Coronavirus: arrival of Cuban doctors in South Africa

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In its fight against Covid-19, South Africa is very open to "medical diplomacy" and international aid. After accepting support from China, Pretoria is preparing to receive more than 200 Cuban caregivers, on the night of Sunday to Monday, April 27, to lend a hand in the fight against the coronavirus.

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With our correspondent in Johannesburg, Claire Bargelès

The country has 4,361 confirmed cases of coronavirus on its territory and the epidemic has claimed 86 victims.

The sending of caregivers is a tradition of the socialist island, heritage of the Castro regime and showcase of the Cuban health system, a strategy denounced by the United States.

A South African plane arrived on the island this weekend, bringing a donation of medical equipment, and it is this same plane which will bring this Sunday evening these Cuban doctors on South African soil, a sign that cooperation between the two countries is still alive.

Among these 200 or so caregivers are epidemiologists and biotechnology experts. After a quarantine period, they will be distributed throughout the country, in support of the South African teams. They will join the 200 Cuban doctors who are already in South Africa, as part of medical cooperation.

Indeed, strong ties between the two countries were built during the struggle against apartheid and Fidel Castro's support for his friend Nelson Mandela. A cooperation program is also named after the two former heads of state and aims to train South African medical students in Cuba. If this program has taken the lead in the wing in recent years, for lack of funding, these new exchanges in time of Covid-19 show that the diplomatic links between Havana and Pretoria are still solid.

Cuba has already sent more than 1,200 health workers since the start of the crisis to nearly 20 countries including Italy and overseas France .

In Africa, Togo and Angola have already benefited from the support of these white coat brigades.

► Read also: Coronavirus: South Africa will gradually loosen its confinement

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• South Africa
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