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Bolivian President Evo Morales celebrated at apeople's rally on Friday, March 19,to congratulate the Cuban doctors who have presided over more than 500,000 free eye surgeries performed in the country under the plan Free Eye Surgery Program, an international project sponsored by Cuba's Operation Miracle. It is designed to bring free eye surgery to the poor of the country as well as those coming from neighboring countries.
While people in the US are wondering where there is any money at all to improve American health care, Cuban doctors are busy delivering state-of-the-art eye surgeries at absolutely no cost to the patient in more and more countries. Around 500 doctors have been in Haiti since the earthquake delivering medical service gratis to as many affected people as possible.
With an average cost of around $2,000 per eye, the total savings of this plan in Bolivia comes to about $1 billion in free operations for those who are usually the last to benefit from any medical advances.
According to cubasi.cu, "Cuban medical brigade coordinator Maria Isabel Martinez reminded [readers] that along the 414,245 Bolivian beneficiaries there are 35,874 Brazilians, 28,870 Argentinians, 312 Paraguayans and 19,582 Peruvians." All beneficiaries received free care.
As the US broils over costs and government involvement, Cuba is busy tending to the afflicted and infirm among the poorest of citizens in country after country and all at no charge.
