The Ministry of Health and Wellness held a ‘thank-you’ reception, Tuesday, July 26, 2022 at SuperClubs Breezes for nurses of the Republic of Cuba.

Minister of Health and Wellness the Hon. Dr. Michael Darville thanked the nurses on behalf of the Prime Minister and Minister of Finance the Hon. Philip Davis, and the people of The Bahamas.

Minister Darville thanked the nation of Cuba for its cooperation, and the families of the nurses for allowing the nurses the time away to assist The Bahamas: he  recognized Cuban Ambassador His Excellency Julio Cesar Gonzalez Marchante, expressing sincere appreciation to the Republic of Cuba for joining hands with The Bahamas to fill a critical need in the fight against the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.

He especially conveyed gratitude to the 50 nurses who participated in this program to assist the Bahamas against the ravages of the disease, which have globally encompassed death, long-term illness, challenged hospital services, and devastation to economies and social welfare.

In early January of this year, the minister and officials of the Ministry of Health and Wellness and the Public Hospitals Authority embarked on a trip to the Republic of Cuba to identify nurses who would be able to assist The Bahamas with addressing the serious nursing staff deficit in the face of what was the fourth wave of the COVID-19 crisis.

He traveled with the health officials to ensure that the vetting process and due diligence for their labour in The Bahamas was facilitated. In the end, 50 nurses were onboarded.  The first tranche of 42 nurses, came on January 24th this year and the second group of eight came on January 31st, seven days later.

The nurses, who were all pandemic-trained, were assigned for a period to specialty areas in the Princess Margaret Hospital. The areas included A&E, the Intensive Care Unit, Private Services, the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Medical Area inclusive of the Special Pathogen Unit and the Dialysis Unit, providing much relief to already strained areas of the hospital, at a time health care providers experienced internal crisis.  For the assistance rendered by the Cuban Government, the minister extended deepest gratitude on behalf of the prime minister and the people of The Bahamas.