Cuban Doctors Open Field Hospital in Quake-Torn Oaxaca

A team of over 40 Cuban medical professionals has opened a field hospital in Ixtepec, Oaxaca to provide free care to earthquake victims, director Dr. Rolando Piloto Tome confirmed.

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Members of the Henry Reeve International Medical Brigade arrived at the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, offering their services free of charge for the next month. Even before the team was completely settled, medics were on the move, caring for the region’s pregnant women.

The hospital opened its doors to a flood of patients Wednesday, utilizing the tons of equipment, medicine, and supplies sent by the Cuban government.

“When we hoisted the flag and sang our anthem many people gave life to Cuba and Mexico,” Piloto said.

Piloto told Prensa Latina that despite the rainfall, hundreds of residents of all ages lined up, dressed in raincoats and holding umbrellas to receive medical attention from the Cuban professionals.

Some 500 residents were administered to, with 12 surgeries performed as well as an ultrasound, among other procedures.

Facilitated by the municipality, the hospital was erected in the Ixtepec sports stadium, offering nonstop care from general family medicine to neurosurgery.

According to Piloto among the services they will be offering during the month of October, will be Gynecology, Psychiatry, Psychology, Pediatrics, Orthopedics, Surgery, Neurosurgery, Physiatry, Imaging, Clinical Laboratory, Integral General Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Epidemiology attention.

He assured that all drugs, ultrasounds, and general care are donated to victims as part of Cuba’s offer of solidarity to Mexico, which suffered two major earthqauke in as many weeks.

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Piloto said that the Mexican Ministry of Health arranged for their arrival in an attempt to raise awareness of the situation in the region as well as help lift the spirits of victims from “the catastrophe which physically hit Mexico and Cuba in the heart.”

Following Mexico’s earthquake on Sept. 7, Oaxaca saw the most amount of damage, with at least 90 deaths resulting from the disaster which registered as 8.2 on the Richter scale.

Another earthquake of magnitude 7.2 occurred on Sept. 19 in Puebla and Mexico City, hitting the states of Morelos, Mexico, Guerrero and Oaxaca, adding to the fatalities of the first quake. The final death toll is at least 360, according to officials reports.

The force from the earthquake caused 44 buildings to collapse in the Mexican capital with around 3,000 were structurally compromised.