A local medical professional has sharply criticised the Antigua and Barbuda government and the wider medical community for failing to publicly acknowledge Cuba's decades-long contribution to healthcare in the country, as Cuban personnel prepare to conclude their service here.
Speaking during an interview on Observer Radio's Connecting with Dave, the doctor delivered a pointed rebuke to both officials and his own fraternity, arguing that the imminent departure of Cuban medics has been met with an unacceptable wall of silence from those who should be leading the recognition effort.
The Cuban medical cooperation programme has spanned several decades and has seen Cuban-trained and Cuban-stationed healthcare workers serve communities across Antigua and Barbuda, particularly in areas where local medical resources have historically been stretched.
The doctor's criticism centres on what he describes as a failure of institutional gratitude — a lack of formal, public acknowledgement from the government and medical establishment of the role Cuban personnel have played in shoring up the nation's health system over the years.
As the Cuban medical team prepares to leave the country, the call is growing louder in some quarters for an official recognition of their service before their departure.
