Premier and Finance Minister, Hon. Andrew Fahie, who made the announcement this evening, July 21 in the House of Assembly, said that the team will be tested for COVID-19 and also be quarantined for 14 days before they commence work.

The team which will include emergency response doctors, intensive care specialists, nurses and those trained in infectious diseases, will be on island for a period of three months.

“I am pleased to announce today that a team of medical professionals from the Republic of Cuba will be arriving in the Territory on Thursday July 23. This has been long in coming and after their 14 days in quarantine and after their successful COVID-19 testing, they will join our local medical team to strengthen or resolve the fight against corona virus,” he said.

He said that it is better to be proactive than reactive, stating that it is to also augment the efforts of the local health team as they continue with their cautious phase reopening of the borders.

“We anticipate that this effort will help the Territory in opening up with a greater sense of confidence with the fact that adequate specialist treatment capacity will now be available in the territory,” the Premier said.

In thanking the Cuban government for this gesture, Premier Fahie said that the BVI is the second Overseas Territory to receive such assistance from Cuba during this pandemic. The other OT was Turks and Caicos. Cuban has also deployed medical professionals to some Caribbean countries to assist during COVID-19 pandemic.

Premier Fahie described this as an historic moment for the BVI and expressed that this will also provide advanced training for medical professionals in the BVI.