Speaking to reporters after arriving this Sunday at the Jose Marti International Airport in Havana, Moreno Garces explained that the campaign, in which Cuban doctors play a decisive role, consists of a research for the study and diagnosis of disabled people in the South American nation.

He also praised the solidarity of the Venezuelan government and its President, Hugo Chavez, who have contributed to the program with 21 million dollars in technical assistance to perform surgeries and in housing and food initiatives.

“This is the first time that a comprehensive program is carried out in Ecuador to solve the problems of the disabled people,” the Ecuadorian official stressed.

Moreno was welcomed at the Jose Marti International Airport by Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Ana Teresita Gonzalez Fraga and by the Ecuadorian Ambassador to Havana, Universi Zambrano, among other officials.

During his stay in Cuba, the Ecuadorian VP will visit the ‘Solidarity with Panama’ special school, where children with different disabilities study. He will also be able to appreciate, at first hand, the advances of Cuban medicine in fields such as clinical genetics.

According to Prensa Latina news agency, the current study on disabled people in Ecuador has reached 155,671 homes in the provinces of Cotopaxi, Carchi, Esmeraldas, Sucumbios and Imbabura.

A survey carried out prior to the study revealed that there are 35,169 people with disabilities – including 4,061 critical cases – in Ecuador.

Cuban genetics specialists have studied 3,825 cases while other specialists have conducted 4,781 visits.

The study will be carried out in ten more provinces in 2009 while the research will be completed in 2010, thus covering the 24 provinces of the country.