The Bahamas is set to overhaul how it engages Cuban healthcare professionals, moving away from government-to-government agreements and instead offering direct contracts to individuals, Health Minister Dr. Michael Darville told Parliament on Monday.
The move comes amid heightened U.S. scrutiny of Cuba’s overseas medical program, which Washington has labeled as exploitative.
Darville said the Ministry of Health plans to shift its contract arrangements with Cuban medical workers currently serving in the Bahamas. “Those who are not interested in this new arrangement will be given time to wrap up their affairs and return to Cuba,” he told lawmakers.
The change follows months of diplomatic consultations between Bahamian and U.S. officials. In March, Darville defended the Cuban medical presence, noting its importance to the country’s healthcare system—particularly in optometry, where Cuban professionals have delivered critical eye care services to hundreds of Bahamians.
At that time, the Bahamas joined other CARICOM nations in standing by Cuba’s medical brigade program, which the U.S. has described as a form of human trafficking. Washington recently expanded visa restrictions on individuals involved in Cuba’s labor export initiatives, further straining regional relationships.
“That’s a difficult question,” Darville had said in March when asked whether The Bahamas would reconsider its partnership with Cuba. “The services they provide in the country are needed, and so the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is presently in discussions with their counterparts in the United States.”
He also pushed back on U.S. claims of forced labor: “There seems to be this cloud that there is forced labor, and we don’t believe so, but ultimately, the negotiations are ongoing.”
Currently, there are 35 Cuban medical professionals working in the Bahamas, primarily as engineers, lab technicians, and X-ray technicians. Darville noted that recruitment for new Cuban health workers and teachers has been paused pending the outcome of ongoing U.S.-Bahamas discussions.
The Bahamas continues to face a shortage of local healthcare professionals. Darville warned that if Cuban personnel were to depart, the country would likely need to bring in foreign specialists to fill the gap until Bahamian doctors complete postgraduate training abroad.
