Despite the criticism for the continuous export of medical personnel from Cuba to other countries, the regime sent another group of 12 health workers to the neighboring Caribbean island of Dominica this week, according to official sources.
Less than a month after the arrival of a team of Cuban professionals in that country, the government of Miguel Díaz-Canel increases the roster of the health brigade providing services in Dominica with this new group of specialist doctors, nurses, and technicians, who "will be distributed across various health centers throughout the island," according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MINREX) of Cuba.
"Your work will be key in strengthening primary care and other essential medical services," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.
The health workers from Cuba were welcomed on Friday at Douglas-Charles International Airport by the Cuban ambassador, Miguel Fraga, and Dr. Lynora Fevrier Drigo, the chief medical officer of Dominica.
According to the ambassador, the mission of the Cuban personnel on that island in the eastern Caribbean "is clear: to improve the quality of life and health of the people of Dominica."
Meanwhile, in Cuba, the lack of doctors and nurses in hospitals, polyclinics, and clinics, along with the shortage of medications and basic supplies, continue to put the health of the population at risk, in the worst crisis of the Cuban healthcare system, which the government shows no signs of resolving.
On September 9, the Minister of Health of Dominica, Cassanni Laville, welcomed a group of Cuban professionals made up of specialists in intensive care, general medicine, neonatology, obstetrics, radiography, laboratory, biomedical engineering, and nursing.
In 2020, brigades of Cuban doctors were sent to Dominica and other Caribbean countries as part of the Henry Reeve international contingent to provide services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The presence of Cuban health professionals has been important in times of crisis, but residents of English-speaking countries have noted that the language barrier complicates medical care.
The Cuban government, which holds back the majority of the salaries of these professionals, has been criticized for not ensuring safety or fair working conditions for doctors.
Despite this, the authorities continue to sign contracts without considering key elements such as the mastery of the language of the country where the healthcare workers will work.
Last June, a report from the U.S. Department of State confirmed that Cuba will remain at the highest level of alert (Level 3) due to its failure to meet the minimum standards for the elimination of human trafficking.
This level indicates that the Cuban regime is not only failing to make significant efforts to address this issue, but also continues practices that facilitate and benefit from forced labor.
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