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The Caribbean’s long-standing medical partnership with Cuba has suffered a major blow after Jamaica announced the discontinuation of its medical cooperation programme with Havana, bringing an end to a relationship that has helped sustain the island’s public health system for nearly five decades.

In a statement released Thursday, Jamaica’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, led by Foreign Minister Kamina Johnson Smith, confirmed that the government had decided to terminate the arrangement under which Cuban doctors, nurses, and specialists were deployed across the country’s public health facilities.

“This comes as both governments were unable to agree on the terms and conditions of a new technical cooperation arrangement, following the expiration of the previous agreement in February 2023,” the ministry stated.

“The Government of Jamaica has taken the decision to discontinue the current arrangement concerning the deployment of medical professionals in the public health sector by the Government of Cuba.”

A Pillar of Caribbean Healthcare

The decision marks a profound shift for Jamaica’s healthcare system. Since 1976, Cuban medical professionals have played a critical role in filling staffing gaps in the island’s hospitals and clinics.

Hundreds of Cuban doctors, nurses, and specialists have served across Jamaica, providing services in areas ranging from primary care to ophthalmology.

The programme has been widely credited with expanding healthcare access, particularly through initiatives such as Cuba’s renowned eye care programme, which has restored sight to thousands across the Caribbean.

Jamaica’s foreign ministry acknowledged the significance of that contribution.

“Cuban medical professionals have been serving in various public health facilities across the island, and Jamaicans have benefited notably from the eye care programme as well as the general care by nurses and doctors,” the ministry said, expressing “sincere appreciation” to the Cuban government.

Doctors May Remain – But the System Is Changing

While the formal bilateral programme has been discontinued, Jamaica has indicated that Cuban healthcare workers currently on the island will be allowed to remain for the duration of their existing contracts.

The government said the Ministry of Health and Wellness may also engage Cuban professionals individually, in accordance with Jamaica’s labour laws.

“In the interest of continuity of the valuable service provided by the Cuban medical professionals present in the country, and for their personal certainty and well-being, the Government of Jamaica has indicated its willingness… to engage these medical professionals on an individual basis,” the ministry explained.

This transitional arrangement would last only for the remainder of their scheduled tenure.

Nearly 300 Cuban Doctors Still Serving

Despite the expiration of the memorandum of understanding governing the programme in February 2023, Jamaica’s Health and Wellness Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton confirmed last month that nearly 300 Cuban doctors and specialists remain in service across the island.

“It’s still in effect. We still have the Cuban workers here,” Tufton told The Gleaner at the time.

“There is a negotiation, though, that is taking place regarding the current agreement. The old one has expired and some conversations have been taking place, and that process is ongoing.”

Tufton acknowledged that unresolved issues in the negotiations could jeopardise a new agreement but declined to specify the government’s demands.

Caught Between Washington and Havana

Behind the diplomatic language lies a far more complex geopolitical struggle.

Jamaica’s decision comes as the United States intensifies economic and diplomatic pressure on Cuba, urging Caribbean governments to reassess their participation in Havana’s international medical missions.

Washington has repeatedly alleged that Cuba’s overseas medical programmes constitute forced labour and human trafficking, claims that Cuba and several Caribbean leaders have strongly rejected.

U.S. officials insist they do not oppose the medical missions themselves but are concerned about how the programme is administered.

During a visit to Jamaica last year, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio clarified that Washington’s objections relate specifically to alleged labour practices within the programme.

The accusations have been fiercely contested by Caribbean governments, many of whom credit Cuba with saving lives across the region for decades.

A Difficult Balancing Act

Jamaica’s government now finds itself navigating a delicate diplomatic balancing act between two powerful realities: the healthcare needs of its population and the foreign policy expectations of its largest economic partner, the United States.

One government official familiar with the negotiations described the situation bluntly.

“The implications for the health sector are great and it is a terrible situation for any health minister, to be caught up between saving lives and foreign policy fights,” the official said.

“Jamaica has made its choice.”

Regional Domino Effect?

The decision comes amid growing regional debate over the future of Cuba’s medical diplomacy.

Just days ago, Dominica announced it would modify its own arrangement by contracting Cuban medical professionals individually rather than through government-to-government agreements.

The move suggests Caribbean governments may increasingly seek creative legal frameworks to preserve access to Cuban medical expertise while navigating international political pressures.

Cuba’s medical diplomacy has long been a cornerstone of Caribbean healthcare systems. Havana has not only supplied doctors and nurses but has also trained hundreds of Caribbean medical students under scholarship programmes since the 1970s.

Many of those graduates now serve as doctors and dentists throughout the region.

A Turning Point for Caribbean Healthcare

Jamaica’s decision is likely to spark intense debate across CARICOM about the sustainability of the Cuban medical model under mounting international scrutiny.

At last week’s CARICOM summit, Prime Minister Andrew Holness praised Cuba’s contributions to regional healthcare but emphasized Jamaica’s commitment to democratic governance and economic openness.

“We do not believe that long-term stability can exist where economic freedom is constrained and political participation is limited,” Holness said, while acknowledging the struggles faced by the Cuban people under the U.S. oil blockade.

For Jamaica, the end of the Cuban medical cooperation programme marks the closing of a historic chapter.

But for the Caribbean, it may represent something far larger — the beginning of a new geopolitical reality where health policy, diplomacy, and global power politics collide in ways the region has rarely faced before.