Cuban doctors arrive in SA to assist in Covid-19 fight

This follows a request by the South African government for assistance and medical personnel support to support the country in its efforts to deal with the spread of the coronavirus. 

"Cuba is known for its disaster preparedness and its consistent deployment of medical brigades for disaster relief wherever required", says Health Minister, Zweli Mkhize.

"Some of these highly skilled health professionals were in the frontline of fighting other outbreaks in the world such as Cholera in Haiti in 2010, and Ebola in West Africa in 2013.

The delegation consists of experts in the fields of epidemiology, biostatistics, and public health; family physicians; healthcare technology; and experts to provide technical assistance working with local experts.

Mkhize confirmed that before they departed from Cuba, the medical team had been placed in quarantine to ensure minimal risk of exposure prior to their arrival in South Africa.

"As South Africa, we have taken an additional step which is in line with our lockdown regulations. This team will be put in precautionary quarantine as they await their test results", says Mkhize.

"We will also use this period to fully induct them into the South African situational analysis and the various provinces they will be deployed to. 

"Once this process is concluded, President Cyril Ramaphosa together with other Ministers will formally welcome the medical brigade to South Africa and also confirm their allocation to different provinces. 

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