The Mais Médicos program run by the Brazilian government seeks to relieve the shortage of doctors and medical treatment in the country. According to the World Health Organization, Brazil has one of the lowest doctors to resident ratios at 1.9 doctors per 1000 residents. Cuban physicians have been involved in efforts to increase access to healthcare in Brazil. Out of the 14,462 doctors working for the program, 11,429 are Cubans. These doctors are working in Brazil under contract with the União (the Brazilian Federal Government) for a three year increments. On January 15th, ACN (a Cuban news source) announced the Brazilian government’s intent to expand the Mas Médicos program.
The doctors practicing in Brazil were notified on January 29th, 2015 that if their family member abroad did not return before February 1st, they would face expulsion from Mais Médicos by the Cuban Ministry of Public Health. Brazil issued valid 36 month visas to the family members of the doctors. The Ministry of Health has decreed that family members cannot legally remain in Brazil.
Initially, it was reported that Dr. Marina de la Torre, the Director for International Cooperation in the Ministry of who organized members of the Cuban medical community for participation stated that they were looking for couples who both practiced medicine, but if a partner was not a doctor there would be no contest with their departure as long as they funded their trip to Brazil.
This information was disseminated to various websites through a letter written by the doctors in Brazil. In the letter, the doctors asked for journalists to publish their stories and raise international and domestic awareness about their hope to remain with their family members in Brazil. The letter mentioned the importance of Cuban doctors to the Cuban economy as a result of this medical partnership and that their commitment to the Cuba should be respected. The Cuban government received $270 million for participation in the program. Additionally, Brazilian exports to Cuba have been increasing following participation in Mais Médicos.
On state supported websites such as the Ministry of Health’s page and Granma there are no mentions of the Mais Médicos program or the Ministry of Health’s demands that spouses return. As Cuba prepares for a change in relations with the United States, international media attention on Cuban affairs has increased significantly. Public information about Cuban involvement in the Mais Médicos program save for the blog posts that released and referenced the letters from the doctors was limited or from 2014.
http://cubanews.cubaverdad.net/2015/02/a-cuban-health-alert/
http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=109009
http://www.cubanet.org/noticias/medicos-cubanos-en-brasil-reciben-amenazas-del-gobierno-de-cuba/
http://qz.com/234561/the-story-behind-cubas-deal-to-send-doctors-to-brazil/
http://www.peoplesworld.org/cuban-medical-professionals-working-around-the-world/
http://peoplesworld.org/cuban-doctors-attend-to-brazil-s-underserved/
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