Fátima Matute, the Health Minister of the Community of Madrid, has urged Spain's ministries of Education and Health to expedite the certification process for Cuban doctors' credentials. During a meeting with representatives from the Association of Cuban Doctors in Spain, Matute emphasized that doctors trained in Cuba have been struggling for years to get their university degrees recognized, a process that has faced significant delays, according to a report by the Spanish newspaper ConSalud.
"We are facing a severe shortage of professionals, and a short-term solution, like the one we are implementing in the Community of Madrid, would be to certify these degrees so they can work and enrich our system," Matute stated at the end of the meeting.
She believes it is essential to support Cuban healthcare professionals residing in Spain so that their "excellent training, experience, and work can be of service to us." Matute also reminded that "they demonstrated their commitment during the pandemic, and just as they risked their lives to save us, we will not shirk our obligation to them."
The Cuban side has reported a series of irregularities that have further delayed the process. "In the last days of August and the first days of September, documents from Cuban universities stopped being processed. We gradually learned that the reason was apparently that the seals on the documents were fake. These documents reached Spanish law firms, which then handed them over to processing agencies that instead of following the proper procedure, placed fake seals," explained Julio Antonio Roque González, coordinator of the Cuban Certifications Movement, last May.
Roque González stated, "If that is truly the reason for the delay, it shouldn't take that long to figure out. There must be something we're missing, and when everything logical escapes you, you start thinking about the illogical, like conspiracy theories. So, the reason this is happening could be anything."
Challenges and Opportunities in Certification Process
A significant advantage for Cuban graduates is that "all Cuban universities are public, and the training is standardized, which should make the certification process much more automatic and straightforward," added Roque González. This should result in a faster process compared to other cases.
The agreement between the Spanish accreditation agency ANECA and the Cuban agency JAN supports this view. "Certifying a Cuban is much easier; we just need to verify that we graduated from a medical school already recognized here," said the coordinator.
Matute shares this perspective. "All Cuban universities are public, and the training is homogeneous, so everything should be much more automatic and easier to certify. The Community of Madrid will always stand by them, and we are eager for them to work alongside us. We will fight for those doctors, nurses, and everyone who needs us," she noted, offering to act as a liaison with the professional body to evaluate the possibility of issuing a criminal record certificate or a responsible declaration, which is essential to practice the profession in Spain.
Various protests by doctors have taken place to speed up their certification processes. Last April, both Cuban and other foreign doctors gathered in front of the Congress of Deputies in Madrid to protest the delays. According to several participants, some certification processes have taken up to seven years, during which professionals are forced to work in jobs unrelated to their training, a particularly concerning issue given Spain's medical personnel shortage affecting nearly 500,000 patients.
FAQs on Certification of Cuban Doctors in Spain
Here are some frequently asked questions about the certification process for Cuban doctors in Spain, reflecting the challenges and opportunities discussed in the article.
Why are Cuban doctors facing delays in the certification process in Spain?
The delays are attributed to irregularities such as fake seals on documents and a slow bureaucratic process. These issues have caused significant hold-ups in verifying and certifying the credentials of Cuban doctors.
What has the Community of Madrid proposed to expedite the certification process?
The Community of Madrid, under Health Minister Fátima Matute, has proposed expediting the certification process and is willing to act as a liaison with professional bodies to issue necessary documents like a criminal record certificate or a responsible declaration.
How long can the certification process take for Cuban doctors in Spain?
According to reports, the certification process can take up to seven years, during which professionals may have to work in jobs unrelated to their medical training.
What advantages do Cuban medical graduates have in the certification process?
Cuban medical graduates benefit from a standardized and homogeneous training system in public universities, which should make the certification process more automatic and straightforward.