NAMIBIANS studying in Cuba are set to receive packages from their families containing basic hygiene products later this week.
The students have been struggling to buy basic cosmetic products due to a lockdown in Cuba since mid-March.
About 250 students are enrolled at different tertiary institutions in Cuba, with 200 studying medicine and the remainder dentistry.
The students earlier this month said when these basic hygiene products are available in Cuban shops, the prices are often hiked.
The United States have imposed sanctions on Cuba.
A plane was set to to fly to Cuba earlier this month to repatriate Namibian doctors who are stranded there, and in turn benefit the struggling students, but the flight was cancelled.
Ben Nangombe, executive director of health and social services, yesterday said an arrangement has been made through the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation to deliver the packages.
A South African plane will deliver the parcels to the students.
Nangombe said the ministry asked the students’ parents and relatives to arrange parcels of not more than 20 kg per student.
“I hope it will go well, because they need these basic things,” he said.
Nangombe said the returning flight would however not return the Namibian doctors stranded in Cuba. He said the South African flight will collect the country’s own nationals.
“It is unlikely there will be sufficient space to board the aircraft. They are just taking the cargo, but coming back with [South African] nationals,” he said.
Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, executive director of international relations and cooperation, said the Namibian ambassador to Cuba has been stranded in Windhoek and the ministry asked if he could be taken along.
Ashipala-Musavyi could not confirm when the flight would leave, but The Namibian understands the flight would take off on 2 or 3 July.
A student in Cuba who spoke to The Namibian via WhatsApp yesterday said she asked for a supply of cosmetics for a year to be safe.
“We are grateful for the packages that are coming. Although it is not 50 kg as promised, it is still something. We are grateful,” she said.
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