Cuba’s Internationalist Health Brigades & the Latin American School of Medicine - September 6, 2012

Solidarity in Times of Cholera: Cuba's Internationalism in Haiti - Toronto Forum on Cuba
Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Organized by Toronto Forum on Cuba, under the theme "Solidarity in Times of Cholera: Cuba's Internationalism in Haiti", was held at the Thursday night at the Art Gallery of Toronto Beit Zatoun a lively discussion with the participation of American Physician Gregory J. Wilkinson Graduate of International School of Medicine ELAM and a member of Cuban Henry Reeve Brigade working in Haiti, the distinguished professor, writer and intellectual of Jamaican Keith Ellis and Consul of Cuba in Toronto Raul Delgado Concepción. Also participated Cuban Consul Julio E. Pujol.

&Before an large audience was developed a fruitful exchange with the panelists who presented in detail the work and humanistic labor of Cuban government and people for the peoples of the world.

Embassy of Cuba in Canada

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To contribute directly to the Cuba for Haiti Campaign

make cheques payable to 
'The Mackenzie-Papineau Memorial Fund' 
indicating on the cheque memo line 'Cuba for Haiti' 
and mail to: 

Mackenzie-Papineau Memorial Fund & Friends of the Ma Pap Battalion (Int'l Brigades)
Att: S. Skup 
56 Riverwood Terrace, 
Bolton, ON 
L7E 1S4

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sept._6th_2012_elam.pdf
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http://www.facebook.com/events/369898326412410/

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Short bio on Dr. Gregory J. Wilkinson

Dr. Gregory J Wilkinson is a 2nd year Family Practice resident working in Haiti with the Henry Reeves contingent of the Cuban Medical Bridage. Born and raised in Oakland California, Gregory studied Sociology at Iona College and later matriculated at Ross University School of Medicine but left the school having felt disenfranchised with the business-oriented medical system he had encountered which treated patients as clients, their health problems as a commodity and utterly neglected preventive medicine and public health.

Gregory went on to work as a caddy and jazz club singer in San Francisco until discovering the opportunity to study community based, preventive medicine on full scholarship in Cuba at the Latin American School of Medicine (LASM). After his fifth year in 2009 he participated in the "Salud Southwest Exchange" in which 14 Cuban trained North American medical students were selected to embark on a tour of various Native American Reservations and Health Centres throughout the United States Southwest to learn about Native American approaches to health care, while sharing their experience with the bio-psycho-social model of the Cuban healthcare system and promoting awareness of the free scholarship opportunities available at the LASM for Native American youth.

Immediately after graduating from LASM in the summer of 2010 Gregory entered the Medicina General Integral (Cuban Family Practice Residency) in Haiti.Gregory was stationed in L'estere Artibonite, one of the areas hardest hit by the cholera epidemic. He was also dispatched to provide free medical attention in several Haitian communities such as Cite Soleil (Port au Prince), Gonaive, St Mark, Verrettes, Deschappelles, Marmelade, Ennery, Desdunes, Drouin (where the first cases of cholera were confirmed), Hatte Chevrea, Aut Sourse, Hatte Feville, Mapou Lagon, Marchand Dessallines, and other municipalities where ever there was a need for free medical attention.

While completing his obligations as a Family Practice Resident, confronting health issues endemic to Haiti such as malaria, typhoid fever, poly-parisitosis, the cholera epidemic, multi-systems trauma, and managing chronic diseases such as hypertension, cerebrovascular disease, asthma, diabetes, Gregory would also do health visits to remote areas many only accessible by foot or boat. This work consisted of identifying risk factors and screening for disease as well as distributing medications for infectious and non-infectious diseases, water purification kits and oral rehydration salts. He would also give health promotion and disease prevention talks to groups small and large in the native Haitian language of Kreyol.

Although focused primarily on General Medicine and Family Practice, he quickly recognized the lack of obstetric and prenatal care personnel and volunteered in the maternity ward, gynecology service, and prenatal care centres of L'estere, Verrettes, and Marmelade, where he was given full responsibility for all low risk deliveries and post-natal as well as neonatal care.

In his spare time he planted a food producing garden at the clinic and launched a reforestation program and was approved for a donation of over 300 moringa trees planted in the valley and mountains of L'estere. Gregory attempted to resolve one of the most pressing problems facing the L'estere Hospital which was a reliable source of purified water. Unfortunately the promised donation of aluminum sulphate (a compound used to purify canal water through reverse osmosis ) was denied shipment due to the US embargo and prohibition on trading with Cubans, even though he had negotiated for this delivery as an US citizen working with Cuban humanitarian mission in Haiti.

Gregory hopes to further his medical training by completing a specialty in Obstetrics and Gynecology and plans to continue practicing medicine alongside the Cuban professionals that have so inspired him over the course of his training. 

HAÏTI, L'APPEL DU LAMBI, - EL LLAMADO DEL CARACOL REINA
Documentary with Dr. Gregory J. Wilkinson