by LUCIANO MARTINS COSTA
Brazil’s newspapers were surprised by the Brazilian government’s decision to import 4000 doctors from Cuba to fill critical positions in places where there is no public or private health care. The first 400 should arrive next week and will be sent to cities or neighborhoods for which Brazilian or foreign doctors didn’t show any interest in the first phase of the More Doctors program enrollment.
Eighty four percent of the those places are in the North and Northeast of the country. The media tells us that, 3,511 municipalities enrolled in the program, showing an offer of 15,460 jobs. Only 15% of this total had been filled by August 21.
Each physician hired will cost the government 10,000 reais (US$ 4,200) in monthly wages, plus the costs of moving and payment of housing and food.
The deal for the hiring of Cuban doctors was made by the Brazilian government through the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), which has an agreement with the governments of several countries, including Cuba, to face emergencies and critical shortage.
Eighty four percent of the professionals who come from Cuba have over 16 years of experience, 30% are post-graduates, many worked in countries where Portuguese is spoken mainly in Africa and all are experts in family health.
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