Caribbean Focus

In the early part of the 21st Century, the Association commenced conducting medical missions in the Caribbean Basin and Central American regions, particularly in the Dominican Republic. The Association’s doctors and volunteers currently conduct three missions each year to the ILAC Center at Santiago de los Caballeros in the Dominican Republic. The typical mission today will include approximately 70-75 participants: 20 to 25 doctors, a like number of nurses and other healthcare professionals, and 15 to 20 non-medical personnel. Each mission, treats over 1,200 patients over a three-day weekend, resulting in over 2,000 patient visits and the delivery of approximately $125,000 worth of medications.

The Cuban Association continues to maintain preparedness for emergencies in the Caribbean. The expertise developed by the Association in the medical missions in the Dominican Republic permitted it to coordinate the initial relief efforts for the Order in response to the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, establishing a coordination center in Miami and its volunteers arriving on the island within 24 hours of the earthquake.

In Cuba, the association has helped over the years with relief efforts to assist in the reconstruction of damages caused by hurricanes. Ike, Sandy, Maria, and many others are named hurricanes where the Cuban association contributed with donations of food and other supplies plus monetary contributions, to assist the victims of these natural phenomena. All conducted through the local assistance of the Catholic Church in Cuba.