BuaNews (Tshwane)
Nomonde Makaula
17 August 2003
Pretoria — The second group of students sent from Eastern Cape to study medicine in Cuba have returned to the province.
Eastern Cape has since 1998 sent 30 students to study medicine in Cuba as part of bilateral agreement signed in 1995 between the South African and Cuban governments.
The Eastern Cape students form part of a second group of learners to return to the province after five years in Cuba to complete the final year of studying towards their degree in medicine at a local university.
The group comprise Bongani Madikane, Mathemba Madikizela, Khanyisa Makhamba , Andiswa Mtyobeli, Yolisa Neka, and Liso Ntshobane.
They will all now be enrolled at the University of Transkei to complete their degrees.
Eastern Cape Health Department spokesperson Sizwe Kupelo said it was arranged that all students from South Africa studying medicines in Cuba would return to their provinces to study the sixth year.
He said this was important to familiarise the students with the health systems of the country in which they will serve.
Mr Kupelo said the students would also be used during the internship phase to supplement the shortage of medical doctors in the province's public hospitals.
The students would be officially welcomed back to the province on Friday during a glittering ceremony in Bisho, which would also be marking the sending off of another 15 students to Cuba.
The new doctors will be required as per their contract with the democratic government to work in public hospitals at least for six years or equal number of years to those that government sponsored their education.
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