Ghanaian medical graduates stranded in Cuba are appealing to President John Dramani Mahama to intervene to facilitate their immediate return home, saying repeated delays are putting their finances and plans to enter Ghana’s health system under pressure.
Raphael Oteng Boakye, president of the recently graduated Ghanaian doctors in Cuba, said the group completed their studies on July 22 but remains in the country nearly two months later following several postponed departure dates.
“Our immediate demand is that the President steps in and commands or demands that we be brought home as soon as possible because we know it’s possible,” he said on Citi News Digest on Saturday, September 19.
According to Mr Oteng Boakye, the graduates were initially scheduled to leave Cuba on August 28.
He said subsequent departure dates of September 3 or 4, September 7, September 9 and September 15 or 17 were also postponed.
“As of yet, we are yet to hear anything fruitful about a definite timeline for when we’ll be leaving this country for our motherland,” he said.
Mr Oteng Boakye said the prolonged stay could affect the graduates’ plans to integrate into Ghana’s health system.
He explained that the graduates are required to complete a six-month clinical attachment before sitting the medical licensing examination in Ghana.
“We are eager to return home as soon as possible to undergo our attachments and eventually sit for our licensure exam,” he said.
The graduates are therefore concerned that further delays could push back the next stages of their professional training and licensing.
Mr Oteng Boakye also said the graduates were facing financial difficulties, with six months of stipends allegedly outstanding.
According to him, the students had been informed that funding for four of those months had been provided, but the money had not yet been paid.
“We still have not received these four months’ stipends, and very little to nothing is being done to ensure that we receive them here before we leave,” he said.
He further alleged that a $360 annual book allowance had not been paid to the students for five years.
The graduates are also seeking government support to cover the cost of their first attempt at the medical licensing examination.
Mr Oteng Boakye said the uncertainty surrounding their return had been compounded by other difficulties.
He said some graduates were struggling to access healthcare after their health insurance expired.
He also cited the expiry of their student identification cards on August 31, as well as reported challenges with electricity and water at their residences.
The graduates have engaged officials of the Ghana Scholarship Authority and Ghana’s diplomatic mission in Cuba over the situation.
However, Mr Oteng Boakye said those engagements had so far not resulted in a confirmed departure date.
“We are always being told stories time and time again. So right now we don’t even know what to believe again,” he said.
The graduates are asking the government to facilitate their return to Ghana, settle outstanding stipends and allowances, and support them with the cost of their first medical licensing examination attempt.
Mr Oteng Boakye said the prolonged uncertainty was taking a toll on the graduates.
“We are going through a lot of psychological stress, and we would really appreciate it if we are taken out of this country as soon as possible,” he said.
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