Last week the Ministry of Health and Wellness held an orientation in Francistown at Adansonia Hotel to welcome 54 various health professionals from Cuba.
Botswana has a memorandum of agreement with the Cuban government for provision of specialized medical services. The agreement was signed in 2012.
These health professionals specialize in various fields such as Orthopedics, Pediatrics, Surgery, Immunology, Oncologists, Gynecology and Epidemiology.
The diplomatic relationship between Botswana and Cuba began on the 9th of December 1977. The two countries have cooperated on various sectors such as education, health and sports. Botswana has over the years also sent young Batswana to be trained as doctors in Cuba.
In 2020 the Cuban government sent 100 doctors to help in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic in Botswana.
In an interview with The Telegraph on Friday, Nyangabwe Referral Hospital public relations officer Wada Pedzani said the objective of the orientation was for the health specialists to understand the Botswana health system, to give them an overview of the laws, policies and procedures of working in Botswana and to establish a standard working procedure amongst facilities.
“The Cuban health specialists have been coming to offer their services since 2012 and have been coming in batches,” she said
She said the newly-arrived health professionals will be placed in Nyangabwe Referral Hospital, Princess Marina Hospital, Letsholathebe Memorial Hospital, Sekgoma Memorial Hospital and Selibe Phikwe Hospital.
“However five more health professionals will arrive on the 1st of February from Cuba. This will include an engineer and radiographer,” she said.
