Amid conflict with Venezuela over Essequibo, Havana exports hundreds of nurses to Guyana

Cuban regime agreed to send 200 nurses to GuyanaThat will be added to the dozens exported to that country months ago, the island’s Foreign Ministry (Minrex) reports.

According to a brief official note, These professionals were requested by Georgetown, which asked to “expand the number of health professionals in the nursing specialty.” The brother Caribbean country faces problems due to the need for workers in that sector.

According to Minrex, Neighboring country to hire 80 Cuban nurses in 2023 And, according to statements by Guyana’s Health Minister, Frank Anthony, another 200 will arrive in early 2024.

“Cuba will continue to strengthen international medical cooperation with the aim of saving and improving the quality of life of the Guyanese people,” the note concluded, while avoiding, as usual, mentioning that Havana would export these professionals. Cuba’s health system also lacks specialist doctors.

last July, Guyana’s Ministry of Health signs a new medical cooperation agreement with HavanaHowever little has been said about the details of the business to date.

according to medium Caribbean National WeeklyGeorgetown’s petition is due to the “critical shortage of health care professionals”, and seeks to address “nurse burnout and increasing workloads within the health care system.”

This is what the report indicates Cuban professionals must undergo a “three-month intensive course” to master EnglishOfficial language in Guyana.

According to the outlet, the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation is facing a severe shortage of approximately 600 nurses, which is severely impacting the quality of patient care.

The executive director of the health institute, Robbie Rambaran, assured that about 107 nurses will resign from their posts in 2022. He acknowledged that many people are currently burdened with non-clinical tasks, such as the movement of goods within health care centres.

The Government of Guyana recognizes the urgent need to expand the health care workforce Because it is starting to build new hospitals and facilities across the country. Part of this strategy includes raising salaries and expanding training programs to attract and retain health care professionals.

Currently, 1,100 people are undergoing nursing training in the country, and there are plans to hire 1,000 to 1,200 more people for their training next year.

Cuban nurses are being exported as Guyana faces threats from Venezuela, a country with which it has historical conflict due to a dispute over the extensive border area of ​​Essequibo. Hundreds of Cuban health workers have worked in that country since the days of Hugo Chávez, in addition to other professionals exported by Havana.

The Cuban regime exports professionals of all kinds to dozens of countries around the worldWhat he calls an “internationalist mission” motivated by solidarity, while the truth is This is a business which gives the government as much income as tourism.

The majority of exported workers are doctors, another rare professional group in Cuba, which is facing a clear humanitarian crisis with deteriorating health services and severe shortages of all types of medicines and hospital supplies.

The recruitment of Cuban professionals abroad is carried out through official bodies, which keep most of the salary (between 70 and 75%) paid to each exported person by the destination countries. United Nations Human Rights Rapporteur and Several international organizations have warned that this could be classified as modern slavery and human trafficking.