Accra, June 10, GNA- President John Atta Mills on Friday expressed profound appreciation to the Cuban Medical Brigade for their invaluable services to deprived communities in Ghana.

He appealed to Ghanaian doctors who are unwilling to serve in such communities for various reasons to take a cue from their Cuban counterparts. President Mills was interacting with members of the Cuban Medical Brigade, the Labiofam Entrepreneurial Group and Cubans teaching Spanish at the University of Ghana and the Ghana Institute of Languages, at the Osu Castle, Accra.

In all, 182 members of the 200 strong Brigade, together with 24 members of the Labiofam Group, the lecturers as well as the Chief Director of the Ministry of Health and the Cuban Ambassador to Ghana, made up the delegation.

The Labiofam Group was engaged in a Mosquito and Malaria control programme in the Brong Ahafo, Ashanti and Greater Accra Regions.

He said the Cuban example was a demonstration of deep love for the people, and that should make an impression on Ghanaian health professionals to accept postings to the interior parts of the nation.

President Mills said people in the interior communities were also Ghanaians entitled to an equal share of the national cake. He appreciated the large presence of the Cuban medical corps in Ghana, which members boost of various specialities in Medicine.

"Your dedication and commitment to duty impresses me most," President Mills said, adding, Cuba had been a friend to Ghana for years.

President Mills promised that his Administration would strengthen the already strong relations between the two nations during his term of office.

"Whatever challenges you face, we'll sit down and look at them, so that we'll be able to remove the impediments for the success of your operations," President Mills said.

Dr Miguel Perez Cruz, the Cuban Ambassador to Ghana, announced that Cuba was prepared to increase the number of Cuban doctors working in Ghana from 200 to 250.

He said steps were being taken for the construction of a factory for Biolarvacide in Tamale.

Dr Cruz said a total of 1,179 Ghanaian students had graduated from Cub= a at various levels of education, including 540 at the university level and 630 as technicians.

In the present academic year, 49 young Ghanaians are in Cuba out of which 33 are studying Medicine, 13 in other universities, and three at the International Sports School.

Dr Leader of the Brigade, Dr Phillipe Delgado, said the only problem they faced in their assignment was that they missed their families back home.