your support, whether financial or otherwise, to continue our work and we hereby invite you to contribute to the healthcare system in Cuba. If you agree, your name will be added to our sponsorlist. Annual financial account are subject to accountant's approval. Comittee
of recommendation de
heer Willem C. van 't Wout - NIREF, Rotterdam Board
members Voorzitter:
Geert van Waveren (MD, MPH), kinderarts te Amsterdam Former members
Address HOLLAND-CUBA
MEDICAL FOUNDATION :
Sponsors NIREF,
bv nickel refining and trading Martinair/Holland |