A team of Cuban health specialists has arrived in South Africa to assist officials in stemming the spread of the coronavirus.

They have landed on South African soil in a quest to help fight the spread of COVID-19.

The island nation boasts a strong health care system and many students from Africa study medicine in Cuba.

Cuba is known for its disaster preparedness and its consistent deployment of medical brigades for disaster relief wherever required, which continues to earn Havana goodwill worldwide.

Some of these highly skilled health professionals were in the frontline of fighting other outbreaks in the world such as cholera in Haiti in 2010, and Ebola in West Africa in 2013.

Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize said “Before departure from Cuba, the medical brigade had been placed in quarantine to ensure that they minimise any form of exposure prior to coming to South Africa. This is despite the fact that Cuba is one of the countries where the reported COVID-19 infection rate remains minimal.” 

This team will be put in precautionary quarantine as they await their test results. We will also use this period to fully induct them into the South African situational analysis and the various provinces they will be deployed to.

“Once this process is concluded, President Cyril Ramaphosa, together with other Ministers, will formally welcome the medical brigade to South Africa and also confirm their allocation to different provinces,” the Minister said.

Mkhize has expressed appreciation to the Ambassador of Cuba, R B Version and his team in South Africa, who have greatly assisted in the coordination of this mission.

“We have no doubt our public health facilities will benefit from this generous and selfless gesture by our Cuban brethren,” he said.

Cuban Health Specialists arrive in South Africa to support efforts to curb the spread of COVID-19. pic.twitter.com/jxPVIHI0VJ

— Department of Health: COVID-19 (@COVID_19_ZA) April 26, 2020