Cuba: departure of Cuban doctors from Martinique amid questions and controversies

The Cuban doctors' brigade leaving for overseas France at the end of June 2020. Domitille Piron / RFI

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4 min

The Cubans bid farewell to the Martinicans.

The Cuban medical mission in this overseas territory was a great first for France as well as for Cuba.

While Martinique is experiencing a deficit of health professionals, in the context of the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the presence of Cuban doctors was a real relief but it also sparked debate.

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with our correspondent in Havana,

The first observation that is made is that for these doctors, fluency in French clearly hindered the performance of their duties.

But in Martinique we are still delighted with this reinforcement sent during the coronavirus crisis: 15 Cuban specialists were able to lend a hand for three months to local teams, particularly in specialties in tension, such as anesthesia and nephrology.

And at the management of the Martinique University Hospital, Benjamin Garel also regrets that some have already left when the hospital reaches saturation point and that the rate of Covid-19 contamination remains high in this overseas territory.

It was by decree, on the proposal of the senator of Martinique, Catherine Conconne that

the reinforcement of Cuban doctors.

What is the exact cost of this mission?

But this Cuban medical mission also raises questions and controversies.

First for its cost because we have little information.

The assembly of Martinique advances a figure of 300,000 euros for these 15 doctors during these three months, but there is no precision on the cost of their accommodation or their expenses and especially the amount of the salary of these doctors is unknown.

The head of the Cuban medical mission in Martinique, Abel Santiesteban replied on this subject that it is taboo in France to ask someone the amount of his salary and that he therefore wanted to respect this French tradition.

Another question that arises is the status of these professionals.

Being foreigners, they do not also have full authorization for the unions of French liberal doctors and Martinique, the presence of Cubans is a problem since they are only trainees, always supervised by a French doctor.

And that they do not know the French pharmacopoeia.

According to the unions, these Cuban missions are not the solution to the medical deserts of the overseas departments, especially as their skills are not officially recognized by a French body either.

►Also read

: Cuban doctors are leaving to help France in Martinique

Health missions that fill the coffers of the Cuban state

The controversy over the presence of these Cuban doctors does not only concern Martinique.

Donald Trump's administration continues to discredit these Cuban doctors sent abroad.

For the Americans, they are not professionals and they even speak of a "slavery" system since the money for these missions first goes to the Cuban state which only pays a part of it to these professionals. health.

Cuban medical missions abroad are one of the

.

And deserting doctors regularly denounce their working conditions.

A complaint was also lodged in May 2019 before the International Criminal Court by human rights organizations including the NGO

based in Madrid. 

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• Cuba

• France

• Coronavirus

• Health and medicine

• Martinique