Cuban Embassy marks eight years of medical brigades

Cuban doctors and nurses in Belize: they were once a novelty, but after eight years on the job the volunteers are a regular–and much appreciated–part of the local scene. Today they paused to review the programme’s accomplishments.

Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting
Today, Minister of Health Jose Coye presented to Eugenio Martinez, the Cuban Ambassador to Belize, a plaque commemorating the invaluable service Cuban doctors, nurses, technicians, and other professionals have rendered throughout Belize over the past eight years. The programme was established in 1999 following the signing of an agreement between both countries. According to Coye, there are very good reasons to celebrate.

Jose Coye, Minister of Health
“Despite all the resources, the financial that we had to put into the clinics them and the refurbishing of hospitals and the building of new hospitals, new equipments, we certainly couldn’t at this time provide the human resource that is needed in terms of doctors and nurses. As we are all well aware there is a scarcity of nurses, they are moving mostly to the greener pastures as they say. So we would not have been able to service those facilities if it weren’t for the Cuban Brigade.”

Presently, there are one hundred and fifteen Cuban health professionals deployed in hospitals, polyclinics, and village health centres in all six districts. These doctors and nurses are providing aftercare to patients suffering from chronic diseases, field visitations, health education, mobile clinics, and specialised services at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital.

Enrique Martinez, Cuban Ambassador to Belize
“Not only are they giving a service to the people in need, but they are becoming more and more professionals. They are returning to our country with new knowledge, a new culture as I said new friends a new set of friends.”

The programme is also helping to increase the ranks of local health professionals.

Enrique Martinez
“We are offering twenty scholarships of medicine every year. There are currently ninety-two Belizeans studying medicine in Cuba. At some point, Belize will be able to have enough doctors to fulfil the services. Of course there is always a gap that we could fill.”

Jose Coye, Minister of Health
“But I think we have to recognise that the day will come when this will have to be met from our own resources and I suppose when that day comes, we have to always remember that it was Cuba that made it possible for us and perhaps these people will be moving into areas where they may be needed. So what I like about the plan indeed is that while they come to Belize to fill the gap, they are helping us, they are training our Belizeans to fill that gap.”