Cuban doctors who were deployed to South Africa to help fight the Covid-19 pandemic. Picture: Lowvelder
It comes as little surprise when the local doctors’ association says the deployment of Cuban doctors in SA has not been worth the money.
More than R239 million in salaries for the 187-member Cubans will be forked out for their services after government brought them in as specialists where we are deemed to have shortages.
With the initial term coming to an end in April, provinces are expected to request extensions for the foreign doctors as we battle the second wave of the pandemic.
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However, the South African Medical Association (SAMA) said employing the Cuban doctors will do more harm in the long term, as it comes at the expense of local doctors’ employment.
No one is criticising the need for more health workers and doctors in this crisis, but it seems the money could have been far better spent elsewhere.
Vaccines come to mind.
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