Chavez to Cuba for Follow-up Treatment
HAVANA TIMES — Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is expected in Cuba later Tuesday to receive further medical treatment as a follow up to his post-cancer recovery program.
Chavez, who won reelection for a third term in office on October 7, had two cancerous tumors removed in June 2011 and February 2012 and received both chemotherapy and radiotherapy also in Havana.
“Six months after I completed the last radiation therapy treatment, it has been recommended that I begin a special treatment consisting of various sessions of hyperbaric oxygenation,” Chavez wrote in a letter to the legislature read by congressional leader Diosdado Cabello, a Chavez ally, reported Reuters.
“Together with physical therapy, (this) will consolidate the process of strengthening my health.”
In announcing the National Assemblies decision to grant Chavez permission to leave the country for more than five days, as required by law, Cabello said that the president would receive both hyperbaric oxygen thereapy and physiotherapy.
Does it strike anyone else a little bit odd that Chavez and his entire presidential entourage needs to go to Cuba for a simple check-up? Let’s assume that Cuba’s oncology team is the best in Latin America and certainly among the left-leaning countries. Still, we are only talking about a check-up right? Is the quality of care so bad in Venezuela and the confidence in doctor-patient confidentiality so lacking that the Venezuelan head of state needs to travel to Cuba for a check-up? My father had intestinal cancer and like Chavez, after two surgeries, appeared to have beaten it. I remember his check-up visits. Blood tests and x-rays and a lot of poking and prodding by the doctor. Two maybe three days for the whole shebang. This was 15 years ago so I assume there have been some advances since then. Anyway, who knows right? …Jus’ sayin.