Cuban MD Couple Defect in Brazil

HAVANA TIMES – The Cuban doctors Dorayda Igarza Jesus Ayala and Walter Cotarelo Carbonell were officially added to the statistics of defections from the Cuban medical mission in Brazil, Café Fuerte repoted.

The names of the doctors were published Thursday in the Official Journal of Brazil, which announced the suspension of their license from the Brazilian Ministry of Health to practice medicine in the country.

The Ministry of Health said it is not aware of the whereabouts of the doctors and notified the competent authorities to take appropriate measures for their permanence in Brazil .

Meanwhile, the Brazilian Medical Association, which maintains a program for Cuban defectors confirmed that the couple has not contacted them to request any protection.

The desertion occurs despite the wage increase granted by the Brazilian government agreed in February, and brings to seven of 11,400 the number of doctors who abandoned the program, launched in late August.