{"id":2036547,"date":"2026-07-10T10:39:10","date_gmt":"2026-07-10T07:39:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2036547"},"modified":"2026-07-10T10:39:10","modified_gmt":"2026-07-10T07:39:10","slug":"italys-poorest-region-relies-on-cuban-doctors-despite-us-pressure-to-cut-ties","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2036547","title":{"rendered":"Italy&#8217;s poorest region relies on Cuban doctors despite US pressure to cut ties"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/83\/34\/54\/1200x675_cmsv2_1bbfd960-a3fa-5ea2-ab19-867c9b13d3a8-9833454.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2908835-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2908835\" data-cid=\"9833412\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2908835-label-pos1-c-latest-stories\" 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src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/83\/27\/27\/189x106_cmsv2_4873ae80-37cf-56fd-a9a6-d52be4d72c82-9832727.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Roland Lescure, French Economics and Finance Minister\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe Today<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    French economy minister on Spain&#8217;s debt proposal: &#8216;It&#8217;s interesting&#8217;\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2908835-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2908835\" data-cid=\"9833412\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2908835-label-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/83\/34\/12\/189x106_cmsv2_804a20a8-9373-5679-949e-a1a63bf564ce-9833412.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Smoke billows after an Iranian missile struck an oil refinery in Haifa, northern Israel, 16 June 2025\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Economy<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Global oil demand set for first annual drop since COVID, IEA says\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2908819-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2908819\" data-cid=\"9833322\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2908819-label-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/83\/33\/22\/189x106_cmsv2_6ac3e92b-3362-5dea-989e-7e2a8ceeef4a-9833322.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Laura Codruta Kovesi, the head European Public Prosecutor&apos;s Office (EPPO) \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Hungary&#8217;s bid to join European Prosecutor&#8217;s Office accepted\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2908858-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2908858\" data-cid=\"9833533\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2908858-label-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/83\/35\/33\/189x106_cmsv2_e258767b-3c99-552e-af20-37c151844ea6-9833533.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Greece is one of Europe\u2019s strongest performers for tourism\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Travel News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Greece, Italy and Malta lead the way as European tourism grows in 2026\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2908705-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2908705\" data-cid=\"9832727\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2908705-label-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/83\/27\/27\/189x106_cmsv2_4873ae80-37cf-56fd-a9a6-d52be4d72c82-9832727.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Roland Lescure, French Economics and Finance Minister\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe Today<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    French economy minister on Spain&#8217;s debt proposal: &#8216;It&#8217;s interesting&#8217;\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"helper-site-row o-article-newsy\">\n<div class=\"helper-site-container o-article-newsy__container\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__main\">\n<header class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__header\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs\">\n<div id=\"adb-article-breadcrumb\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs__list\">\n<p>                          Health<\/p>\n<p>                          Health news<\/p><\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<h1 class=\"c-article-redesign-title\">\n                            Italy&#8217;s poorest region relies on Cuban doctors despite US pressure to cut ties <\/h1>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-video u-position-relative \">\n<div class=\"js-superdiv u-aspect-ratio-16x9 u-position-relative \" data-sponsored=\"Partner content\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-poster-img c-article-media__img\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/83\/34\/54\/1536x864_cmsv2_1bbfd960-a3fa-5ea2-ab19-867c9b13d3a8-9833454.jpg\" width=\"1536\" height=\"864\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"Cuban doctor Daysi Luperon Loforte helps lift up a patient hospitalized in Polistena.\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-caption u-position-absolute\"><i id=\"article-caption-content\" class=\"c-article-caption__content\"><span class=\"c-article-caption__text\"><br \/>\n              Cuban doctor Daysi Luperon Loforte helps lift up a patient hospitalized in Polistena.<br \/>\n                    <span class=\"u-color-white\">&#8211;\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__copyright\">Copyright\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__credit\">AP Photo\/Valeria Ferraro<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-copyright c-article-image-copyright--novideo\">\n      Copyright\u00a0AP Photo\/Valeria Ferraro\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__body u-article-content\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__contributors-publication-date\">\n<div class=\"c-article-contributors\">\n  By&amp;nbspMarta Iraola Iribarren&amp;nbspwith&amp;nbsp<b>AP<\/b><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-publication-date\" data-timestamp=\"1783679950\">\n                    Published on                 <time datetime=\"2026-07-10 12:39:10 +02:00\">10\/07\/2026 &#8211; 12:39 GMT+2<\/time><span class=\"c-article-publication-date__bullet\">\u2022<\/span>Updated<br \/>\n                                     <time 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decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"whatsapp\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Whatsapp<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"whatsapp\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"c-article-summary\">\n        Calabria is opposed to the US push to end Cuba&#8217;s medical missions in the region, saying the region can&#8217;t afford to lose the doctors.