USA Praises Bolsonaro for Leaving Brazilian People without Doctors

Brasilia, Nov 16 (Prensa Latina) Despite leaving millions of Brazilians without medical care for contemptuous statements against Cuban health professionals, President-elect Jair Bolsonaro was praised by the United States, Brasil 247 website posted on Friday.

The site refers to the applause given on social media by U.S. Assistance Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Kimberly Breier, for the position of the future Brazilian president, which forced the departure of Cuban physicians from the 'More Doctors' program.

Brazil 247 posts that 'Bolsonaro's pressure on Cuban doctors, in a clear sign of harmony with U.S. foreign policy, was praised by the United States government.'

The Cuban Ministry of Health (MINSAP) announced on Wednesday that it was withdrawing the Cuban doctors from the program, started in August 2013 by former President Dilma Rousseff, following the modifications announced by Bolsonaro.

Such alterations suppose unacceptable conditions and breach the guarantees agreed from the beginning of the initiative that were ratified in 2016 with the renegotiation of the term of cooperation between the Pan-American Health Organization and the Brazilian Ministry of Health, and the cooperation agreement between the regional health entity and the Cuban Ministry of Public Health, the MINSAP statement says.

The website warns that due to the withdrawal of Cuban doctors, at least 24 million Brazilians will not receive medical attention and the threat hangs over other initiatives such as the Family Health Program.

Former Brazilian Health Minister Alexandre Padilha, who participated in the implementation of the program, told the press that this withdrawal will have a terrible impact on the health system, as Cuban doctors worked in the most vulnerable regions. 'They are in the Amazon, in rural towns and favelas'.

Cuban doctors are not only qualified, but they are specialists in rural medicine, something that the Brazilian health system lacks, Padilha said.