Cuban doctors imported by health department
JOBURG – Newly recruited Cuban doctors to alleviate the burden in our health sector.
The Gauteng Health MEC, Qedani Mahlangu, was happy to announce that South Africa has acquired doctors from Cuba.
“It is indeed a great pleasure for me to welcome Cuban medical specialists to Gauteng. Cubans have been friends with South Africa during its struggle and continue to be our partners, especially in the health sector,” said Mahlangu.
She said staff shortages result in work overload and ineffective health service delivery, which, more often than not, contribute to poor health and hygiene outcomes and public dissatisfaction and that recruiting Cuban doctors will alleviate some of the burdens faced within the health sector.
The MEC said that South Africa has a shortage of health professionals. A total of 25 percent of newly qualified undergraduate and postgraduate health professionals do not enter the public health sector after qualification.
“There has been a notable trend for South African-trained health professionals to locate to countries overseas, including the UK, Canada, the USA and the Middle East,” she said.
She said, following the advent of the new democratic dispensation, fresh and progressive policies were introduced with the aim of transforming the inherited health care system into an integrated, sustainable and comprehensive national health care system.
“Despite these efforts and significant investments, the South African health sector is still plagued with key challenges including a complex, quadruple burden of diseases such as tuberculosis, HIV/Aids, high infant and maternal mortality rates and high levels of trauma resulting from injuries and violence, as well as non-communicable diseases,” she explained.
Mahlangu spoke to the Cuban doctors about the serious concerns regarding the quality of the overburdened public health care system.
“Your presence at our clinics should alleviate pressure at our hospitals; our people believe in consulting with medical practitioners. This partnership is a crucial form of intervention,” added Mahlangu.
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