Aécio tells doctors: Cubans have an "expiration date"

During a meeting at the Medical Association of Brasília, the presidential candidate from the PSDB party stated that he intends to end the practice of foreign doctors in Brazil and, when questioned about Cuban doctors, said that they "have an expiration date" and will stay "for three years" in the country; "What I intend is that there will no longer be a need for foreign doctors in Brazil. Over time, our policies, our actions, will allow these positions to be filled by Brazilians," he argued; Aécio Neves also promised to "create a national medical career path."

August 05, 2014, 21:04 PMUpdated July 09, 2018, 12:01 pm

During a meeting at the Medical Association of Brasília, the presidential candidate from the PSDB party stated that he intends to end the practice of foreign doctors in Brazil and, when questioned about Cuban doctors, said that they "have an expiration date" and will stay "for three years" in the country; "What I intend is that there will no longer be a need for foreign doctors in Brazil. Over time, our policies, our actions, will allow these positions to be filled by Brazilians," he argued; Aécio Neves also promised to "create a national medical career path" (Photo: Gisele Federicce)

Mariana Branco – Reporter for Agência Brasil

PSDB presidential candidate Aécio Neves announced today (5) that, if elected, he will create 500 specialized public health centers in the country. Aécio's government program foresees the creation of 500 large regional units, in which care will be provided by a specialized doctor, who will refer the patient for tests. "And he will leave with medication," said the candidate, during a meeting at the Medical Association of Brasília.

He explained that the health problem will be addressed in a "structural" way. For Aécio, the involvement of foreign doctors, made possible by the Mais Médicos Program, is a "palliative" solution. "What we are going to do is create a national career path for doctors, so that they can prepare themselves, qualify, and serve in the outskirts of large cities, in the most remote cities, because, over time, they will move to other regions."

Asked about the continued presence of Cuban doctors in Brazil, Aécio said that they "have an expiration date" and will stay "for three years." "What I intend is that there will no longer be a need for foreign doctors in Brazil. Over time, our policies and actions will allow these positions to be filled by Brazilians. If there is a need, let it be a side solution, not a central one," added Aécio, who defended the Revalida, the exam for validating foreign medical degrees. He emphasized that Cuban doctors should receive the same salary as other doctors.

The candidate also said that, in his government, public health policies will be debated with professionals in the sector. "The professionals in the field will be responsible for implementing public policies," Aécio stated, addressing the doctors present in the audience.

The senator from Minas Gerais also spoke about infrastructure. This week, he announced his intention to create a ministry solely dedicated to this area. According to Aécio, waterways and railways should be a priority. He believes that the current administration's actions regarding railways, for example, have not progressed enough to attract private investment. The PSDB candidate criticized the stalled projects in the country and highlighted the need for regulatory frameworks and legal certainty for the sector. Furthermore, he defended meritocracy and technical criteria in public bodies and regulatory agencies.