The Government of South Africa is coordinating the shipment of food and basic necessities to South African medical students in Cuba. South Africans have been complaining for months about “appalling conditions” after the start of the so-called Ordinance Task, the local newspaper reported The South African.
According to the source, “the Nelson Mandela-Fidel Castro medical collaboration program has not gone as planned, and that is to put it mildly.”
Although South African students study Medicine in Cuba on a full scholarship, “their dream (…) has become a nightmare.” for “the doubling of food prices in the socialist country, the terrible living conditions and the lack of access to sanitary ware,” he noted The South African.
South African medical students in Cuba denounced the situation on the island as terrible after economic reforms and sent a call for help to Health Minister Zweli Mkhize about his plight. inform The citizen.
“Your complaints range from the lack of food, the terrible living conditions and the inadequate stipends that have left them almost in poverty“While the country’s economic reforms have caused such a severe shortage that some do not even have access to basic necessities such as sanitary towels,” the source said. South African students complain of the shortage in Cuba since 2020.
Although those affected called on the South African government to increase stipends, the ruling party’s response, the African National Congress (ACN), was proposing to parents of students to “fill suitcases” with food and items to send to Cuba on a military flight.
The ACN’s initiative was criticized by the Democratic Alliance Party (DA).
Deputy Haseena Ismael said “these students come largely from poor and disadvantaged backgrounds. Many come from poor families who would not have the funds to fill a 23-kilogram suitcase for their children, who desperately need these items. This request is therefore unfair and apparently an attempt by the Government to divert responsibility from itself. ”
“Instead of spending more money on a program that does not adequately prepare medical students for South African realities, perhaps the Government should use that money to invest in more and better home medical institutions,” he added. According to a study published in 2020, South African universities consider medical students trained in Cuba “incompetent”.
The South African reviewed that treatment of South African medical students in Cuba “is a long way from the ‘red carpet’ service given to Cuban doctors in South Africa. Hundreds of Cuban doctors were greeted with open arms last year when they arrived to help the government fight the Covid-19 pandemic.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is one of those who nominated Cuban doctors for the Nobel Peace Prize. “I wish to acknowledge in particular the selfless and indestructible help of the Government and people of Cuba. In recognition of this effort, the Cabinet approved a proposal to nominate the Cuban medical brigade to the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize,” he said. in February.
According to local media, the South African government paid nearly $ 14.4 million for doctors sent by the Havana regime.