St Vincent to phase out reliance on Cuban doctors over three years, PM Friday says

Prime Minister Dr. Godwin Friday says St Vincent and the Grenadines will begin a three-year phase-out of its reliance on Cuban district medical officers as part of a broader effort to reshape the country’s health sector.

Friday announced the move while delivering the New Democratic Party (NDP) government’s first budget since its election victory on November 27 last year, outlining a new vision centred on self-reliance, staffing reforms and expanded preventative care.

Earlier this month, the United States said it remains committed to holding accountable Cuban officials and foreign governments that facilitate what Washington describes as forced labour linked to Cuba’s overseas medical missions.

“By participating in these programmes, despite known human rights abuses, foreign governments become complicit in the regime’s tactics,” the US said in a statement. “There are alternative methods available for Caribbean nations to recruit foreign medical workers and ethically meet the healthcare needs of their people.”

Friday did not indicate whether the government’s decision to reduce dependence on Cuban doctors is connected to the US position. However, he stressed that strengthening the local health system is a priority.

Delivering a EC$1.9 billion (US$0.37 to EC$1) national budget, Friday told Parliament that healthcare is fundamental to national development and economic growth.

“The health of the nation is the bedrock of productivity, resilience, and national development,” he said. “Access to affordable, high-quality healthcare is not merely a social service; it is a strategic investment in growth.”

The Ministry of Health, Wellness, Environmental Health and Energy has been allocated EC$117.5 million under the budget. Friday said the funding reflects a comprehensive approach that supports public health while strengthening environmental and energy services that affect national wellbeing.

He said the government is implementing a human resources for health plan to better align skills with service demand and address staffing gaps across the sector. Under a policy labelled “Medical Staffing Localization,” the government will begin phasing out Cuban district medical officers.

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“We will begin a three-year phase-out of the reliance on Cuban District Medical Officers, starting with the recruitment of four local medical officers in 2026 to address language barriers and reduce foreign staffing costs,” Friday said. He added that Cuban doctors may be redeployed elsewhere as needed.

The prime minister also warned that the country faces what he described as a “silent epidemic” of non-communicable diseases, citing 2023 Census data showing 12,239 cases of hypertension and 7,039 cases of diabetes nationwide.

“These conditions reduce quality of life, strain families, and place growing pressure on the health system,” he said, noting that hospital visits often reveal complications such as amputations and vision problems linked to diabetes.

Friday said the government will expand preventative care, including introducing screening for breast, cervical, prostate and colon cancers at all primary healthcare centres this year. An additional EC$1 million will be allocated to establish a Patient Support Unit to coordinate overseas radiotherapy and other life-saving treatments.

Plans are also underway to strengthen mental health services and improve geriatric care at the Lewis Punnett Home through updated admission policies and staff training. With support from a EC$6 million grant from Taiwan, the government will implement a comprehensive Health Information System aimed at digitising records and improving data-driven planning and accountability.

“The road ahead is demanding,” Friday said. “But by focusing on stabilisation, localisation, and quality, this government is building a health system that is resilient in crisis, responsive in care, and respectful of every Vincentian.”