Ghanaian medical graduates stranded in Cuba appeal to Prez Mahama

Ghanaian medical graduates currently residing in Cuba are urgently requesting their country's president, John Dramani Mahama, to expedite their return home. Raphael Oteng Boakye, the president of the recently graduated doctors in Cuba, stated that despite completing their studies on July 22, they have been stranded in the country for nearly two months due to multiple postponed departure dates.

The graduates were initially expected to depart on August 28, but subsequent dates, including September 3, 4, 7, 9, and 15 or 17, have also been postponed. Boakye expressed disappointment regarding the lack of concrete plans for their return, stating that they have not yet received any definitive information about their departure timeline.

The prolonged stay in Cuba may impede the graduates' plans to join Ghana's health system, as they are required to undertake a six-month clinical attachment before sitting for the medical licensing examination in Ghana. Oteng Boakye highlighted the financial strain faced by the graduates, noting that six months of stipends are still outstanding, and the $360 annual book allowance has not been paid for the past five years.

Some graduates are also struggling to access healthcare post-expiration of their health insurance, while others have had their student identification cards expire. The graduates have reached out to the Ghana Scholarship Authority and Ghana's diplomatic mission in Cuba, but these efforts have not yielded a confirmed departure date.

Oteng Boakye emphasized the psychological stress endured by the graduates due to the ongoing uncertainty and pleaded for their immediate return to Ghana, along with the settlement of outstanding stipends and allowances, and support for their first medical licensing examination attempt.