Manama: A Cuban hospital started its operations in Qatar after it was formally opened by the Emir Shaikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani and Cuban Health Minister Roberto Morales.
Qatari and Cuban officials said that the hospital was a new recognition of the special and distinguished partnerships between the two countries.
"This is a special day for the State of Qatar and the Republic of Cuba which enjoy close ties of co-operation and mutual respect," Abdullah Al Qahtani, Qatar's health minister, said as he welcomed over 200 medical professionals provided by Cuba, including doctors, nurses and specialists in the fields of rehabilitation, dentistry, pathology, biomedicine and radiology. "We are waiting for them to provide highly qualitative and advanced medical care service to our patients."
The minister said that around 40,000 Cuban medical staff were working in 68 countries and that they were now transferring their unique experience to Qatar.
According to Qatari media, the Cuban Hospital is a modern therapeutic facility designed to meet the needs of the growing population of the western region of Qatar
The hospital, under the umbrella of the Hamad Medical Corporation, will be available for all patients, "as it ensures the best levels of care and treatment according to international standards," the minister said on Tuesday.
For Morales, the Cuban Hospital reinforced bilateral relations between the two countries.
"We have done a lot of joint efforts to develop the different fields of co-operation since the establishment of diplomatic relations. This hospital is the product of the joint efforts, the excellent relationships, and the exchange of experiences and views between HH the Emir and the Cuban leader," Morales said.
