The Department of Health will on Friday, 3 July 2026, administer the graduation ceremony of medical doctors who recently completed their studies in Cuban universities as part of the Nelson Mandela/Fidel Castro Medical Programme.
The programme is designed to address the shortage of medical doctors in South Africa’s underserved and previously disadvantaged communities, and to strengthen the country’s healthcare system to respond to the healthcare needs of the population.
The programme mainly targets prospective students from previously disadvantaged, rural and working-class communities in the country who lack access to traditional medical school scholarships, to further their studies in Cuban universities.
This year marks 30 years since the programme was introduced in 1996 by then Presidents Nelson Mandela and Fidel Castro of Cuba to bolster South Africa's public healthcare sector and enhance overall human resource capacity, disease profiling and health equity across the country.
To date, more than 3 200 medical doctors have graduated through this programme and serve in clinics, hospitals and rural health districts across the country.
The graduation ceremony will be co-hosted by the Department of Health, Walter Sisulu University and Universities of Medical Sciences from the Republic of Cuba.
The ceremony will be attended by the Ministry of Health, Eastern Cape Health MEC, Ntandokazi Capa, representatives from the Cuban Embassy in South Africa, leadership of Walter Sisulu University, and families of the graduates.
Members of the media are invited to the ceremony as follows:
Date: Friday, 3 July 2026
Time: 09:00
Venue: East London International Convention Centre, Eastern Cape
RSVP:
Howard Kgoa
Cell: 079 876 9247
E-mail: Howard.kgoa@health.gov.za
Enquiries:
Foster Mohale
National Health Departmental Spokesperson
Cell: 072 432 3792
E-mail: Foster.mohale@health.gov.za
Camagwini Mavovana
Spokesperson to Eastern Cape Health MEC
Cell: 083 400 3206
E-mail: Camagwini.Mavovana@echealth.gov.za
Yonela Tukwayo
Walter Sisulu University Spokesperson
Cell: 060 997 4431
E-mail: ytukwayo@wsu.ac.za
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