41st Anniversary Act of the Military Medical Corps of the Nicaraguan Army
August 19, 2020
Words of Daniel
Nicaraguan brothers and sisters, Families of these Lands of Darío and Sandino, today we commemorate the 41st Anniversary of the Military Medical Corps of the Nicaraguan Army. On August 19 of 1979 this Body was established, born, founded, and before you, Dear Brothers and Sisters, in this Commemoration of the 41st Anniversary of the Medical Body, is Compañera Rosario Murillo, Vice President of the Republic; Army General Julio César Avilés Castillo, Commander in Chief of the Nicaraguan Army; Major General Bayardo Rodríguez Ruiz, General Chief of Staff; Major General Marvin Corrales Rodríguez, Inspector General, and our greetings to Colonel Marcos Salas, Chief of the Military Medical Corps.
We are going to listen to the words of the Commander in Chief of the Army, Army General Julio César Avilés Castillo.
Words of the Army General
Julio César Avilés Castillo
Commander in Chief of the Nicaraguan Army
Commander Daniel Ortega, President of the Republic and Supreme Chief of the Nicaraguan Army; Compañera Rosario Murillo, Vice-President of the Republic; Brothers of the General Command, Major General Bayardo Rodríguez, General Chief of Staff; Major General Marvin Corrales, Inspector General; Brothers in Arms, Brothers all, every August 19 we commemorate the Anniversary of the Foundation of the Military Medical Corps of the Nicaraguan Army.
On this date, in 1979, the Facilities of the Military Hospital were received from the International Red Cross. On behalf of the General Command, the Corps of Generals and all of us who make up the Nicaraguan Army, we want to convey our Greeting and Recognition to the Men and Women of the Military Medical Corps for the 41st Anniversary of their Foundation.
Throughout these years, thousands of Men and Women have served as Doctors, Specialists, Nursing Personnel, Technicians, Auxiliary and Sanitarians, contributing to the foundation, development and modernization of the Military Medical Corps.
The Military Medical Corps, from the Directorate of Primary Care, with its 76 Health Posts deployed in the National Territory, and from the Alejandro Dávila Bolaños Military Hospital, with dedication and discipline have worked without hours, fulfilling the Sacred and Noble Mission to take care of the Health and Lives of the Members of the Institution and of our People.
On the occasion of this Special Date, we want to highlight part of the intense work carried out in the last year: more than 930,000 Medical Consultations, more than 20,000 Surgeries, more than a million Laboratory Exams, more than 4,600 Magnetic Resonances, more than 10,000 Tomographs, more than 130,000 X-ray Studies, and more than 31,000 Pathology Studies; levels of care were expanded to patients with kidney problems, performing 17,500 Hemodialysis sessions; It was expanded to 5,437 Patients in the Oncology Program, applying more than 8,500 Chemotherapy sessions. Attentions all carried out with a high professional level, but above all, provided with the great Human Quality and the high Sense of Solidarity that characterizes the Members of the Military Medical Corps.
The Faculty of Medical Sciences developed Studies in 10 Specialties, 5 Subspecialties, and 125 Courses in our Simulation Center for Medical Education in Nicaragua, where we have more than 40 Systems with 240 simulators. This Faculty continues to fulfill its Teaching Mission and this last year it graduated 37 Doctors, and 69, between Nurses and Technicians.
In a special way, we highlight that all the Members of the Military Hospital work to maintain the levels of Excellence, the only one with international accreditation at the Diamond Level, and this year it was incorporated as an Active Member of the Global Network of Green and Healthy Hospitals, being the first Hospital in Nicaragua certified in such a condition by assuming responsibility for reducing the footprint and environmental damage that Health Services cause to the Environment.
With their efforts, we have managed to consolidate the services provided in 100 Medical Specialties at the Military Hospital, highlighting the advances made in kidney transplants and heart surgeries.
We recognize their contributions to revolutionizing Medicine and Health Services, advancing in the first phase of robotization in different services, being the only ones in Central America to have the highest level of automation in Laboratory services.
We continue to advance in strengthening the capabilities of the Military Medical Corps and Military Hospital with the acquisition of modern equipment and the construction of more than 10,000 square meters. These figures are clear examples of the daily dedication of our Brothers of the Military Medical Corps, who dedicate long and exhausting Working Days to attend to the Health of their Patients and preserve the most precious thing, Life.
In a special way, we want to highlight and recognize the work carried out by the Medical Corps, and particularly by the Military Hospital, which since the end of January 2020 has been contributing to the implementation of the Prevention and Protection Measures of our Personnel, and the general population, in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic.
You have dedicated yourself full time to strengthening and creating new hospital capacities to contribute to the Response Strategy to the pandemic, in coordination with the Ministry of Health and the Nicaraguan Institute of Social Security. Have strictly implemented the Contingency Plan, creating special areas for critical care and the Protocols for suspicious cases, training and protection of Personnel, and providing care with safety to patients.
