An international spotlight has turned to Cuba’s long-running program of exporting medical professionals, after reports raised concerns about labor exploitation affecting thousands of doctors sent abroad. According to the findings, Cuban physicians have been deployed to more than 165 countries as part of a state-organized system that has for decades positioned medical diplomacy as one of the island’s key sources of foreign revenue and international influence.
Cuba’s government has historically sent health workers to underserved regions in Latin America, Africa, and Asia, often in exchange for payments from host governments or international organizations such as the World Health Organization. While officials in Havana have long portrayed the program as an act of humanitarian solidarity, critics—including human rights organizations and the U.S. State Department—have repeatedly alleged that participating doctors face restricted freedoms, confiscated passports, and wages far below what host countries actually pay for their services, with much of the compensation instead going to the Cuban state.
The renewed attention suggests mounting international pressure on the mechanisms behind these medical missions, reigniting a debate over whether the program represents legitimate international cooperation or a modern form of state-sponsored labor exploitation.
Read the full original report at eluniversal.com.mx for more details.