Gabon welcomed 162 Cuban doctors who came to strengthen the healthcare offer and “Eradicate medical deserts”, announced Monday, April 12, the Ministry of Health. “They will be deployed throughout the national territory, in all hospitals, for a renewable period of two years”, told AFP Lionel Ndong Eyeghe, communications advisor to the Minister of Health: “The goal is to eradicate medical deserts. “.
The delegation, which arrived on Sunday, includes 53 general practitioners, 52 specialists, 50 specialist nurses and 7 radiological and biomedical engineers, whose salaries will be paid by the Gabonese state. “We have medical deserts in some areas. […] With these Cuban doctors, we will strengthen the CHUs [centres hospitaliers universitaires] in specialist physicians and remote departments ”Health Minister Guy Patrick Obiang Ndong said upon their arrival.
The announcement comes as Gabon faces a sharp rise in cases of Covid-19 contamination, which is putting pressure on the hospital system. Since the start of the pandemic, this country of just under 2 million inhabitants has officially announced 20,600 cases, including 127 deaths.
In June 2017, Gabonese President Ali Bongo Ondimba and his Cuban counterpart Raul Castro signed a cooperation agreement. National pride of the Castro regime, Cuban medical missions abroad have also become one of the main sources of income for the government of the Caribbean island, thanks to the sending of thousands of caregivers to dozens of countries.