La Paz, Bolivia.- The professionals from the Cuban Medical Brigade (BMC, in Spanish) in Bolivia on Thursday ratified their commitment to the Government and people of this South American country to providing better services.

Thirteen years after arriving in this country, the BMC members guarantee their presence wherever they are needed to help all people and to continue saving lives, officials said.

As part of the annual review of their work in 2018, it was learned that the Cuban physicians gave 2,499,419 medical consults and saved 8,304 lives.

During that period, they performed 27,909 surgeries, 3,677 more than in 2017.

Every day, these doctors attend to more than 30 patients at different healthcare levels, where they also promote healthy lifestyles and prevent diseases.

In their preventive work, they hold educational talks, give lectures and participate in radio and television programs.

The first Cuban medical collaborators who arrived in Bolivia in 2006 were members of the Henry Reeves Contingent who came to attend to the victims of the emergency caused by heavy rains.

Since then, more than 8,000 Cuban healthcare professionals have accomplished internationalist missions in Bolivia, where they have given more than 70 million medical consults and have saved some 100,000 lives.

At present, the BMC consists of 754 members, including 397 physicians, 12 dentists, 267 technicians and 78 support staff, of whom 51 percent are women.

In addition, they render their services in 33 medical specialties and are present in all nine Bolivian departments, in 28 provinces and 42 municipalities.

The Cuban professionals work in 24 hospitals and 129 doctor’s offices, as well as in five ophthalmological centers.