A South African student reports lack of water and spoiled food during her medical training in Cuba

A South African medical student who arrived in Cuba in 2024 to study medicine has publicly denounced severe deficiencies within the Nelson Mandela-Fidel Castro training program. The student reported a lack of proper water supply, spoiled food, and poor sanitary conditions during her medical formation on the island.

The allegations highlight ongoing logistical and infrastructural challenges faced by international students participating in bilateral medical scholarship programs in Cuba, casting light on the day-to-day living conditions experienced by foreign trainees.