Ninety-one Cuban health-care workers are to arrive in Jamaica by September to ease the shortage of nurses and other professionals at public facilities across the island.

Health and Environment Minister Rudy Spencer made the disclosure yesterday following discussions with Cuban officials during a visit to the country earlier this week.

Speaking at a press conference at the Ministry of Health and Environment, downtown Kingston head offices, Spencer said 16 Cuban nurses have already arrived in Jamaica. He said four are trained in haemodyalisis while 12 are also trained teachers with more than five years' experience.

Several hospitals

Spencer said the 16 nurses would be placed at the Bustamante Hospital for Children, the Spanish Town, Mandeville Regional, May Pen and Savanna-la-Mar hospitals.

He also indicated that 34 nurses would arrive in July. Between July and September, a further 39 Cuban specialists will arrive for the North Eastern Regional Health Authority. The health minister said that batch would include five doctors, three biomedical engineers and four pharmacists.

In March, Spencer said an additional 1,562 health-care workers were needed to fill the shortage in public facilities.