Cuba to train 40 medical students from Ghana every year

By Vakkas Dogantekin

ANKARA (AA) – Cuba on Thursday announced to train 40 medical student from deprived communities of Ghana, to augment healthcare facilities in the West African country, located along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean.

The proposal put forward by Vice President of Ghana, Mahamudu Bawumia, during his two-day visit to the Caribbean island nation on July 16-17, has been accepted by the Cuban government, according to an independent African news website pulse.com.gh.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel had welcomed Ghana's proposal to identify bright and needy students from the deprived Zongo community in the country, who will undertake medial training in Cuba from next year. An equal number of female students will also travel to Cuba for the medical training.

Bawumia, during his visit, attended the graduation ceremony of 221 newly-trained medical personnel at the University of Medical Sciences in Cuba.

He said the training of doctors and other professionals from poor communities help in their upliftment. “These doctors and professionals from poor communicates also become, role models for other children,” he said. Ghanaian medico, Ahmed Ayebeng Owusu, was adjudged, the best foreign student.

Despite suffering from the U.S. sanctions for decades, Cuba, with a population a little over 11 million, has 80,000 doctors and has carved a niche, across the globe for the quality and affordable healthcare system.