Top things to know
- The BVI government has decided to continue its medical services agreement with Cuba.
- BVIHSA CEO Dr June Samuel confirmed no termination directive has been issued.
- The decision comes despite reported external pressure to end such partnerships.
- The number of Cuban medical professionals in the BVI is concurrently decreasing, with four set to leave this year.
The British Virgin Islands government has confirmed it will continue its long-standing agreement with Cuban Medical Services, resisting external pressure to terminate the arrangement. The assurance was given by BVI Health Services Authority (BVIHSA) CEO Dr June Samuel, who stated no directive has been issued to end the programme which supplies crucial healthcare professionals to the territory.Dr Samuel, responding to inquiries, explicitly confirmed the maintenance of the existing contractual arrangement. "The Virgin Islands currently maintains an existing contractual arrangement with the Cuban Medical Services. At this time, there has been no directive issued to terminate this agreement," she said. This position comes amid reported pressure from the United States for Caribbean and Latin American nations to scale back or end such partnerships.However, the programme's presence in the territory is simultaneously undergoing a gradual reduction. Officials indicated that the contingent of Cuban medical professionals is shrinking, with one doctor and three nurses scheduled to depart the BVI this year. This decline points to a natural attrition or planned drawdown within the ongoing framework of the agreement.The continuation of the Cuban medical deal underscores its perceived importance to the BVI's public health system, particularly at the Dr D Orlando Smith Hospital in Road Town. The decision highlights the territory's autonomy in managing its international health partnerships amidst broader geopolitical tensions influencing regional diplomacy.