Another 70 Cuban doctors will be sent to the region of Calabria, located in southern Italy, while the healthcare system on the island faces serious issues of staff and resource shortages, as well as a constant deterioration of its infrastructure and patient trust.
The group of physicians is made up of specialists in the areas of emergency medicine, gynecology, orthopedics, radiology, cardiology, and pediatrics, and will join the brigade of 274 professionals who provide services in that region of the European country, as indicated in a statement published in the Gazzetta del Sud.
This agreement takes place in a context marked by the gradual reduction of healthcare personnel - largely due to migratory exodus and economic shortages - a fact that has been worrisome since 2022, when the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI) pointed out that during that year, 12,065 fewer doctors were working in the country compared to 2021.
Despite being classified as "forced labor" by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Cuban medical missions continue to recruit professionals to their staff, under the premise of "helping the most vulnerable".
The coordinator of the brigade in Calabria, pediatrician Iván Martínez, stated the latter, referring to Fidel Castro's leadership and his interest in "training specialists in various sectors, including medicine, to help Third World countries."
In an interview given on May 31st to the Italian newspaper, he pointed out that this time the request comes from "one of the most economically important countries", but is facing a complex health situation.
The government of Calabria had "the courage to ask for support from those who always help with their doctors, and of course we accepted. Although it was not easy at first, the Cuban doctors, with their skills, overcame all mistrust and the experience so far has been extraordinary," Martínez said.
According to the Cuban state news agency Prensa Latina, shortly after signing a framework agreement in August 2022, the first group of 51 doctors arrived in Italy, to whom 120 more were added in August 2023 and another 106 in January of the current year.
The figure should reach 500 by 2024, thereby expanding the service that is already provided in 27 hospitals in the five Calabrian provinces: Catanzaro, Cosenza, Crotone, Reggio Calabria, and Vibo Valentia, as the note specifies.
The government of the Calabria region was formally accused by the NGO Prisoners Defenders in December 2022 due to alleged practices of human trafficking, slavery, persecution, and other inhumane acts against Cuban doctors, in response to which Italy established the "fixed-term subordinate contract," instead of the previous freelance contract.
The rest of the complaints filed with the United Nations and the International Criminal Court were left without action, including the handing over to the Cuban government of 75% of the salary, which leaves the doctors with a stipend that is less than 60% of the country's average salary.
What do you think?
COMMENTFiled under: