By Thys Khiba – North West Health MEC Madoda Sambatha and government officials hosted a send off ceremony for 20 prospective students selected to study medicine in Cuba on Friday.
Madoda confirmed the Nelson Mandela Fidel Castro Medical Training Programme continues to give South African, North West province students an opportunity to go and study medicine in Cuba.
Recently, speaking at the graduation ceremony of the South African medical students graduating from Cuban universities,Minister of Health Dr Joe Phaahla said South Africans will forever remember and uphold the place and distinguished role of the Cuban people in the global map and international affairs.
“We will forever be reminded by these young people who are gathered here today and celebrating their academic achievements that their alma mater is a university in Cuba,” said Phaahla.
Meanwhile, it has been reported that students from the province studying Medicine in Cuba were set to head back home in the middle of the controversy surrounding their living conditions.
Departmental spokesperson Tebogo Lekgethwane confirmed the department was aware of 50 students from North West who were living in questionable conditions.
Lekgethwane said this led to the country running short of essential supplies.
“Islanders have to wait in long queues to get their normal supplies, such as foodstuffs. This affects our students as well, as they are part of the Cuban community. European banks used by South Africa to wire funds to Cuba have become reluctant to continue serving Cuba as their relations with the United States are jeopardised.
The South African Embassy in Cuba and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) are, however, finding other ways of transferring money to Cuba and that is promising, as an account has been opened with a local bank,” said Lekgethwane.
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