Future of Cuban Medics in Belize Uncertain

Regional pressure is mounting on countries to rethink their deals with Cuba, putting Belize’s Cuban Medical Brigade under fresh scrutiny. Jamaica, Honduras, and others have already pulled back after U.S. claims that Cuba’s medical missions amount to forced labor. But in Belize, Cuban doctors remain vital, especially in rural clinics and specialist care. Today, Health Minister Kevin Bernard stressed how essential the brigade is to the public health system. He added that any decision about its future, amid growing international pressure, will be made by the Prime Minister’s Office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

 

Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health and Wellness

“I know there’s discussions being had between my ministry, the ministry of immigration, and the ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade. I leave that as that. Until I have all the full details in terms of what will be the next steps forward, then I’ll be able to provide. And I commit that once I get all the details, I will make that available.”

 

Shane Williams

“Can you say how many doctors are here and how vital they have been to our system?”

 

Kevin Bernard

“Currently, the Cuban Brigade has a hundred and five personnel. Out of those hundred and five personnel, there’s forty-five specialized doctors which are spread across different specialties: nephrologists, pediatricians psychiatric, psychiatry, gynecologists, neonatal. I think they’re neonatal surgeons or something like that. Yeah. But we have those different capacities and the rest are rural nurses. So they go out in the rural areas to assist to fill the gaps. So that is the number we’re looking at. Like I said, until we have a final detail, whether it’s an exit plan or a reassessment, I can’t say until we get back the right information after the discussions that are being had with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and my ministry and the Ministry of Immigration.”

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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