Likewise, have contributed to facing the pandemic by working intense days, without hours, to fulfill the commitment that "we are the people in uniform working for their own benefit." Your effort and sacrifice is an example to follow and a pride of the Nicaraguan Army, of having Personnel with high Professional and Human Quality, for the benefit of our People.
Our recognition to the 30 Comrades who have received the “Military Health Distinction” Medal, and to the 254 who were deserving of Letters of Recognition.
I take this opportunity to congratulate the Doctors who participated in the past Scientific Congress, and in a special way to highlight those who presented the 3 best works.
This day we want to give a deserved recognition to the Chief of the Military Medical Corps, Colonel Marcos Salas; Colonels Esquivel, Duarte, Turcios and Zamora; the Heads of Department, Medical Personnel and Specialists, Nursing Personnel, Technicians, Administrative and Auxiliary Personnel of the Military Hospital; to the Personnel of the Medical and Health Posts of the Military Units.
Likewise, our Recognition to the Teaching and Administrative Staff of the Faculty of Medical Sciences and the different Schools that make it up, and in a special way to the Work Team of the General Staff, which supports the strengthening of the capacities of the Military Hospital.
President, we would like to express our gratitude to you for the support you provide us to improve the capabilities of the Military Medical Corps. Thank you President. And to you, Vice-President, we thank you for your support in our efforts.
This day we want to express our infinite respect to the Brothers in Arms of the Military Medical Corps who fell in the line of duty, and to their families, our Solidarity Embrace.
Brothers of the Military Medical Corps, convey to their families the greetings and appreciation they deserve; they are a daily support to fulfill the Mission to Save Lives. Let us always remain firm and cohesive, contributing to the Health of our People.
Honor and Glory to the Comrades of the Military Medical Corps fallen in the line of duty! Honor and glory!
Honor and Glory to our National Heroes! Honor and glory!
Long live the 41st Anniversary of the Military Medical Corps of the Nicaraguan Army! Live! Live! Live!
In fulfillment of our Missions and Tasks ... Everything for the Homeland!
In Defense of the Homeland and the Institution ... Firmness and Cohesion!
Long live the Nicaraguan Army!
Homeland and Freedom!
Words of Daniel
Thank you, General, for your words that summarize a New Stage in the History of our Country, in what is not only the Constitution of a New Army, but also the Constitution of a Comprehensive Military Medical Corps.
In this New Stage, and as we have well known, when we talk about the Army and the Army Hospital, it is not that the Army Hospital is only for Soldiers and Officers; it is there to serve the Comrades, logically, in their respective Units, in the Areas where they are located, in the different points of our Territory. But wherever there is a Unit, no matter how small, serving the Soldiers, that Unit is also fully willing to serve the Peasants, the Families that move around it.
The same can be said of this Monumental Hospital, the Military Hospital, because one might think that the Military Hospital is only to attend the Military. It is to serve the Military, of course, the Military Families, but also to serve Nicaraguan Brothers, Workers, Workers, who are part of Social Security, and even those who are not part of Social Security. In other words, Hospitals, Medical Services with doors open to serve Nicaraguans.
And this year, the Country, and the World, is the date and it is still felt that there is enormous pressure, a huge challenge, in the face of a Pandemic that has a totally global impact, which is not limited to a Territory, which is not limited to a Region or a Continent, which is not limited to causing ailments and the death of some patients, as usually happens with any type of serious ailment, but also, due to the panic that it has sown, has led to the paralysis of the Planet . That had never happened in the face of a Pandemic.
In this war that we are living, here yes, here yes, nobody escapes. And who is the enemy? Well, a virus, one of the many viruses that have struck down Humanity, that have affected Humanity, that have already caused thousands and millions of deaths in other times. But this is a virus that attacked, appeared, where it seemed that the World, seen from what is the mirror, the lure, the fantasy of the Capitalist World in Globalization processes, launching into military adventures against Developing Countries, in Asia, in Africa, in Latin America, but they are increasingly cohesive and more united in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, in NATO, together there bombing, destroying countries like Libya.
NATO, imagine, destroying Libya, destroying the Maghreb Area, and thereby causing millions of immigrants who were working in that area when it was a Zone of Peace, of Development. When it was destroyed, they were left in Extreme Poverty, without medical attention, and well, they are looking to Europe because they have to cross the Mediterranean Sea just to be in Europe. And there is that other great tragedy, the tragedy of immigrants, there are millions of immigrants, and thousands of immigrants die every year. A terrible situation.
And well, it was the perfect World, the perfect World for capitalists, for Capitalism, for Imperialism, the Perfect World. Why? Because they were dominating freely, and joined forces when they were interested in destroying a Social, Revolutionary Project, which for them was inadmissible, only their Project was admissible, submitted to their dictates, submitted to their power.
Then, suddenly in this world that looked perfect, for them, it was not perfect for the developing peoples, in Asia, in Africa, in Latin America, nor was it perfect for the Workers, for the People from Developed Countries, who lived in poverty and continue to live in poverty, who despite so much wealth could not access medical care in a country as powerful as the United States of America. And that is an issue that has been publicly disputed: The privatization of Health!
