The Ministry of Health notes, with concern, the misinformation that has been placed in the public domain as it relates to the employment of nursing practitioners from Cuba in the Trinidad and Tobago public Health system.
As indicated by the Honourable Terrence Deyalsingh, Minister of Health, the Ministry is taking steps, in the first instance, to source specialist nurses from the local professional pool.
Members of the public are asked to note that, while there is a documented need for over eight hundred (800) additional nurses in the public health sector, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago has no intention of sourcing all of these nurses from Cuba. Consideration is only being given to employing nurses from Cuba, within specialty areas, if there is a lack of appropriately skilled local professionals.
Some of the specialist nursing areas include:
- Cardiac surgery
- Neonatology
- Surgical Opthalmology
- Oncology
- Intensive Care
- Renal/Haemodialysis
Foreign recruitment is meant to be a short to medium term complement to the other initiatives being undertaken to ensure that a cadre of workers is available within the health system. The Ministry of Health will continue to make strategic decisions which facilitate the provision of optimum health services to the people of Trinidad and Tobago.