Mexican physician Francisco Moreno, who previously served as the head of medicine at the renowned ABC Medical Center in Mexico City, publicly criticized his government on Monday for hiring Cuban doctors without verifying their quality and training.
During a broadcast on the television network El Financiero, Moreno denounced that the Mexican government hired Cuban doctors without considering "the equivalence of their studies," warning that it is also unknown "what their true capability is."
However, he emphasized that, paradoxically, Mexican doctors are required to provide a large number of documents to practice their profession, while the Cuban doctors are not asked for anything.
"They are receiving doctors who, according to a completely dictatorial government, are capable of working or attending to the population," said Moreno, who blamed President Andrés Manuel López Obrador for placing the health of the people in the hands of professionals whose academic knowledge is unknown.
In contrast, the country has unemployed professionals because they lack opportunities to practice, Moreno highlighted during the interview with El Financiero. He pointed out that Mexican doctors do not want to work in remote areas due to security issues.
Furthermore, he denounced that the high salary received by Cuban professionals "seems more like funding the dictatorship" and that it is also much higher than what Mexican doctors earn.
"It’s a slap in the face to the medical community," said Moreno, explaining that local doctors faced the crisis caused by COVID-19, with Mexico being the country that lost the most healthcare personnel during the pandemic.
"And this is how the government thanks us," the professional remarked, alluding to the Mexican government's announcement of hiring Cuban doctors.
Recently, opposition presidential candidate Xóchitl Gálvez declared that she would end the hiring of Cuban doctors if she wins the upcoming June 2 elections.
"In my administration, we will not continue to rely on Cuban doctors. In Mexico, we have great capacity and medical talent," Gálvez emphasized in several posts on her official X social media account.
She denounced that "the hiring of Cuban doctors has only served to conceal the funding of an authoritarian regime" by governments like that of Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
Last April, the Honduran Medical College (CMH) made a public statement regarding the work of Cuban doctors in the country, firmly rejecting their professional activities because they do not meet legal requirements.
Samuel Santos, president of the CMH, stated that the entity does not endorse the work of this brigade as they fail to meet three aspects: temporality, proper documentation, and free service, reported local media La Tribuna.
Key Concerns about the Hiring of Cuban Physicians
Here are some frequently asked questions and answers that delve deeper into the issues surrounding the hiring of Cuban doctors by the Mexican government.
Why did Francisco Moreno criticize the hiring of Cuban doctors?
Francisco Moreno criticized the hiring of Cuban doctors because the Mexican government did not verify their quality and training, and he highlighted the lack of equivalence in their studies.
What are the main issues Mexican doctors face according to Moreno?
Moreno pointed out that Mexican doctors face stringent documentation requirements and security concerns in remote areas, and they receive lower salaries compared to Cuban doctors.
What stance has Xóchitl Gálvez taken on the issue?
Opposition candidate Xóchitl Gálvez has declared that she will end the hiring of Cuban doctors if elected, emphasizing that Mexico has sufficient medical capacity and talent.