The first group of ni-Vanuatu medical students at the Havana’s Latin America Medical School (ELAM) in Cuba have graduated as doctors in medicine and are returning home next month.
Randy Vagaha and Tanyia Ann Binihi from Pentecost; Thompson Langoa, Ryan Lulu and Michelle Raymond from Efate; Richie Ala and Sylvie Taribiti (Ambae); Niel Titek (Malekula); Linda Kitawi (Tanna); Robinson Atkins (Banks) and Vega Tuen Kauah from Aneityum will contribute in a substantial way in transforming the health system once they return.
Another 2 will graduate later in October increasing the number of 2015 graduates to 14. Currently, there are 25 medical students studying in Cuba.
Vanuatu is in need of doctors. Daily Post understands hospitals everywhere; especially the country’s referral in Port Vila lacks adequate staff, a reason for workers’ endless complaints of over work and unpaid salary.
The arrival of the graduates into the workforce will improve the number of doctor-patient ratios, a crucial element for a safe and effective hospital care.
This year’s graduates spend seven years in studying.
For the first time, the Minsitry of Health (MoH) will be receiving an influx of resources into its workforce, the Director of Curative Services, Dr Hensely Garae said during graduation.
Dr Garae and the Health Analyst at the Prime Minister’s Office, Viran Tovu, attended graduation in Cuba on July 24.
Director Garae applauded the Cuban Government for taking in these young people , educating them and sending them back home as doctors.
The long-running Cuban program of sending doctors to developing countries, and inviting medical students to train in Havana, has been described as Cuba’s most important export commodity.
Cuba provided medical training to students from Oceania: Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, Nauru, Tuvalu and Kiribati as part of its program of medical internationalism.
The Vanuatu-Cuba relationship begun shortly after 1980. The two established diplomatic relations in 1983.
The first 17 ni-Vanuatu medical students went to Cuba in 2008 with all expenses paid by the Cuban Government. Cuba took the second intakes of eight from Vanuatu in 2009.
According to information provided from Cuba, the country maintains the largest health cooperation program in the world with more than 38,000 Cuban health workers in over 74 countries while hosting more than 20,000 students studying medicine in Cuba from 60 countries.
Cuba produces more doctors than any other countries in the world, according to information from Cuba. In the ratio basis of a doctor to a person, Cuba closely matches or surpasses most of the countries in Europe.
Free Health Care is a major achievement for the communist country in the Central America led by Fidel Castro since its revolution.
During the graduation of ni-Vanuatu the government of Cuba, through its exchange program, emphasised it is proud to educate thousands of doctors.
The exchange program maintains the relationship it has with Oceania.
-Vanuatu Daily Post