Not Just Tourists – Ottawa collects surplus medicines and medical supplies for use in Cuba and other countries in need.

Canadians travelling on business or vacation deliver these much-needed supplies to medical facilities at their travel destinations.

We are a volunteer-based, non-political, not-for-profit project, patterned after Not Just Tourists groups in the
St. Catharines (Niagara) and Toronto regions. 

 
A country clinic typical of where NJT medical aid is delivered

Letters from the Front

All letters are reproduced with the permission of the authors

From Santa Clara, Cuba

We took the tour to Santa Clara, and on our way back to the resort, we stopped in Remedios. Victor (our tour guide), Emma and I went to the hospital when the rest of the group had a free half hour. As we walked in, Victor stopped a doctor who he later told me was Cuba's most famous paediatrician (he had seem him on TV many times and Victor had been a teacher of young kids in his previous job). He told the doctor what it was we had.

Well, they dragged us into a room, they got the Director, the Head Nurse, the Head Accountant, and anyone else they could round up, and they gave the three of us about a thousand thank you’s, and shook our hands and talked loudly in Spanish; they just couldn't thank us enough. All very embarrassing but nice. I couldn't wait to get back to the bus, and both Emma and I were so overwhelmed by the appreciation.

These people are so nice; it's just too bad we couldn't do more. While we were waiting, we watched a young mother come running into the hospital with her young child, both crying, it was so sad. I said to Emma, “I hope what we delivered helps those two.”

Thanks again to NJT for all the great humanitarian work they do 

Submitted by Doug and Emma Phillips

We are back from Cuba and I have just sent the signed sheet to you along with a map of the Holguin area, which I think may be useful to others visiting the area in the future.

First of all I had absolutely no questions or inspection of the suitcase either leaving Ottawa or entering Cuba, which was a nice surprise. We decided to take the supplies to Rafael Freyre but the taxi driver couldn’t find a clinic despite asking several residents. Not sure what was going on but it seemed the usual one had its roof blown off and the other one was only open in the morning. I also met someone from Toronto on a tour who was looking for the Rafael Freyre clinic.

We tried again in Chorro de Maita and had a different taxi driver who took us there despite the fact it was off the paved road up a dirt track; the directions in the list were accurate. The clinic was also closed but the custodian lived in the building attached and someone fetched her for us.

Anyway it was a pleasure and a priviledge to do this for you. I wish you and the organization all the best.

Submitted by Helen Roper

From Canasi, Cuba

We delivered the three suitcases to a clinic in Canasi. It was a small rural clinic on the outskirts of Varadero and a short deviation off the highway btwn Varadero and Havana. They said they had received suitcases of goods in the past though I am not sure they were from your organization. The director of the clinic was not there so we presented the items to the emergency doctor on staff and he signed the papers. The clinic's administrator was also present and explained that they would inventory the items into their pharmacy, distribute the non-medical goods to patients in need and possibly send things they can't use to a larger hospital.

All in all a great experience! We were happy to partake in it and would do it again.

Submitted by Jennifer Lalonde