Rush at eye clinic amid impending departure of Cuban medical workers

A large crowd turned up at the eye clinic at St Joseph’s Hospital in St Andrew on Monday morning as patients rushed to seek treatment from Cuban health professionals ahead of their departure from Jamaica.

“Everybody a try get help before dem leave,” Marva Abrahams, who travelled from her home in Portmore, St Catherine told The Gleaner.

The Jamaican Government last week ended a 50-year-old medical cooperation mission with the Spanish-speaking island, under which Cuban doctors work in Jamaica to fill gaps in the healthcare system.

The Jamaica Cuba eye care programme was launched in January 2010.

It offers surgical treatment for persons suffering from cataracts, diabetic retinopathy-damage to the retina caused by complications of diabetes mellitus, and Pterygium-a non-cancerous fleshy growth, usually on the surface of the eye, free of cost.

Up to September 2023, a total of 3,476 sight-saving procedures were performed under the initiative.

Abrahams, who has cataracts in both eyes, said she has been going back and forth between private and public healthcare facilities for years.

It was only when she was referred to the eye care programme at St Joseph’s that she felt hopeful.

Up to 11:00 a.m., she was waiting in line to consult with a Cuban ophthalmologist on additional surgery.

She expressed frustration at the prospect of the Cuban doctors leaving Jamaica before she receives surgery, and said Jamaica’s healthcare system will suffer as a result.

“Dem work good and dem deal with you with respect, dem really care for people, organised and loving,” Abrahams said.

"Mi wudda rather dem stay here, whatever it takes for the government to do because dem nuh have the capacity to deal with everybody else, we wouldn’t have dem in the first place. Dem a tek a whole heap a weight after the other hospital dem, and dem work fast and no weh dem a do,” she added.

A health worker who requested anonymity labelled the government’s decision to terminate the arrangement with the Cubans as a “big, big blow” to the eye care programme.

Currently, there are 18 Cuban medical personnel at the facility, which includes six ophthalmologists and six specialist nurses.

On average, 22 surgeries are performed daily, while a number of other patients visit for pre and post-surgery treatment.

Hortense Scott accompanied her 87-year-old mother, Ethlyn Simpson, for a pre-surgery consultation.

Simpson had surgery to remove cataract from her left eye last year, and came for her appointment for possible surgery in her other eye.

Scott said they took the bus from their home in Old Harbour, St Catherine and arrived on the property at 8:00 a.m. for their appointment.

Up to 11:00 o’clock, they were still waiting to be called.

Scott lamented that this inefficiency of the service she is now receiving will only get worse once the Cubans leave.

“Mi feel bad man,” the 67-year-old said.

A similar sentiment was shared by 85-year-old Alvin Gooden, who left his home in St Mary at 5:00 a.m. to get to the eye clinic for a cataract consultation.

Sitting on a wall outside the clinic as he sought shade from the rising morning sun, he told The Gleaner that he has been trying to get surgery for his left eye for about three years, and was very hopeful that the Cuban doctors would be able to provide the service.

“Right around the island, before my eye damaged, I hear they talk much about the Cubans, and a lot of people give report that they do a good job,” he said.

A solemn Hepburn Gentles, who had just gotten surgery to remove cataract from his eyes a year ago and visited the clinic for a checkup, said he was very grateful for the service of the Cuban doctors.

“Give thanks fi di Cuban dem,” he told The Gleaner.

He added: “Mi nah watch whether dem a communist or whatever dem a talk bout, a people to people mi a deal wid, people to people, mi nuh business dem is what. Mi nuh come here to find out dem is what, mi come here fi deal wid mi eye.”

- Sashana Small

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