<br \/>\n    <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-content c-article-content--health js-article-content\">\n<p>Italy\u2019s southern Calabria region is the rare place in Europe where Cuba sends medical professionals under a long-running programme that the United States wants to stamp out.<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Cuba has more doctors per person than almost any country on Earth \u2014 around 9.5 physicians per 1,000 people according to WHO data, nearly three times the OECD average \u2014 and its community-based prevention model is studied by health systems worldwide.<\/p>\n<p>The country has sent its doctors to developing nations such as Gambia and Venezuela for decades, particularly due to their skills in providing care with scarce resources.<\/p>\n<p>Over 200 are working in remote hospitals across Calabria, Italy\u2019s poorest region, where shortages of homegrown healthcare workers had forced some hospital departments to close.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was a disaster. I was keeping the emergency room open all by myself,\u201d the chief physician of Polistena hospital, Francesco Moschella, told The Associated Press, recalling the days before the Cubans arrived in January 2023.<\/p>\n<p>Their presence triggered a visit from United States officials amid criticism from Washington, which calls the programme a moneymaker for the socialist government that the Trump administration has isolated and sanctioned. <\/p>\n<p>Calabria\u2019s president has refused to shut down the programme. Even if Cuba\u2019s socialism doesn\u2019t fit with his political views, he says the region depends on the doctors.<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id data-event=\"widget_related\">\n<div class=\"c-widget-related__title\"><b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b><\/div>\n<ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n<li class=\"c-widget-related__item\">Small Italian town bans residents from getting sick to raise attention to healthcare shortages<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Countries under US pressure<\/h2>\n<p>United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has accused the Cuban missions of being a \u201cform of human trafficking\u201d \u2014 a reference to Cuba&#8217;s government keeping most doctors&#8217; salaries and allegedly confiscating some passports.<\/p>\n<p>The US head of mission to Cuba, Mike Hammer, flew to Calabria in February alongside the American consul-general in Naples. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI had some pressures also during the Biden administration. But pressure grew under Trump,\u201d Occhiuto said. He told Hammer his government is working on incentives to lure Calabrian doctors home.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut at the same time, I have also reiterated to the US Ambassador Hammer that I needed to keep hospitals open and that I intend to keep the Cuban doctors who are currently in Italy in their posts,\u201d Occhiuto said.<\/p>\n<p>Italy is not the only country under US pressure to stop collaborating with Cuba. In March, Jamaica ended its 50-year medical cooperation agreement with the country, affecting nearly 300 healthcare workers. In the same month, Honduras expelled more than 150 Cuban medical staff. <\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id data-event=\"widget_related\">\n<div class=\"c-widget-related__title\"><b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b><\/div>\n<ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n<li class=\"c-widget-related__item\">Record numbers of foreign doctors fill Spain&#8217;s healthcare gaps. But is it enough?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Calabria\u2019s strained healthcare system<\/h2>\n<p>Despite growing tourism and a strong farming economy, wages in Calabria are about 30% lower than the Italian average, and the unemployment rate is double the national rate. <\/p>\n<p>The region ranks last in Italy in public healthcare access, according to the health ministry.<\/p>\n<p>During the COVID-19 pandemic, Cuba sent doctors to several areas of Italy and Calabria continued employing them after the health emergency ended. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor a first-world country, Europe, we had a completely different idea. We didn\u2019t think that the shortage of doctors was so serious,\u201d said Zoila Yakelin Arevalo Cruz, an emergency medicine specialist who left Cuba in 2023. <\/p>\n<p>The emergency room where she works in Polistena sees 30,000 patients annually, and six Cuban doctors make up half its staff.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn this hospital there were lines that lasted up to eight or 12 hours. Now, thanks to our work, in less than an hour a doctor visits you.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-widget-related\" data-stories-id data-event=\"widget_related\">\n<div class=\"c-widget-related__title\"><b class=\"c-widget-related__title__text\" lang=\"en\">Related<\/b><\/div>\n<ul class=\"c-widget-related__list\">\n<li class=\"c-widget-related__item\">Waiting times for healthcare in Europe: The worst countries ranked<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2>The region pays Cuban doctors directly<\/h2>\n<p>Calabria signed individual contracts with the doctors and makes deposits in their Italian bank accounts rather than paying the Cuban government agency that runs the medical missions.<\/p>\n<p>Cuban doctors told the AP they still send as much as half their salaries back to their government.