Cuban doctors may get ‘thunder’

A senior Health Ministry official said the Ministry expected some Trinidad doctors to “give thunder” to the Cubans recruited to work in the health sector. He was responding to a question on whether he received any complaints of bad treatment from the Cuban doctors and nurses working at the Chaguanas Health Centre. Although the Ministry has not received any adverse reports, the official in a telephone interview last week said he expected some resistance from local doctors in “certain places” but added “that is a minority.” He assured that once the Cubans are on the job they are workers like anyone else.

“We don’t shield Trinidad workers,” he said. However, while working here they are not to become involved in trade union activities or the political affairs of TT. This was one of the terms in the agreement with the Cuban government. Questioned about local doctors showing opposition to the Cubans because of the Medical Professionals Association’s stance on their recruitment, MPATT vice president Dr Lakhan Roop said: “We are not questioning the doctors themselves but the process under which they are being allowed to practise in TT. The Medical Board was bypassed and the Panel to deal with shortages was used.” Roop said MPATT never advised its members to take an “adversarial approach” to the Cuban doctors. He stressed that junior doctors should not be expected to supervise Cuban doctors who are on the same level, and in some cases older than them. He said it is the responsibility of the senior doctor to supervise. Roop said MPATT is making a fuss about the Cubans because it is trying to ensure proper standards of health care is maintained.