Cuban help does not come cheap, plus 5 highlights from ‘Vrye Weekblad’

The Cuban medical brigade, that is costing SA R440m while local doctors are sitting at home, were all quarantined before coming to the country.

They were tested for the virus upon arrival and were moved to the Sierra Burgers Park Hotel in Pretoria for their local quarantine.

A reliable source told Vrye Weekblad this week that 23 of the 217 Cuban medical experts have tested positive for Sars-CoV-2.

Medical experts are one of Cuba’s most lucrative export products. According to news magazine Time they bring in about $11bn per year for the country. Currently, more than 50,000 Cuban doctors are working in 67 countries, and specifically for the Covid-19 pandemic, they have been deployed to 23 countries.

The salaries they earn in foreign countries are not completely their own. According to reports, the Cuban government takes 60% to 90% of it.

Why do they do the work then? Because it is still better pay than the $30 per month that other Cubans earn.