Cuban health professionals serving at RHAs, UHWI

The 200 Cuban health professionals currently serving in Jamaica’s public health system are distributed across the Regional Health Authorities (RHAs) and the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI).

Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Christopher Tufton, said that they are being engaged under individual employment contracts governed by Jamaican law.

He was contributing to the Parliamentary Motion on the Economic and Humanitarian Situation in Cuba, which was approved in the House of Representatives on Tuesday.

Dr Tufton said the new arrangement had allowed Cuban doctors, nurses, and other specialists to continue contributing to the country’s healthcare system following the conclusion of the previous government-to-government arrangement.

“The House will recall that the last bilateral arrangements expired in February 2023. As the international environment evolved, the Government sought to renew our cooperation on terms consistent with Jamaican law and international labour conventions, in particular, that professionals be paid directly and hold their own travel documents,” he said.

“When an agreement could not be reached on those terms, the Government of Jamaica, in March, concluded the government-to-government arrangements while making it clear of its wish to retain those professionals individually to continue to do their work here in Jamaica.”

Tufton informed that of the 278 Cuban professionals serving in Jamaica in March, 43 opted to remain under individual contracts.

Of the others who returned to Cuba, 57 doctors, nurses and other professionals have since returned to Jamaica on the same terms that were offered to the 43 who remained.

Tufton said that the door remains open to others who wish to return and contribute to the delivery of the country’s healthcare services.

He noted that while the arrangement with Cuban healthcare professionals has changed, the spirit of the relationship between the countries remains the same.

“When we were in distress as a people, in times of shortage, in the aftermath of disasters, in the dark days of the pandemic, Cuba rose to the occasion. Through the deployment of its healthcare professionals, Cuba stood with Jamaica when we needed it most,” he said.

“Today, while we adjust our relationships in keeping with our laws, Jamaica also supports humanitarian assistance to the Cuban people. Their suffering has been long and painful and it weighs heavily on ordinary families, on their access to medicines, medical supplies, food and energy. Jamaica will continue to support every effort to ease that hardship.”

He added that the Government remains committed to preserving the relationship through friendship and mutual respect.

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