More than 700 Cubans have obtained Chilean nationality in recent years, with the majority being doctors

The government of the South American country is exploring ways to attract more foreign professionals in the healthcare sector. In the past six years, around 727 Cubans, mostly doctors, have obtained Chilean nationality, according to La Tercera newspaper. Data from the Department of Foreigners and Migration cited by the publication reveals that 5,340 foreigners from 105 countries have received letters of naturalization. The majority (1,219) are Peruvians, while Cubans (727) rank second, surpassing immigrants from other nearby countries such as Ecuadorians (646), Colombians (602), and Bolivians (579). According to official data, Cubans and Ecuadorians fill numerous positions in public health. “Most Cubans and Ecuadorians come here to practice their professions, with a significant number being doctors,” said Rodrigo Sandoval, head of the Department of Foreigners and Migration. “For this reason, I have met with officials from the Ministry of Health to discuss how to enable more foreigners to take on roles that Chilean doctors are not interested in filling, and we are making progress towards establishing a registry of professionals for this purpose,” he added. He noted that one of the reasons for Chile's decision to naturalize them is that they are “highly qualified professionals, with a greater capacity for permanent settlement in Chile and long-term connections,” as stated by La Tercera. The newspaper highlighted the case of the Cuban Estrella Oramas (51), who works as a doctor in a clinic and arrived in Chile 25 years ago. Oramas mentioned that between 1997 and 2010, there was a significant increase in the arrival of Cuban doctors in Chile. “Many healthcare professionals opted to come to Chile for better conditions. The naturalization processes are also related to this, as they allow them to obtain the same rights, obligations, and benefits as Chileans,” she said. Chilean Minister of Health, Helia Molina, stated that there is a “real” deficit of specialists in the country and that they are also poorly distributed. “In Cuba, there are many doctors per capita, and there are no barriers to studying medicine. Therefore, we are collaborating with the National Autonomous Corporation for the Certification of Medical Specialties (Conacem) and with universities to give them the opportunity to come and work, respecting our legislation,” she said. It remains unclear whether this would involve contracts with the Cuban government to facilitate the emigration of doctors. For his part, Camilo Bass, president of the Primary Care Physicians Association, expressed that while it is uncertain how many Cuban doctors are in the public system, “it is a fact that the number has increased significantly over time.” The report did not specify the means by which Cuban doctors have arrived in Chile. Source: Diario de Cuba