Barbados could see Cuban doctors and nurses here assisting in the battle against novel coronavirus (COVID-19), if the need arises.
Leader of Government Business in the Senate Dr Jerome Walcott disclosed earlier today he was “talking” in this regard with Cuban Ambassador Sergio Jorge Pastrana, “trying to work out” how many Cuban doctors and nurses would be needed to augment Barbados’ human resources.
Leading off debate on the Appropriation Bill in the Senate this morning, Walcott said “while some people in Barbados may have an aversion to the idea of a Cuban-trained doctor, the reality is that they have been doing yeoman service globally”.
The former Minister of Health, commenting on the Bill in his capacity as Minister of Foreign Affairs, pointed out there were currently Cuban doctors “in Italy, in Central America and even in China”.
He added Cuba had also sent doctors to the Caribbean Community countries Jamaica, St Vincent, Dominica and St Lucia to assist them in dealing with the pandemic. (GC)
