Daily News Online

GABORONE - A group of Cuban health professionals recently met with Ministry of Health acting permanent secretary Patson Mazonde before being deployed to various stations around Botswana.

Dr Mazonde urged the 45 Cubans to help improve the health care delivery system, as Havana was well known for its good health care.

He urged them to work as a team with other health professionals they find at their respective stations.

“Don’t do anything that will make people look down on your profession, or Cuba,” stressed Mazonde as he reminded them that they were also here as ambassadors for their country.

He said they should be open and speak out if they felt there was room for improvement in service delivery.

Mazonde said though they might have problems with the English language, Batswana were understanding people and “a smile is a universal language”.

Department of Hospital Services assistant director Daisy Mosiieman said that this deployment “comes after President Festus Mogae requested help in the fight against HIV/AIDS from Cuban President Fidel Castro”.

Twenty-seven of the Cubans are part of the 100 volunteer-technical group that has a two-year contract while 18 replace the regular group on a three-year contract.

Such an arrangement has been in place since 1989. The Cubans have been deployed to stations in Francistown, Serowe, Maun and Gaborone. BOPA  

Good question Waldo, however, that is not how Mr. Bush plans to spend his political capital.