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are all aware of the economic situation Cuba is going through. It\u2019s a contribution that we make voluntarily because Cuba trained us, educated us and made us doctors,\u201d Arevalo Cruz said.<\/p>\n<p>Daisy Luperon Loforte, Cuban cardiologist, echoed that sentiment: \u201cWe do not consider ourselves modern-day slaves at all, as somebody called it. We love our country, we give an economic contribution and we are happy to do so.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Occhiuto confirmed that 63 Cuban doctors, some of them previously involved in Cuba\u2019s international medical mission, recently applied to work in its healthcare system independently.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>                                  Go to accessibility shortcuts<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-article-share-comment u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-share-comment-share\"><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Share<\/span><\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label\">Comments<\/span><span class=\"c-article-share-comment__label c-article-share-comment__label--always\">Add Euronews on Google<\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-you-might-also-like\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-article-you-might-also-like\">\n<h2 class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__title\">\n       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heart attack<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2908635-pos1-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2908635\" data-cid=\"9832285\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2908635-label-pos1-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/83\/22\/85\/480x270_cmsv2_197fe0a7-fd0a-5cf7-9648-fa1c081e5807-9832285.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Cancer cases to rise by two-thirds by 2050 globally.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Health news<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Cancer cases to rise by two-thirds by 2050 globally, WHO warns<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2908637-pos2-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2908637\" data-cid=\"9832296\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2908637-label-pos2-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/83\/22\/96\/480x270_cmsv2_9aaef435-18aa-5a14-97e7-f19ab8d06f79-9832296.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Health workers interact at the Evangelical Medical Center, in Bunia, eastern Congo, Friday, July 3, 2026, where Ebola clinical trials are scheduled to take place.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Health news<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Congo suspects new Ebola cases in previously unaffected province<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto\">\n<ul id=\"adb-article-tags\" class=\"c-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  doctors<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Cuba<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Health<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Italy<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  United States<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  hospital<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"o-article-newsy__aside\">\n<div class=\"c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-1\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-top-stories\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-top-stories\">\n<h2 class=\"c-top-stories__title\">Top stories<\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2908637-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2908637\" data-cid=\"9832296\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2908637-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/83\/22\/96\/320x180_cmsv2_9aaef435-18aa-5a14-97e7-f19ab8d06f79-9832296.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Health workers interact at the Evangelical Medical Center, in Bunia, eastern Congo, Friday, July 3, 2026, where Ebola clinical trials are scheduled to take place.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Congo suspects new Ebola cases in previously unaffected province<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2908635-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2908635\" data-cid=\"9832285\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2908635-label-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/83\/22\/85\/320x180_cmsv2_197fe0a7-fd0a-5cf7-9648-fa1c081e5807-9832285.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Cancer cases to rise by two-thirds by 2050 globally.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Cancer cases to rise by two-thirds by 2050 globally, WHO warns<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2908480-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2908480\" data-cid=\"9831256\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2908480-label-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/83\/12\/56\/320x180_cmsv2_266cd4dc-677c-5e79-a294-4589f36ddac8-9831256.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Investigators also confiscated 18 vehicles, tobacco manufacturing equipment, encrypted electronic devices, \u20ac170,000 in cash and several firearms. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    20 million cigarettes and over 38 tonnes of tobacco seized in EU countries<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2908306-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2908306\" data-cid=\"9830354\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure 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alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto c-most-viewed\">\n<h2 class=\"c-most-viewed__title qa-section-title\">Most read<\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__list\">\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">1<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2362642-pos1-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2362642\" data-cid=\"7870952\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  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src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2908766-pos0-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2908766\" data-cid=\"9833067\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2908766-label-pos0-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/83\/29\/54\/480x270_cmsv2_c00f2cb7-b796-5967-9bc7-056b11ce9dbd-9832954.