The department of health in the Northern Cape says they have bid farewell to 10 young candidates who will study medicin in Cuba. The department says, this is opportunity is made possible though the Mandela-Castro Medical Collaboration Programme. The department says, this year’s intake of medical students is in-line with the commitment made by Health MEC, Maruping Lekwene during the 2023/2024 Departmental Budget Speech towards the realisation of strengthening human resource capacity in public health care facilities across the province. According to the department, this collaboration is based on the 1996 bilateral agreement signed between the Republic of South Africa and the Republic of Cuba. Since the inception of this programme in 2000 up to date and has produced 149 doctors for Northern Cape. The department says these doctors are spread across the five municipal districts to alleviate the shortage of medical personnel in order to improve health care service delivery.

Journalist: Asathaba Grootboom
Email: asathabagrootboom2018@gmail.com