Cuban conundrum: Gauteng slammed for paying 28 doctors R32.5 million
The Gauteng Department of Health has been slammed for forking out R32.5 million to 28 Cuban doctors deployed in the province to help battle the coronavirus pandemic. According to the department, the payment included remuneration, accommodation and transport.
Provincial health MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi disclosed the cost of the doctors in a written reply to questions from the Democratic Alliance’s (DA) Shadow MEC for Health, Jack Bloom.
‘WASTEFUL AND MISDIRECTED SPENDING,’ SAYS BLOOM
The Cuban doctors were employed in South Africa between 15 May 2020 and 30 May 2021 and they worked as advisors, health data specialists, public health specialists, consultants, and other roles. Their salaries for the year ranged from R858 000 for a Biostatistician to R1.58 million for a specialised Medical Doctor, according to Bloom.
The Cuban doctors were reportedly paid with funds taken from a grant meant to serve HIV/AIDS patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Bloom said this “is surely irregular” and stated that it seems like Gauteng was “forced to fit in with the nationally imposed decision to use Cuban doctors even though no local need was identified.”
“I doubt whether these doctors did anything that local doctors could not have done more cost-effectively,” said Bloom. “It is yet another example of the ANC’s Cuba obsession that diverts money that should be used to save lives of patients in our crumbling hospitals.”
CUBAN DOCTORS PART OF A GOVERNMENT AGREEMENT
Mokgethi said the Cuban doctors were employed as a result of a government to government agreement between South Africa and Cuban to fight the COVID-19 agreement.
President Cyril Ramaphosa – and other government officials – staunchly defended the use of the Cubans, against mounting criticism, as part of the country’s battle against COVID-19, earlier in the pandemic.
“Cuba is known for having the best health outcomes and their experiences in prevention and health promotion areas, their efforts were, therefore, to assist in the fight against COVID-19, sharing best practices and experiences from their own country,” said Gauteng Health Department spokesperson, Kwara Kekana
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