Cuba sends more than 200 healthcare professionals to South Africa

More than 2002 healthcare workers from Cuba arrives in South Africa to assist in the fight against the spread of COVID-19.

The delegation of Cuban medical brigade is in response to the Government of the Republic of South Africa’s request to the Government of Cuba to offer assistance and medical personnel support, comprising of epidemiologists, physicians and bio technologists to support South Africa in its efforts to deal with COVID-19.

Cuba is known for its disaster preparedness and its consistent deployment of medical brigades for disaster relief, this continues to earn Havana world goodwill worldwide.

“Your mission in South Africa is going to be a difficult one, a complex one, you will be fighting everyday against an invisible enemy, a very destructive enemy. And you will have to do so without your families, without your friends and without your colleagues in Cuba. But we know that you are very well prepared to fight any difficulty, we know that you will raise very high the name of Cuba.” Said Rodolfo Betinez Verson.

In a short briefing, Cooperate Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister, Nkosazana Ndlamini-Zuma joined the team that welcomed the delegation and thanked them in the spirit of political figures.

“We thank each and everyone of the human health professionals who are part of this team for their personal commitment and sacrifice in order to assist South African efforts to curve the spread of this pandemic.” Said Dr.Naledi Pandor, Minister of Department of International Relations and Cooperation.

Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology Dr. Blade Nzimande added. “It shows today what socialism is capable of doing when many big capitalist countries are failing even to even confront this invisible enemy as the Cubans are actually doing.”

Before departing from Cuba, the medical brigade was placed under quarantine to ensure that they minimise any form of exposure to the virus prior to coming to South Africa. And in line with the SA’s lockdown regulations, the brigade will be placed under a precautionary quarantine as they wait their results, despite the fact that Cuba is one of the countries that has minimal rate of COVID-19 positive cases.

This period will also be used to induct them on the South African situational analysis and the various provinces they will be deployed to.

Dr. Zweli Mkhize expresses his appreciation to the ambassador of Cuba Rodolfo Benitez Verson and his team in South Africa for thier coordination in this mission. He says, “there’s no doubt our public health facilities will benefit from this generous and selfless gesture by our Cuban brethren.”

Cuba and South Africa have a strong political solidarity that has been in existence for many years, the two countries have been involved in various development programmes. The department of Health continuously enjoys an ongoing medical training programme of South African medical students in Cuba.

By: Sakhe Dolonga