The Minister of People’s Power for Health, Francisco Armada, said on Friday that the Common Market of the South (Mercosur) discussed Mission Miracle, a Venezuelan social program that grants free eye care, in order to make this health care strategy regional.

In declarations published by the Bolivarian System for Communication and Information (SiBCI), Armada indicated that the proposal is aimed at employing South-South solidarity “to facilitate the process of treatments for cataracts among the different countries in the region.”

He emphasized that it “was a privilege” for the Bolivarian government to assume the presidency of Mercosur’s health section, and that as of December, the pro tempore presidency would be passed on to the Republic of Argentina.

Experience in Indigenous Communities

Health Minister Armada also declared that Venezuela is leading Mercosur with a proposal “to establish an indigenous health care program that is fundamental for the multicultural area of health; in this regard, we have shared experiences with the Bolivian people.”

On Friday, the 35th Meeting of Health Ministers from Mercosur and Associated States was held in Caracas.

YVKE Mundial / Press – Venezuelan Embassy in the US / November 22, 2013