Brazil’s president-elect, Jair Bolsonaro continues to stir up controversy, this time both questioning the qualifications of Cuban Doctors, while angering the Cubas government by questioning how they are treated by them. Although he doesn’t take office until January 1st he has already begun to shape policy and this move which could lead to 8,000 Doctors leaving the country (most of whom work in poor and “no go” areas) will be disastrous for many of Brazils most vulnerable.
Cuba is heavily dependent on health care as a foreign currency earner, most coming from their The “More Doctors” aid programme which is estimated to bring in $11bn a year. So both countries will suffer because of this with most of the Doctors affected working in Brazil’s poorest and remotest regions (where local Doctors often refuse to work). The move could leave millions of Brazil’s poor with little or no health care and Cuba will lose millions of dollars in badly needed export revenue. Hopefully, both sides will see sense and reconsider.
