Jamaica addresses Cuban humanitarian crisis and healthcare cooperation

Jamaica is maintaining its collaboration with Cuba through individual employment contracts for healthcare professionals. Following the expiration of a bilateral government-to-government arrangement in February 2023, approximately 200 Cuban doctors, nurses, and specialists continue to serve within Jamaica’s public healthcare system, including at Regional Health Authorities and the University Hospital of the West Indies. Health and Wellness Minister Dr. Christopher Tufton stated that this new arrangement ensures employment conditions comply with Jamaican law and international labor conventions, allowing professionals to be paid directly.

Separately, Jamaica has abstained from a United Nations General Assembly resolution condemning the United States’ economic embargo against Cuba. Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister Kamina Johnson Smith explained that the decision reflects a belief that repeated resolutions alone are insufficient to address Cuba’s worsening humanitarian crisis. The Jamaican government emphasized the need for domestic reforms, economic integration, and dialogue between Washington and Havana to alleviate the suffering of the Cuban people rather than perpetuating isolation.