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Written By: Editorial Team | Published : October 22, 2014 6:06 PM IST
Every few years Dr Leonardo Fernandez flies to a nation shaken by natural disaster, political turmoil or disease, leaving his hospital in eastern Cuba for countries that have included Pakistan, Nicaragua and East Timor. Yesterday, the intensive care specialist was headed to the epicenter of the Ebola epidemic along with 90 other Cuban medical workers as part of a half-century-old strategy that puts doctors on the front lines of the country's foreign policy.
The 91 nurses and doctors going to Guinea and Liberia join 165 already in Sierra Leone making this island of 11 million people one of the largest global contributors of medical workers to the fight against Ebola. The commitment has drawn rare praise from the US and focused worldwide attention on Cuba's unique program of medical diplomacy, which deploys armies of doctors to win friends abroad and earn more than USD 6 billion a year in desperately needed foreign exchange.
Cuba has more than 50,000 medical workers in more than 60 countries, many in nations like Brazil that pay hundreds of millions a year for their services. Others are on humanitarian missions that generate good will abroad and bolster Cuba's efforts to portray its medical system as one of the most important successes of a socialist economy wracked by slow growth, shortages and chronic underinvestment. (Read: What is the Ebola virus disease survival rate?)
'Cuba is a lightweight boxer which boxes in the superheavyweight classes precisely because of its foreign policy and its international cooperation,' said John Kirk, chair of Latin American studies at Canada's Dalhouse University and an expert on Cuban medical missions. 'This is part of the Cuban political DNA ... this is altruism as well as burnishing its international credentials.' Despite a recent set of pay raises, most Cuban doctors' salaries don't top USD 75 a month, less than many workers who work in tourism or other sectors that bring in money from abroad. (Read: 10 reasons that make the Ebola virus deadly for humans)
The foreign missions almost uniformly offer the chance to earn extra pay, in many cases enough to buy a bigger home or new car. Critics of Cuba's communist government have accused it in the past of exploiting the doctors by giving them only a meager portion of the money paid for their services and keeping the lion's share for the national treasury. (Read: Ebola virus is mutating rapidly say scientists)
Here are some of the frequently asked questions (FAQs) with answers about the deadly Ebola disease -
How is the Ebola virus disease caused?
The Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a contagious disease caused by infection with one of the four strains of the Ebola virus. The Ebola virus belongs to the family of Filoviridae and the viral strains with potential for infection in humans are Zaire, Bundibugyo, Tai Forest and Sudan virus.
How does it spread?
The Ebola virus spreads through direct contact with the body fluids (semen, sweat, saliva and blood), infected objects (needles) and close skin contact with an infected person. It can also be transmitted through close contact with infected animals (handling the meat) and consumption of uncooked meat.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms of Ebola virus usually appear between 2 to 21 days after being infected with the virus. The early symptoms include high fever (greater than 38.6 C), headache, drop in blood pressure and stomach pain. Whereas late signs of Ebola infections which indicate medical emergency are sore throat, jaundice, skin rashes, bleeding and loss of appetite. Read more about Ebola facts frequently asked questions (FAQ)
With inputs from PTI
Photo source: Getty images
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