February 2, 2021
Barbados’ CARICOM Ambassador David Comissiong is challenging “hypocritical” policies and “hostile” attitudes that hinder Barbadian doctors trained in Cuba from practicing here.
Under existing policies, Cuban-trained doctors are required to sit additional exams before being cleared to practice medicine here since their training does not reach the threshold accepted by the Barbados Medical Council.
The challenges are said to be particularly apparent as scores of Cuban healthcare workers tackle Barbados’ COVID-19 outbreak while Barbadians, also trained in Cuba are denied.
Comissiong says while the expertise of rookie doctors cannot be compared with that of Cuba’s Medical Brigade, there is no excuse for the difficulties young doctors are facing. In fact, the ambassador, who has been working with Cuba’s scholarship programme from the early 1990s, believes some “influential doctors” continue to promote the undesirable policies.