The Deputy Minister of Health of the Republic of South Africa Dr Joe Phaahla and the Deputy Minister of Public Health of the Republic of Cuba Dra. Marcia Cobas Ruiz will visit Tembisa Hospital tomorrow, Wednesday 21 September 2016 at 09:00.
This will be part of the planned activities lined up for the Cuban Deputy Minister’s visit following today’s meeting which was held to evaluate compliance of the bilateral agreements and strengthen cooperation between South Africa and Cuba. Some of the items discussed in today’s meeting included:
- The future of RSA/ Cuba cooperation
- Arrival of the 800 students in 2018
- Renewal of the Main Agreement in 2017
- Extension for additional three years of the contract for Cuban Doctors
This visit came at the time when we commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the Nelson Mandela/ Fidel Castro’s Medical Doctors Programme.
Background
This programme was initiated by the Ministry of Health in 1996 through a bilateral agreement with the Ministry of Public Health of Cuba on co-operation in the health field. This programme is referred to as The Nelson Mandela-Fidel Castro Collaboration.
The Nelson Mandela-Fidel Castro Collaboration consisted of 3 elements:
- The undergraduate training programme
- Recruitment and exchange of health professionals and academics
- Exchange in biotechnological and innovation in health.
The purpose for the medical training programme and the recruitment and exchange of health professionals and academics was to address the shortage of health professionals in South Africa and of particular importance, to ensure the provisioning of doctors in underserved and rural areas.
Furthermore, the programme provides opportunities for young South Africans from rural and poor disadvantaged communities with potential to be trained in the field of medicine. It is also noteworthy that the annual intake and output of qualified doctors per annum from South African medical schools is inadequate in numbers and also in areas of competencies to meet the country’s needs.
The Cuban doctor recruitment has ensured that Cuban specialists and Family Physicians are distributed amongst the 8 provinces (Western Cape does not participate in the programme). These Cuban specialist and Family Physicians have contributed immensely to sustaining heath service the provision in rural and remote areas.
Media houses are invited for the briefing in this regard and details of this visit are as follows:
Venue: Tembisa Hospital - Tembisa, Gauteng
Time: 09:00
Date: 21 September 2016
For more information and RSVP contact: Khutso Rabothata: 072 992 7171