13 Cuban doctors not here to take anyone’s job says Health MEC
Dr Ramathuba welcomed the Cuban doctors to the province on Tuesday and responded to many locals citing the high unemployment rate among doctors in South Africa.
POLOKWANE – “They are not here to take anyone’s job.” These were the words of the MEC for Health, Dr Phophi Ramathuba as she welcomed 13 Cuban doctors to the province at St Maria Boutique on Tuesday.
Her response was in reaction to earlier public outrage at the announcement of the deployment of Cuban doctors with many locals citing the high unemployment rate among doctors in South Africa. The 13 healthcare workers are in the province to assist in the fight against the spread of Covid-19.
The group consists of eight family physicians, one epidemiologist, one biostatistician and three health technologists who will officially report for duty on 25 May. The Cuban team will spend this week in orientation, assessing and understanding the health system in Limpopo in order to identify where their expertise may be needed.
Their arrival in the province brings the hope of a new perspective and Ramathuba reiterated that the Cuban doctors should receive the necessary support in order for them to assist to the best of their abilities. She further explained that as a rural province, Limpopo has been under-resourced and that the doctors arrived at the right time.
“We believe they will be able to transfer skills to our professionals and inspire young people to enrol in these fields. We believe that their presence will significantly boost our public health sector personnel capacity in the fight against this pandemic.”
Dr Leandro Gonzales, a family doctor who arrived from Cuba said that it is both pressure and a pleasure to have been deployed to assist in Limpopo taking into account the history between South Africa and Cuba in the fight against Apartheid.
He added that they will carry on the spirit and legacy of Fidel Castro and Nelson Mandela as they assist in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
