KINGSTON, Jamaica—Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs says it regrets the decision by the government of Jamaica to discontinue the current arrangement regarding the deployment of medical professionals in the public health sector by the Government of Cuba.

The ministry, in a statement late Friday evening, said Cuba has made the decision to proceed with the return of the Cuban Medical Brigade.

“These health professionals leave behind an indelible mark and return to Cuba with the satisfaction of a duty fulfilled and the permanent willingness to assist wherever their spirit of solidarity is required,” the ministry said.

“Cuba’s work in Jamaica is an eloquent example of genuine cooperation. In the last 30 years alone, more than 4,700 Cuban collaborators have provided medical assistance on the Caribbean island. Currently, the brigade is composed of 277 professionals whose work has had a tangible and profound impact on strengthening the Jamaican health system,” it continued.

Further, the ministry said the Jamaican government “yields to the pressures of the government of the United States, which is not concerned about the health needs of the Caribbean brothers.”

“Cuba deeply regrets that in this way a history of fruitful and sustained collaboration is disregarded, one that has brought countless benefits to the Jamaican people, who are now deprived of receiving the basic and specialised health services that Cuban collaborators provided,” it added.

The ministry said through the Medical Brigade, more than 8,176,000 patients were treated, 74,302 surgical procedures performed, 7,170 births attended and more than 90,000 lives saved.

Likewise, it said through the Operation Miracle programme, present in Jamaica since 2010, the sight of nearly 25,000 Jamaicans has been restored or improved. Cuban cooperation has also been decisive in projects for the control and prevention of diseases such as malaria and in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The most recent example of this dedication was seen after the passage of Hurricane Melissa, which severely affected the island. In those difficult circumstances, the Cuban Medical Brigade remained firmly at their posts, many of its members working for more than 72 consecutive hours and actively joining the tasks of recovering hospitals and communities,” the ministry said.

READ: Gov’t to discontinue current arrangement with Cuba regarding deployment of medical professionals