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Ghana’s Ambassador to Cuba, Mr. John Akologu Tia, has commended Cuba for supporting the country in enhancing healthcare delivery.

He said the enormous health services rendered by the Cuban Medical Brigade in the country, has contributed significantly to quality healthcare in deprived communities.

He further commended Cuba for supporting Ghana to establish a multi-purpose factory to produce Biolarvicides to control malaria in the country, and West Africa.

Mr. Tia said this at a wreath laying ceremony and diplomatic reception in Cuba, to commemorate Ghana’s 58th Independence Day.

He observed that Cuba had, over the years, supported healthcare delivery in the sub region, and that was clearly shown in its efforts to send medical assistance to countries affected by the Ebola Virus Disease.

“For us as a country, we salute Cuba for being in the vanguard of international health delivery, through the assistance they offer to a number of third world and developing countries,” he said.

Mr. Tia also called for the strengthening of bilateral relations that would lead to the total socio-economic liberation for both countries.

He said Ghana had demonstrated its support for total economic and financial liberation of Cuba from the embargo imposed on them by the United States, saying, “President John Dramani Mahama has, on many occasions, called for an end to such embargoes on Cuba”.

“Indeed, at the recent African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, President Mahama called on the United States to do more to ultimately bring to an end the economic embargo on Cuba,” he said.

Mr. Tia also expressed satisfaction for the release of Cuba’s five heroes who were incarcerated, and hoped that their release would lead to a total liberation from international sanctions.

The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba, Mr. Abelardo Moreno, said Ghana has come a long way since independence from reeling under suppression and exploitation, to prove that Africans are capable of self rule and development.

He said Cuba has shown strong belief in African heroes who laid down their lives for the emancipation of the African continent from colonialism and deprivation saying, “Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah is one of these distinguished leaders of the African liberation struggles”.

“This is borne out of the fact that Osagyefo Dr. Nkrumah was voted African man of the millennium by millions of listeners of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in 2012,” he said.

He expressed the hope that the bilateral relations between the two countries would continue to blossom in areas such as education, health, sports and culture.