Since 1996, Cuban health specialists have been writing a history of solidarity in Gambia, one of the smallest and poorest countries on the African continent.
We spoke with Dr Juan Oquendo, current head of the Cuban medical brigade there, about the challenges, achievements, and humanity of this mission.
Dr Oquendo, what is the scope of the medical brigade in Gambia today?
“Our presence has been maintained in Gambia uninterruptedly since 1996. In 1998, a brigade of Cuban teachers working at the country’s University of Medical Sciences also joined. It has been a sustained and deeply humane effort.
Today, the brigade works in the country’s main public hospitals, but also in very remote areas, including in eastern regions with extreme temperatures exceeding 48 degrees. In these areas, we not only treat Gambian citizens, but also patients from Senegal and Guinea-Bissau, who live near the borders and know that there are Cuban doctors in rural hospitals.”
What type of care does the brigade offer under these conditions?
Our work isn’t limited to consultations. We also perform surgical and obstetrical services, which represents a real challenge given the country’s scarcity of resources. Our Comprehensive General Medicine specialists care for the pediatric population, pregnant women, the elderly, and patients with chronic illnesses. It’s a daily, very demanding, but necessary care effort, especially for children, as there is no specialised personnel here to care for them. The results of our efforts have contributed to the reduction of maternal and infant mortality in the country. This is one of our greatest achievements, and that encourages and rewards us.
How do you maintain coordination and support in such a complex environment?
As the brigade’s director, we maintain systematic visits to all the regions where our collaborators work, and we provide them with constant information and guidance. We are guided by the strategies of the Gambian Ministry of Public Health and adapt our actions to comply with them as rigorously as possible.
And in the field of medical education, what role does Cuba play?
“It’s very important. Our professionals also work at the Gambia University of Medical Sciences. We have implemented alternatives to maintain high teaching quality: we reinforce methodological preparation, promote language development, and have academic committees and scientific councils that raise the bar and quality of our training. We have a fully implemented doctoral process, and it is accredited by the University of The Gambia.”
What does leading this medical mission mean to you?
“It’s an honour for me. This brigade does a formidable job. Our doctors and professors turn their work into something beautiful. Healing, teaching, and enduring… that’s our daily work here. And doing it in difficult conditions, far from home, amid heat and scarcity, makes it even more valuable.”
How do you assess the impact of this cooperation in the context of the blockade against Cuba?
“This mission is also an expression of the dignity of the Cuban people in the face of the blockade. Despite the difficulties, we continue to demonstrate that health has no borders. It’s a way of reaffirming that solidarity never stops, that even amidst limitations, much can be done for others.”
Any message you’d like to share?
“Yes. I deeply appreciate the efforts of each and every one of the collaborators who make up this brigade. Their dedication, their ethics, and their spirit of solidarity are the true heart of this mission. In Gambia, under a relentless sun, Cuban solidarity flourishes.”
