Pacific Magazine reports 10 replacement doctors have arrived in Kiribati’s national capital Tarawa, joining five who have stayed on from the previous lot who have left the country at the completion of their two-year contracts.
The presence of the Cuban doctors is helping to meet people people’s medical needs, as there’s an acute of doctors shortage in Kiribati, said Director of Public Health Dr Airam Metai.
“The Ministry of Health and Medical Services needs more specialized doctors for the National Nawerewere Referral Hospital and for the new referral hospital for the South Islands, near completion on Tabiteuea North,” he said.
He adds that amongst the new arrivals are specialists in pediatrics, gynecology, surgery, anesthesiology, orthopedics and general medicine.
“This medical assistance from Cuba will cease when I-Kiribati trained doctors currently undergoing studies in Cuba qualified,” he said.
