Ghanaian medical graduates stranded in Cuba appeal to Mahama for immediate return

Ghanaian medical graduates stranded in Cuba have appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to intervene and facilitate their immediate return home.

The graduates say repeated delays to their departure have put pressure on their finances and disrupted plans to begin the next stage of their professional training in Ghana.

Raphael Oteng Boakye, President of the recently graduated Ghanaian doctors in Cuba, said the group completed their studies on July 22, 2026, but remains in Cuba nearly two months later after several scheduled departure dates were postponed.

Speaking on Citi News Digest on Saturday, September 19, 2026 Oteng Boakye called on President Mahama to intervene to ensure they are brought back to Ghana as soon as possible.

“Our immediate demand is that the President steps in and commands or demands that we be brought home as soon as possible because we know it’s possible,” he said.

According to him, the graduates were initially scheduled to leave Cuba on August 28.

However, he said subsequent departure dates, including September 3 or 4, September 7, September 9 and September 15 or 17, were also postponed.

“As of yet, we are yet to hear anything fruitful about a definite timeline for when we’ll be leaving this country for our motherland,” he said.

Delays threaten professional plans

Oteng Boakye said the prolonged stay in Cuba could affect the graduates’ plans to integrate into Ghana’s healthcare system.

He explained that after returning to Ghana, the graduates are expected to complete a six-month clinical attachment before taking the medical licensing examination.

“We are eager to return home as soon as possible to undergo our attachments and eventually sit for our licensure exam,” he said.

The graduates are therefore concerned that further delays could affect the timeline for completing their clinical attachments and progressing to the licensing examination.

Graduates raise concerns over unpaid stipends

Aside from the uncertainty surrounding their return, Oteng Boakye said the graduates are also facing financial difficulties due to outstanding stipends.

He claimed that about six months of stipends remained unpaid.

According to him, the graduates had been informed that funding for four of the outstanding months had been made available, but the money had yet to reach them.

“We still have not received these four months’ stipends, and very little to nothing is being done to ensure that we receive them here before we leave,” he said.

The graduates are consequently appealing for urgent intervention to resolve both their travel arrangements and outstanding financial obligations, allowing them to return to Ghana and proceed with the required stages of their medical training and licensing.