MIRACLE OPERATION BY CUBAN DOCTORS “Operación Milagro” or Miracle Operation, is a program of eyes operations (from cataracts and “terijo”), which is being conducted by a large team of Cuban doctors since july 2006. An average of 250 people get operated daily in three hospitals that make these kind of operations (VillaTunari, Copacabana and El Alto) along the country. It is totally free for local population. Cuban doctors also collaborate with many health centers not only in urban areas but also in remote rural areas. The Cuban literacy program “YO SI PUEDO” (I do can), approved by the UNESCO, has been successfully implemented in 20 countries all over the world. Bolivian Ministry of Education wants to erradicate illiteracy that affects around 20% of the population in the next 4 years. This innovative method consists on TV lessons for a group of around 20 people where a 25” TV set, a VHS videorecorder and a pack of 65 VHS tape lessons are required. The group is leaded by a competent member of the community during 3 months to complete the Basic literacy course. YO SI PUEDO program was officially opened in March 2006. There are around 12.000 literacy points spread all over the country. So far all courses have been recorded in Spanish but it is scheduled to also record them in local languages such as Quechua and Aymara.
A Cuban doctor checks an elderly patient's sight in a Villa Tunari hospital room. "Operación Milagro", Operation Miracle, is conducted by Cuban doctors in 3 Bolivian hospitals, where almost 300 people are operated on every day for the treatment of cataracts and "terijo", free of charge.
MEH0081596x © Héctor Mediavilla
Esperanza Nicola, 71, passes a sight check before being operated on in the Hospital Juan Pablo II. The operation takes about 15 minutes.
MEH0132936x © Héctor Mediavilla
A Cuban doctor checks an elderly patient's sight in a Villa Tunari hospital room. "Operación Milagro", Operation Miracle, is conducted by Cuban doctors in 3 hospitals, where almost 300 people are operated on every day for the treatment of cataracts and "terijio", free of charge.
MEH0081595x © Héctor Mediavilla
Prescription from one of the Cuban doctors from Operation Miracle in the Villa Tunari hospital.
MEH0082061x © Héctor Mediavilla
Esperanza Nicola, 71, has had several sight checks this morning before being admitted for an operation at the Hospital Juan Pablo II. She now follows a Cuban doctor to a room where she will change her clothes to be ready to be operated for "terijo" in 20 minutes. The operation takes 15 minutes.
MEH0132940x © Héctor Mediavilla
Esperanza Nicola, 71, has a "terijo" operation. This is the piece of false skin that covers the eye and makes vision impossible. The operation takes about 15 minutes.
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Esperanza Nicola, 71, just after being operated. She has also been given some free drugs for her convalescence. She will have a check in 15 days and another one in a month. Another woman just changed her clothes so as to be operated in 15 minutes.
MEH0132938x © Héctor Mediavilla
Two patients wait to be operated on. A TV commercial comes on, in which Evo Morales speaks about the social changes that are taking place under his government's rule. These changes include: the "Yo Si Puedo" literacy program, also conducted with Cuban aid; a subsidy for elderly people; this free sight operation program along with other programs, mainly targeting the poorest socio-economic groups.
MEH0132937x © Héctor Mediavilla
Patients who have just been operated on wait in the hall of the Villa Tunari hospital. "Operación Milagro", Operation Miracle, is conducted by Cuban doctors in 3 Bolivian hospitals where almost 300 people are operated on every day for cataracts and "terijo", free of charge.
MEH0082060x © Héctor Mediavilla
A bus filled with post-surgical outpatients and their relatives is about to bring them home. "Operación Milagro", Operation Miracle, is conducted by Cuban doctors in 3 Bolivian hospitals, where almost 300 people get operated every day of catarcts and "terijio" for free.
MEH0081602x © Héctor Mediavilla
A team of Cuban doctors from the new hospital "Centro de diagnóstico integral Alto Lima" of La Paz goes twice a week to small altiplano villages where medical care is not available. Those cases that need further treatment are sent to the hospital in La Paz. The population of Peñas comes early in the morning to the main multi-purpose building of the village where Cuban doctors visit up to 150 people a day. In some cases, they even provide medicines.
MEH0081632x © Héctor Mediavilla