NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO. 2246
DATE OF PUBLICATION IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: 13 NOVEMBER 2009
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO. 28)
Ms E More (DA) to ask the Minister of Health:
(1) Whether there is an agreement with any country for the training of
doctors; if so, (a) which country, (b) when did the agreement come
into effect, (c) how many students have (i) commenced studying in
respect of each year since the start of the agreement and (ii) have
graduated, (d) at which institutions do they get taught and (e) in
which language;
(2) whether any restrictions are placed on the students with regard to
(a) freedom of movement or (b) any other human rights within the
country of training; if so, what are the relevant details;
(3) (a) what is the cost of training for each doctor and (b) who is
paying for the training in each case?
NW2955E
REPLY:
(1) Existence of the Health Cooperation Agreement with the Republic of
Cuba to train doctors
a) The Ministry of Health currently has a Health Cooperation
Agreement with the Republic of Cuba to train South African
medical students to attain medical degrees.
b) (i) The Health Cooperation Agreement between the
Ministry of Health (SA) and the Cuban Ministry of Public
Health was signed in the year 1996. The Agreement provided
for the Cuban Ministry of Public Health to train South
African medical students in Cuba for a full six year
medical degree. The Agreement also provided for twelve
months of Spanish tuition prior to the commencement of
medical studies. The medical students were therefore
expected to spend seven years in Cuba before coming back
to South Africa as qualified doctors.
(ii) The Agreement was revised in October 2001 to allow the
medical students to return to South Africa after completion
of the fifth year of training in Cuba to do final clinical
training in local Medical Schools.
iii) The reasons and benefits for revising the Cooperation
Agreement were as follows:
⢠Familiarise with South African Health System
including disease profile and management of the
workload, trauma, etc.
⢠Integration in the SA Medical Education System
including assessment thereof with local counterparts;
and
⢠Registration with Health Professionâs Council of
South Africa without foreign qualification assessment
(c) (i) The total number of medical students recruited in the
Programme since inception 1997 â 2009 is 624.
(ii) The total number of qualified medical doctors is 221 as at
18 November 2009.
d) The medical students undergo a twelve months Spanish tuition in
Cuba at Saqua La Grande - the language institution. They are
then divided between three medical schools namely; Santa Clara,
Sancti Spritus and Cienfuegos. When they return to South Africa
for final clinical training, they are allocated to all local
medical schools except the University of Free State. The
University of Free State has not been hosting the medical
students since 2006 due to transitional challenges that students
experienced at the University.
e) The students are taught in Spanish language for the first five
years of medical training in Cuba and in English in South
African Medical schools during final clinical training in South
Africa.
(2) (a) No, students are free to visit one another between the four
academic institutions namely; Saqua La Grande, Santa Clara,
Sancti Spritus and Cienfuegos in Cuba. They are also allowed to
participate in the South African National activities organised
by the South African Embassy. The same applies when they are
back in South Africa.
(b) None that has been reported to the Department of Health through
the South African Embassy in Cuba.
(3) Costs of training per medical student in South Africa and in Cuba for
a full medical degree:
(a) (i) Total costs of training medical doctors through this
programme in Cuba is R419 478.00. The amount covers tuition
fees, books accommodation, meals, transport between South
Africa and Cuba and allowance for six years.
(ii) The amount paid in South Africa during final clinical year
depends on the medical school that students are allocated
to for final year. Example of the fees paid for a medical
student at the University of Cape Town per annum is
R86.129.00. The amount covers registration, tuition, books,
accommodation and meals.
(b) Provincial Departments of Health are responsible for the costs
incurred in training medical doctors recruited through the
Training Programme
END.