Twenty-eight Cuban health specialists will be deployed in the Western Cape.
The Cuban brigade was welcomed by Health MEC Dr Nomafrench Mbombo at the provincial offices yesterday afternoon.
The brigade are experts in epidemiology, biostatistics, and public health, as well as family physicians, health care technology engineers and others who will provide technical assistance.
The team of 217 Cuban medical doctors arrived in South Africa last month to bolster local healthcare workers in their efforts to flatten the infection curve.
The group was immediately quarantined in Pretoria, in line with the standard protocol for those entering the country.
The Cuban doctors assigned to the Western Cape will undergo orientation today and will hit the ground running on Tuesday, Mbombo said.
Dr Pedro Manuel Perez Armas assured everyone that they are not here “to take over” from local health experts: “We are here to provide assistance and do whatever is necessary.
“We are not here to replace anyone, but want to work with the health workers.”
Mbombo said: “They will work closely with our teams in the district levels for example in the Khayelitsha, Atlantis, especially those who are family physicians because that is their strength. For those who are epidemiology specialists, they could assist us zooming into the modelling because the virus impacts differently.”
The Western Cape has become the epicentre of Covid-19 in South Africa.
As of 1pm on Sunday the province had 6719 active cases, with a total of 13 969 confirmed cases and 6950 recoveries.
Three hundred people have lost their lives.
velani.ludidi@inl.co.za