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24 May 2012

South Africa's public health system is set to receive a major human resources boost when health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi will sign a collaboration agreement with his Cuban counterpart Dr Roberto Morales Ojela in Pretoria tomorrow.

The agreement builds on the cooperation that has been existing in the health sector between the two countries, allowing South Africa to send students coming from disadvantaged backgrounds to study medicine in Cuba among others.

Through this cooperation, a number of hospitals throughout the country especially in outlying rural areas have benefitted through the active recruitment of medical doctors and specialists from the Latin American country.

The agreement to be signed in Pretoria will enable South Africa to increase the number of students it sends to Cuba for training while also increasing its recruitment of doctors and specialists from that country.

Soon after the signing tomorrow, officials from the Health Professions Council of South Africa a statutory body regulating doctor standards - are expected to travel to Cuba to conduct interviews on 208 doctors and specialists earmarked for recruitment into the country. On the other hand, South Africa will increase the number of students it sends to Cuba for training to about 1 000.

Members of the media are invited to attend the signing tomorrow and interact with the two ministers around the agreement, its benefit to South Africa and the quality of training students receive in Cuba.

Date: 25 May 2012
Time: 12h00
Venue: Impilo Boardroom, Civitas Building, Cnr Thabo Sehume (formerly Andries) and Struben Streets, Pretoria.

Issued by: Department of Health
24 May 2012

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