Havana, Cuba.- In 56 years of medical collaboration carried out by Cuba across the world, more than 1.855 billion patients have been treated by Cuban health professionals.

Cuban Vice President Dr. Roberto Morales, former Minister of Health, revealed this data on Twitter.

Morales added that in that period, more than 348 million surgeries were undertaken by his compatriots in dozens of countries where Cuba cooperates in this field.

Cuba initiated this type of international cooperation on May 21, 1963, when a medical mission arrived in Algeria.

Since then, more than 400,000 Cuban health specialists have offered care to needy populations in different parts of the world, as an expression of solidarity, love and altruism, according to the Cuban Vice President.

At present, Cuban medical assistance is present in 65 countries with almost 30,000 collaborators, according to the Ministry of Health’s Cubacoopera website.