This hand out photo taken and released by DIRCO on April 27, 2020, shows Cuban Health Specialists arriving at the Waterkloof Air Force Base in Pretoria, South Africa, to support efforts to curb the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Jacoline Schoonees / DIRCO / AFP.
South Africa has welcomed over 200 Cuban doctors and health workers has part of efforts to combat the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
The Cuban doctors and health workers who arrived the country on Monday was met by a group of South African ministers as they landed in the early hours of the morning.
It will be recalled that South Africa has the highest number of coronavirus cases on the African continent with 4,546 infections, of which 87 have been fatal.
According to the presidency, 217 Cuban health specialists and workers have arrived in South Africa today… to assist with the fight to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The presidency in its statement added that they include epidemiology and public health experts, family physicians and healthcare technology engineers.
It was gathered that South Africa is in the final days of a strict nationwide lockdown that will be gradually eased from May 1.
It was further gathered that the Cuban family physicians will help with a mass door-to-door screening and testing campaign launched at the beginning of April.
According to reports, over 168,000 people have been tested so far, including more than 13,500 in South Africa’s most populous province Gauteng where the majority of cases have been recorded.
South Africa is the second country in the region to receive medical support from Cuba.
More than 250 Cuban doctors were sent to Angola earlier this month to help authorities combat the spread of COVID-19. Angola has recorded 25 coronavirus cases, including 2 deaths.
AFP
