Key facts
- Calabria, Italy's poorest region, employs over 200 Cuban doctors to staff its hospitals.
- The US has exerted pressure on Italy to terminate Cuba's medical missions, citing concerns over human trafficking and the Cuban government's financial gain.
- Calabria's regional president, Roberto Occhiuto, has stated the region cannot afford to lose the Cuban doctors and intends to keep them in their posts.
- Cuban doctors working in Calabria acknowledge sending a portion of their salaries back to Cuba voluntarily, citing the country's economic situation.
- Some Cuban doctors have sought to work independently within Italy's healthcare system.
- Other nations, including Jamaica and Honduras, have recently ended medical cooperation agreements with Cuba.
Calabria, Italy's poorest region, is continuing its reliance on Cuban doctors for its strained healthcare system, defying pressure from the United States to end the medical missions. The US has accused Cuba's international medical programs of being a form of human trafficking and a revenue-generating scheme for the socialist government.
Despite political differences, Calabria's president, Roberto Occhiuto, has stated that the region cannot afford to lose the Cuban medical professionals, who are crucial for maintaining hospital operations. Over 200 Cuban doctors are currently working in remote hospitals across Calabria, filling critical staffing gaps that have led to the closure of some hospital departments. Francesco Moschella, chief physician at Polistena hospital, described the situation before the Cuban doctors' arrival in January 2023 as a "disaster."
US officials, including the US head of mission to Cuba, Mike Hammer, have visited Calabria to pressure local authorities. However, Occhiuto has reiterated his need to keep hospitals open and retain the Cuban doctors. He mentioned that while his government is working on incentives to attract Italian doctors back to the region, the immediate need for healthcare workers is being met by the Cuban contingent.
Cuban doctors working in Italy acknowledge that they send a significant portion of their salaries back to their government, describing it as a voluntary contribution to their home country, which trained and educated them. They reject characterizations of modern-day slavery, expressing pride in their work and their contribution. Some Cuban doctors have also begun applying to work independently within Italy's healthcare system.
Italy is not the only country facing US pressure regarding Cuban medical missions. Jamaica recently ended its 50-year medical cooperation agreement, affecting nearly 300 healthcare workers, and Honduras expelled over 150 Cuban medical staff in the same month.