Well, in this World that seemed perfect for them, logically imperfect for the Developing Peoples, the virus appeared; a virus that according to the installed capacities, in terms of resources, economic power, in terms of what they said worked perfectly in their respective countries, then that virus would have been easily contained, or with relative ease.
But, how incredible, how incredible, that Developed Countries, the United States of America itself, were and are still having great difficulties to have enough instruments to help people who are in critical condition. They don't! But worse still, they do not have enough beds to accommodate patients who already demand hospital care against this virus.
So what does this make clear to us? That they had worked for their own well-being thinking that having good hospitals for people of resources, who could take good care of themselves, who could eat well, wealthy people, people with a lot of capital, was enough, and that those who could die, Those who could get sick, those who could suffer serious problems, were the people with the least resources; but there it happened that the virus did not make differences, it has not made differences.
And what use are the Atomic Bombs? What good are the Atomic Bombs? Are they going to drop Atomic Bombs on the virus? Are you going to use their most sophisticated weapons and those they continue to develop to dominate space militarily, are they going to use them to destroy the virus?
But it is that this virus sowed such panic, yes, it sowed such panic, where we could say that all the panic that they had sown in other Times accumulated there, to such a degree that it paralyzed the Economy, paralyzed Commerce, sent everyone to lock himself in his house, to do the ostrich's; When faced with an epidemic like this, logically, a series of Measures would have to be taken, Measures that would allow the least number of people to die, that the greatest number of affected citizens could be treated.
But that is where the mirage collided with reality, because it was discovered what I was telling you before, that in Countries that were supposed to have enough beds to care for patients, not from this virus, but from any disease, from so many diseases that Citizens in the World die, or in accidents, all that we already know, when this virus appears and people seek care, they find that Hospitals in Developed Countries do not have enough beds.
And we have seen this there in the spots on television, which shows that the Health issue has to be reviewed in depth, at the World Level, and in particular the Countries have to review it and consider new Strategies, new Programs and new Projects More Developed Capitalists, and that leads them to the conclusion, that instead of filling the Planet with Atomic Bombs, it must be filled with Medical Care, Work, Food, Education, so that what is Preventive Medicine can be consolidated.
And also, in the face of this experience that has paralyzed the World and until now the World is still paralyzed, then, instead of investing in more Atomic Bombs that are of little use against attacks like these, we must also invest in Hospitals, in Health Posts, in Health Centers, in Technologies.
In other words, the great lesson to be drawn from this Epidemic is that the Capitalist World believed itself invincible, because it has been the possessor and is the possessor of Economic Power, it has been the possessor and is the possessor of Military Power, of the development of Science and Technology, that which made him feel strong, powerful, safe, calm.
That security can no longer exist from the moment this COVID-19 Pandemic was installed in the world. This calls, therefore, for a change in Economic Policies, Commercial Policies, Social Policies, in order to have a Health System really in a position to face viruses like this and others that can arise at any time, because that is the truth, anytime.
And here in our country we already know the efforts that have been made, with great limitations, the damage that the economy has suffered, a damage in 2018, a damage to the economy, and in 2019 we were getting up, and now in 2020 the economy damaged again, not only in Nicaragua, in the world, but, of course, a country that is poorer, with fewer resources, a situation like this causes the more damage.
But with our limited possibilities we made a Plan as a State, for what? To face this Pandemic. And there the entire Health System ... We have made Recognition of the National Health System, the Public Health System, the Private Health System, and in this particular case we must Recognize the Health System of the Military Medical Corps of Nicaraguan Army. We know how they battled and how they continue to battle, not only against the virus, because we must also attend to other illnesses, other diseases that demand the attention of other patients, treatments, operations.
But an overexertion was made and an overexertion continues, tensing to the maximum; some Medical Brothers died as well, as an effect of the virus. Because indisputably the Doctor is stuck there, where the danger is, where the risk is, and there has not been a Doctor who hesitates, or a Doctor who says, I am not going to attend, but there has been a great Firmness, a great Strength, a great Dignity, and great Loyalty in the Defense of the Life of the Nicaraguan people. And we recognize this in particular of the Military Medical Corps and the Military Hospital for the services it has been providing in the face of this Pandemic.
Dear Nicaraguan Brothers, Dear Families, on your behalf we salute and congratulate the Comrades of the Military Medical Corps. We stand in solidarity with the Families that have had Members who have died due to the virus or for other causes, in compliance with their Duty. And we tell you that you, Dear Brothers, deserve all our Respect, all our Recognition as Men and Women who are willing to give their lives in the fight for the Defense of the Life of the Nicaraguan Brothers, that they have to go to the Health System and that they have to go to the Military Medical Services.
Long Live the 41st Anniversary of the Military Medical Corps!
Long live the 41st Anniversary of the Nicaraguan Army!
Homeland and Freedom! Homeland and Freedom! Take a good look, Homeland and Freedom! And here Homeland and Freedom has meant and means Fight for Life. This is a Military Medical Corps fighting for the Life of Nicaraguans.
Honor and Glory to the Military Medical Corps!