The phone rang in the middle of the afternoon. The graduate in Nursing, Natacha Labrada, answered the call; they requested the disposition of her husband, Eduardo Brito, to travel to Italy to face the pandemic of the new coronavirus in that country, which had become the epicenter of the outbreak in Europe.
Las Tunas, Cuba.- The also graduated in Nursing was in the Hemodialysis service of Dr. Ernesto Guevara de la Serna General Teaching Hospital, fulfilling one of his work shifts, caring to patients with chronic renal failure. But, Natacha, without consulting him, knew that the answer would be affirmative and she was not mistaken.
Her husband had already fought Ebola in the western African nation of Sierra Leone, a mission that was successfully completed, despite the risks of that disease, which reports high fatality rates.
After completing a week of preparation in Havana, in order to train himself in the correct use of protection means, Eduardo arrived in the Italian region of Lombardy, the most affected by the SARS-CoV-2.
We contacted the member of the Henry Reeve contingent via Facebook. “We have been here for more than two weeks and we carry out our task in the field hospital installed in the same red-light district of the city of Crema, between majestic cathedrals and other buildings.
"We attend to COVID-19 positive patients, all symptomatic. When any of them goes into a serious condition, is transferred to the Municipal Hospital, which is quite close.”
Eduardo, who is also a specialist in Intensive Care, told us that the Cuban Medical Brigade works daily in shifts of six, eight or 12 hours, and to guarantee their safety during the guards they do not drink water or go to the bathroom, a situation to which all of them have adapted without difficulties.
The only representative from Las Tunas in the battle against the pandemic in Lombardy has always felt support and gratitude. "When we boarded the aircraft, the Italian crew greeted us with great joy and upon arriving at the Milan Airport, those present stood up and applauded us relentlessly, a great encouragement to keep going."
Meanwhile, at their home on the Lora Street, in the city of Las Tunas, their children Rosabel, 15, and Eduardito, 16, trust their father's knowledge and training; and although they confess that they have sometimes felt fear, they know that he will return healthy and with his duty fulfilled, along with his colleagues.
Today, for Cuban doctors and nurses in Crema, the support of their family is vital. When they started discharging the first fully recovered patients, they received a gift that became an inspiration, which they decided to place on the canvas of their field hospital.
It is a drawing sent by Lorenzo, a 7-year-old Italian boy, who sent them a clear message: Grazie di tutto dottori! (Thanks for everything, doctors!).
