Cuba to assist with nurse shortage

Cuba to assist with nurse shortage
published: Saturday | May 10, 2008

Ninety-one Cuban health-care workers are to arrive in Jamaica by
September to ease the shortage of nurses and other professionals at
public facilities across the island.

Health and Environment Minister Rudy Spencer made the disclosure
yesterday following discussions with Cuban officials during a visit to
the country earlier this week.

Speaking at a press conference at the Ministry of Health and
Environment, downtown Kingston head offices, Spencer said 16 Cuban
nurses have already arrived in Jamaica. He said four are trained in
haemodyalisis while 12 are also trained teachers with more than five
years' experience.

Several hospitals

Spencer said the 16 nurses would be placed at the Bustamante Hospital
for Children, the Spanish Town, Mandeville Regional, May Pen and
Savanna-la-Mar hospitals.

He also indicated that 34 nurses would arrive in July. Between July and
September, a further 39 Cuban specialists will arrive for the North
Eastern Regional Health Authority. The health minister said that batch
would include five doctors, three biomedical engineers and four pharmacists.

In March, Spencer said an additional 1,562 health-care workers were
needed to fill the shortage in public facilities.

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