Motsoaledi dismisses reports Cuba medical students costing taxpayers R300m

CAPE TOWN - Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has dismissed reports that medical students studying in Cuba are costing taxpayers R300 million a year.  

He also said it's also untrue their medical qualifications are not recognised by the Health Professions Council.  

In a written reply to a parliamentary question from ActionSA, Motsoaledi said funding students to study under the Nelson Mandela Fidel Castro Programme is costing his department around R23 million annually. 

Last month, the Auditor-General told parliament’s Defence and Military Veterans committee that an analysis of the tuition of 108 students studying in Cuba, revealed a cost of R2.7 million each, per year. 

She said their medical course could be completed in South Africa for half the price.  

READ: Over 100 South African doctors who received training in Cuba set to graduate

But Motsoaledi disagrees with these figures.  

He told ActionSA's Dr Kgosi Letlape that government is spending around R146,000 per student annually.  

Motsoaledi said the current cohort -- which is 87 students who started the programme in 2020, is costing government almost R13 million a year.

The Cuban cohort integrated into SA medical schools costs the state another R10 million.

Motsoaledi said the tuition costs for Cuba are on par with programmes in South Africa which increase during each year of study – compared to the fixed amount for each of the five years of the Cuban programme.  

Motsoaledi said with limited places available in SA medical schools, the Cuban programme is helping to train additional doctors - who are much needed particularly in rural areas.  

The Cuban-trained student doctors spend 18 months in the SA integration programme and Motsoaledi said there’s no segregation from their South African counterparts.