Cuban Medical Support Continues, Numbers Decline
The British Virgin Islands will keep its contractual arrangement with Cuban Medical Services, the BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA) says, though the programme’s presence in the territory is shrinking. One Cuban doctor and three nurses are scheduled to leave this year and will not be replaced; three Cuban doctors and four nurses will remain while the Authority assesses long-term staffing needs.
The British Virgin Islands will maintain its agreement with Cuban Medical Services for now, but the programme’s footprint in the territory is being reduced, the BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA) has confirmed. BVIHSA Chief Executive Officer Dr June Samuel told BVI News that "The Virgin Islands currently maintains an existing contractual arrangement with the Cuban Medical Services.
At this time, there has been no directive issued to terminate this agreement." She added the Authority is continuing to assess staffing needs as part of broader workforce planning to ensure continuity of quality healthcare services. However, Dr Samuel said one Cuban doctor and three Cuban nurses who are scheduled to leave as part of the programme’s routine rotation this year will not be replaced.
After those departures, three Cuban doctors and four Cuban nurses will remain working in the BVI health system. The Authority is not actively recruiting additional personnel through the Cuban programme at this time. The statement comes as several governments across the Caribbean and Latin America have scaled back or ended their participation in Cuba’s overseas medical missions.
Jamaica, Guyana and The Bahamas have recently cancelled their programmes, while Panama has taken steps to distance itself from the arrangement. Those moves have been influenced by pressure from the United States and renewed scrutiny, dating back to the Trump administration, over labour conditions and the contractual structure of the missions.
Cuba’s medical programme has long supplied doctors and nurses to smaller and developing nations that face shortages, while the Cuban government derives income from the salaries paid for those deployments. For BVI residents, the change means a slightly smaller complement of foreign medical staff working alongside local clinicians at facilities such as the Dr D.
BVIHSA officials say workforce planning will focus on ensuring uninterrupted care, which may include recruiting locally, bolstering training and retention efforts, and adjusting service models to meet demand. Health authorities have pledged to keep the public informed about staffing changes and any potential impacts on service delivery.
As regional governments reassess their ties to Cuba’s medical programme, the BVI’s approach for now is cautious: retain the existing contract, absorb a modest reduction in overseas staff, and continue evaluating long-term staffing strategies to protect healthcare access for residents.
Primary source: BVI News