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Spanish fans in central Madrid celebrate Oyarzabal\u2019s goal during the World Cup match between Spain and Austria in Inglewood, California, on 2 July 2026\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Health news<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    World Cup match stress can trigger a heart attack<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2908635-pos1-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2908635\" data-cid=\"9832285\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2908635-label-pos1-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/83\/22\/85\/480x270_cmsv2_197fe0a7-fd0a-5cf7-9648-fa1c081e5807-9832285.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Cancer cases to rise by two-thirds by 2050 globally.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Health news<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Cancer cases to rise by two-thirds by 2050 globally, WHO warns<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2908637-pos2-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2908637\" data-cid=\"9832296\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2908637-label-pos2-c-article-you-might-also-like__item\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/83\/22\/96\/480x270_cmsv2_9aaef435-18aa-5a14-97e7-f19ab8d06f79-9832296.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Health workers interact at the Evangelical Medical Center, in Bunia, eastern Congo, Friday, July 3, 2026, where Ebola clinical trials are scheduled to take place.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Health news<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Congo suspects new Ebola cases in previously unaffected province<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2908637-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2908637\" data-cid=\"9832296\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2908637-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/83\/22\/96\/320x180_cmsv2_9aaef435-18aa-5a14-97e7-f19ab8d06f79-9832296.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Health workers interact at the Evangelical Medical Center, in Bunia, eastern Congo, Friday, July 3, 2026, where Ebola clinical trials are scheduled to take place.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Congo suspects new Ebola cases in previously unaffected province<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2908635-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2908635\" data-cid=\"9832285\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2908635-label-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/83\/22\/85\/320x180_cmsv2_197fe0a7-fd0a-5cf7-9648-fa1c081e5807-9832285.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Cancer cases to rise by two-thirds by 2050 globally.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Cancer cases to rise by two-thirds by 2050 globally, WHO warns<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2908480-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2908480\" data-cid=\"9831256\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2908480-label-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/83\/12\/56\/320x180_cmsv2_266cd4dc-677c-5e79-a294-4589f36ddac8-9831256.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Investigators also confiscated 18 vehicles, tobacco manufacturing equipment, encrypted electronic devices, \u20ac170,000 in cash and several firearms. \" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    20 million cigarettes and over 38 tonnes of tobacco seized in EU countries<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2908306-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2908306\" data-cid=\"9830354\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2908306-label-pos5-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/83\/03\/54\/320x180_cmsv2_2b15856e-39e8-5643-a6a6-44e5b0368114-9830354.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE: A woman and her children arrive at the Anse lake, outside Lyon, central France, during a heatwave,\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Extreme heat fuels youth mental health hospital visits, study finds<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2908330-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2908330\" data-cid=\"9830515\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2908330-label-pos6-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/83\/05\/15\/320x180_cmsv2_ffb19fff-1e3b-5842-b293-d6d26c069d6c-9830515.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Obesity drugs bring weight loss but not better quality of life.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Obesity drugs cut weight but don\u2019t improve life quality, study finds<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2362642-pos1-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2362642\" data-cid=\"7870952\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    COVID: Should we fear a new winter wave?