Upon arriving at the Jose Marti International Airport in Havana, the head of that solidarity group, Juan Carlos Dupuy, highlighted the welcome they received in Ankara, and then in the southern province of Karaman Barach, the epicenter of the strong earthquakes that killed more than 46,000 people in Türkiye.

In statements to Prensa Latina, Dupuy described as timely, professional and beautiful the work done by the all 32 collaborators from Cuba, including 19 doctors, nine nurses and paramedical specialists and other experts, including four women.

He noted that from the day of their arrival in the disaster area, the group was involved in treating three serious cases while deploying its specialists, and maintained an intense and uninterrupted work the 24 days that they stayed in that country.

Dupuy underscored the high professional level of Turkish doctors, with whom the Cuban team was quickly integrated into urgent care and emergencies, as well as community interventions at the primary level. In turn, Orlando Brache, a graduate in intensive care nursing, described his experiences amid the tragedy as unforgettable, since it allowed them to verify that language and cultural barriers, including low temperatures, did not represent obstacles for the humanitarian work that he took to that distant region.

Turks and Cubans were a single working team caring for those affected and to save lives, said Brache, who highlighted the welcome given by local authorities and the population.

According to the head of the Cuban medical brigade, his compatriots treated 3,755 patients, performed 60 surgeries and 6,500 nursing procedures, while collaborating in other tasks.

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