50 Cuban doctors to stop Calabrian wards closing

(ANSA) - ROME, DEC 28 - The regional government of Calabria has recruited 50 Cuban doctors to stave off the closure of many wards in hospitals across the southern Italian region.
    Calabrian Governor Roberto Occhiuto said the whole recruitment and hiring process would have taken some three years for Italian doctors whereas the new Cuban medics will be ready to start work in a month's time.
    "In order to get (that many doctors in Italy) would have taken us three years. Instead, they'll be able to start in a month to work in the wards which we would otherwise have had to shut down".
    Occhiuto said he "couldn't care less" about accusations that the region should not have gone so far abroad for staff.
    "They're not going to steal anyone's jobs", he added. (ANSA).