CU dengue
January 13, 2002

Havana - (RHC) - A contingent of nearly 11,000 thousand men and women in the Cuban capital on Saturday began an all-out war against the Aedes Aegypti mosquito -- carrier of dengue fever. In a meeting Friday evening with representatives of these men and women, Cuban President Fidel Castro officially assigned them to their mission: to eliminate any possibility of a new epidemic of dengue on the island. The Cuban leader explained that all the necessary resources have been earmarked to carry out such an important task. Fidel Castro underscored that the task is not a simple one, taking into account current outbreaks in many regional nations. He recalled that the last dengue epidemic in Cuba was registered in 1981. The Cuban leader said that 20 years ago, dengue was introduced in the framework of the U.S. bacteriological warfare against the island. The disease was once again news on the island in 1997. This time, it was as a consequence of the economic and tourist opening and the arrival in Cuba of people from areas where dengue is very common. The leader of the Cuban Revolution explained that, as a result, a serious situation was created island-wide; 16 years had passed since the last outbreak of dengue in 1981 and the disease struck by surprise. Fidel stressed that thanks to the involvement of the entire people in the campaign to destroy mosquito breeding grounds, the disease was eradicated in a relatively short period of time. Members of the contingent -- which the Cuban leader described as "an army of soldiers and doctors who will wage a battle to protect their people from disease" -- were selected from among the most outstanding workers and students in Havana. Also on hand at Friday's meeting were officials from the Health Ministry and other health services in the Cuban capital. During the session, which was broadcast on national television, experts explained in detail every step and objective of the campaign, in which all Havana residents will also play a decisive role, particularly in the destruction of areas where mosquitoes breed. The Cuban president asked a number of questions to make sure that every aspect of the campaign was fully understood. He showed particular interest in the strategy for each and every Havana municipality, which he said must respond to the specific situation and characteristics of every individual area. Over the next weeks and months, 11,000 men and women will be visiting every single home, work place and building to search and destroy any potential area where mosquitoes can breed. During the meeting Friday night in Havana, participants thanked the Cuban president and, in general, the island's authorities for their tireless efforts to improve and preserve the health levels of their people. And they stressed that this is only possible under a socialist revolution.