The Cuban Ambassador to Nigeria, Carlos Sosa on Saturday said efforts were in place to strengthen ties between his country and Nigeria on health care delivery and promotion of cultural practices.
Sosa made this known, while delivering a speech during the Abuja Writers Forum session held in Abuja.
According to him, efforts are already in place to bring in medical doctors, nurses, as well as drugs from Cuba into Nigeria, which he said will be beneficial to both countries.
“We want Nigeria to begin producing these drugs instead of importing from other countries,” he said.
He explained that the effort would further promote health care services in line with the federal government’s efforts to reduce maternal mortality rates, as well as to curb some diseases such as malaria, typhoid, hepatitis and meningitis.
Sosa, added that Cuban officials had already visited Kaduna, Abia, Oyo, Nassarawa states to discuss on ways of implementing the agreement.
On cultural ties, the ambassador likened the ways of the Cuban people as similar to the Africans, particularly Nigeria, whom he described as having strong historical ties with his country.
He, therefore, reiterated the commitment of Cuba in promoting Nigeria’s culture, as there was a lot of similarity between the two countries in terms of music, language, literacy and culture.
On his own part, the President of the Abuja Writers Forum, Dr Emman Shehu, said the forum was aimed at promoting new writers and creating more awareness on their work.
Emman, who is also a Director at the International Institute of Journalism, stressed the need for the revival of the reading culture as a way that would propel the nation forward.
Also, Mr Nnemeka Okorie, an author of the book, ‘’ Blood at Noon’’ said the book was an account of the Afor-Umuohiagu market bombing in Imo state during the civil war.
Okorie stressed the need for the people and government to use dialogue to discuss issues, rather than violence, which he said would have devastating effects on the country.
Also, Doug Kaze, a prolific writer, poet, instrumentalist and an artist said he used his work as a tool towards raising more consciousness on the need for positive change, address social issues and to promote love and peace in the country.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the artist performed some of his songs “Paradigm Shift’, “ Alien’’, “Give me money”, “ It’s a new day’’ and lots more. (NAN)