Cuban-trained Guyanese doctors return home

The original article can be found in: Caribbean News Now

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (GINA) — Guyanese students who were trained in Cuba to be doctors are back home and are to be deployed around the country to serve for five years before accessing further training for upward mobility.

During a recent meeting with Minister of Health Dr Bheri Ramsaran, Chief Medical Officer Dr Shamdeo Persaud and other officials, the batch of Cuban graduates were briefed on what to expect now that they are back home.

Ramsaran pointed out to them that Cuba creates doctors who are committed, patriotic and want to serve. “We want to welcome you and tell you that your predecessors have done well.”

The minister indicated that the health sector will willingly help the graduates during their five years of service.

He said Cuba has granted four other scholarships in key areas: psychiatry, pathology, gynaecology-obstetrics and orthopaedics.

“Four of you will be going, but you have to pass through the rigours of the competition,” Ramsaran observed.

He emphasised that they are expected to serve before “the opportunities open to upward mobility”.

Persaud also briefed the medical graduates, observing that they are at another phase of their lives. He noted that the help from Cuba in training a stronger cadre of medical doctors would impact greatly on better health for all Guyanese.

He added that the support that Guyana has received from Cuba in health services particularly, along with building a stronger team of medical doctors, will impact on better health services in the country.

“We’re about to launch a new strategy, a new health strategy that will focus a lot on not only treating people who are ill, but to also to address some of the social determinants of health,” Persaud added.

He said there will be greater need for specialists and there have been discussions by the ministry and the Cubans to have specialised programmes in Guyana so that everyone will have an equal opportunity to benefit from these and build their own careers.

“The licence that you will be granted as soon as your documents are prepared and submitted to the Ministry of Health from the Public Service Ministry would guarantee you an institutional category of registration. That requires some level of supervision and some rotation,” Persaud added.

Hundreds of Cuban trained Guyanese doctors have returned to Guyana over the years, after completing studies in Cuba in an effort to provide personnel to man the many new health institutions built by the Government.

Cuba has over the years been assisting Guyana by deploying doctors, nurses and technicians to assist in health care delivery.

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