Haitian Minister of Well being Bertrand Sinal has praised Cuba’s longstanding worldwide medical help, calling it an important lifeline for nations in want, together with his personal.
His remarks got here throughout the fifth Cuba Salud 2025 Well being Convention, which wrapped up on April 26 after 5 days of discussions involving greater than 5,000 delegates from 88 international locations throughout greater than 400 actions.
Talking to the Cuban Information Company, Sinal underscored the significance of Cuba’s contributions by its famend medical brigades and its efforts in coaching medical doctors from growing international locations. He pointed to Haiti as a chief instance, noting that over 2,000 Haitian medical doctors — himself included — have been skilled in Cuba over time.
“Cuba is an instance for Haiti to observe in its efforts to cut back maternal and toddler mortality and to attempt for well being sovereignty by bilateral relations,” Sinal stated.
The Haitian Minister additionally shared that 78 Cuban medical doctors are at the moment deployed in a few of Haiti’s most susceptible areas, diagnosing and treating illnesses corresponding to malaria and dengue fever the place native medical protection stays scarce.
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Sinal’s feedback got here at a time when Cuba’s worldwide medical missions are below hearth from the US. In February, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced visa sanctions in opposition to Cuban officers — each present and former — in addition to any overseas authorities officers concerned in Cuba’s labor export packages, significantly its international medical missions. The sanctions additionally prolong to the speedy relations of these focused.
Rubio claimed that Cuban medical doctors working overseas are sometimes victims of exploitation, alleging that the Cuban authorities garners most of their earnings and restricts their freedoms, together with seizing passports and limiting their motion. “They principally function as pressured labor in lots of locations,” he stated.
Regardless of Washington’s criticisms, many Caribbean nations — Haiti included — proceed to face firmly behind Cuba’s well being diplomacy. A number of regional leaders have voiced sturdy assist for the brigades, stressing that the help offered by Cuban medical doctors stays indispensable to their public well being programs.