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2908330-pos2-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2908330\" data-cid=\"9830515\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Obesity drugs cut weight but don\u2019t improve life quality, study finds<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2908218-pos3-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2908218\" data-cid=\"9830086\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Spanish strawberries have far fewer pesticides than average<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2440852-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2440852\" data-cid=\"8124816\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Scientists discover first new antibiotics in over 60 years using AI<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2907905-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-related the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2907905\" data-cid=\"9828403\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Discovery opens new way to defeat drug-resistant bacteria<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"articleBody\" data-key=\"articleBody\">Italy\u2019s southern Calabria region is the rare place in Europe where Cuba sends medical professionals under a long-running programme that the United States wants to stamp out.Cuba has more doctors per person than almost any country on Earth \u2014 around 9.5 physicians per 1,000 people according to WHO data, nearly three times the OECD average \u2014 and its community-based prevention model is studied by health systems worldwide.The country has sent its doctors to developing nations such as Gambia and Venezuela for decades, particularly due to their skills in providing care with scarce resources.Over 200 are working in remote hospitals across Calabria, Italy\u2019s poorest region, where shortages of homegrown healthcare workers had forced some hospital departments to close.\u201cIt was a disaster. I was keeping the emergency room open all by myself,\u201d the chief physician of Polistena hospital, Francesco Moschella, told The Associated Press, recalling the days before the Cubans arrived in January 2023.Their presence triggered a visit from United States officials amid criticism from Washington, which calls the programme a moneymaker for the socialist government that the Trump administration has isolated and sanctioned.\u00a0Calabria\u2019s president has refused to shut down the programme. Even if Cuba\u2019s socialism doesn\u2019t fit with his political views, he says the region depends on the doctors.Countries under US pressureUnited States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has accused the Cuban missions of being a \u201cform of human trafficking\u201d \u2014 a reference to Cuba&#8217;s government keeping most doctors&#8217; salaries and allegedly confiscating some passports.The US head of mission to Cuba, Mike Hammer, flew to Calabria in February alongside the American consul-general in Naples.\u00a0\u201cI had some pressures also during the Biden administration. But pressure grew under Trump,\u201d Occhiuto said. He told Hammer his government is working on incentives to lure Calabrian doctors home.\u201cBut at the same time, I have also reiterated to the US Ambassador Hammer that I needed to keep hospitals open and that I intend to keep the Cuban doctors who are currently in Italy in their posts,\u201d Occhiuto said.Italy is not the only country under US pressure to stop collaborating with Cuba. In March, Jamaica ended its 50-year medical cooperation agreement with the country, affecting nearly 300 healthcare workers. In the same month, Honduras expelled more than 150 Cuban medical staff.\u00a0Calabria\u2019s strained healthcare system\u00a0Despite growing tourism and a strong farming economy, wages in Calabria are about 30% lower than the Italian average, and the unemployment rate is double the national rate.The region ranks last in Italy in public healthcare access, according to the health ministry.During the COVID-19 pandemic, Cuba sent doctors to several areas of Italy and Calabria continued employing them after the health emergency ended.\u00a0\u201cFor a first-world country, Europe, we had a completely different idea. We didn\u2019t think that the shortage of doctors was so serious,\u201d said Zoila Yakelin Arevalo Cruz, an emergency medicine specialist who left Cuba in 2023.\u00a0The emergency room where she works in Polistena sees 30,000 patients annually, and six Cuban doctors make up half its staff.\u201cIn this hospital there were lines that lasted up to eight or 12 hours. Now, thanks to our work, in less than an hour a doctor visits you.\u201dThe region pays Cuban doctors directlyCalabria signed individual contracts with the doctors and makes deposits in their Italian bank accounts rather than paying the Cuban government agency that runs the medical missions.Cuban doctors told the AP they still send as much as half their salaries back to their government.\u201cWe are all aware of the economic situation Cuba is going through. It\u2019s a contribution that we make voluntarily because Cuba trained us, educated us and made us doctors,\u201d Arevalo Cruz said.Daisy Luperon Loforte, Cuban cardiologist, echoed that sentiment: \u201cWe do not consider ourselves modern-day slaves at all, as somebody called it. We love our country, we give an economic contribution and we are happy to do so.\u201dOcchiuto confirmed that 63 Cuban doctors, some of them previously involved in Cuba\u2019s international medical mission, recently applied to work in its healthcare system independently.<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/health\/2026\/07\/10\/italys-poorest-region-relies-on-cuban-doctors-despite-us-pressure-to-cut-ties&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/83\/34\/54\/1200x675_cmsv2_1bbfd960-a3fa-5ea2-ab19-867c9b13d3a8-9833454.jpg&#8221;] Economy Global oil demand set for first annual drop since COVID, IEA says Europe News Hungary&#8217;s bid to join European Prosecutor&#8217;s Office accepted Travel News Greece, Italy and Malta lead the way as European tourism grows in 2026 Europe Today French economy minister on Spain&#8217;s debt proposal: &#8216;It&#8217;s interesting&#8217; Economy Global oil [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[90],"tags":[226,36],"class_list":["post-2036547","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-international","tag-crawlmanager","tag-euronews-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2036547","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2036547"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2036547\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2036547"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2036547"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2036547"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}