Rome, August 17 (RHC)-- The President of the southern Italian region of  Calabria, Roberto Occhiuto, on Wednesday officially announced an agreement with Cuba for hiring physicians to provide medical assistance in that region.

Occhiuto said on social media networks that "dozens of Cuban doctors are ready to arrive in Calabria as of September."

The Cuban doctors will support the region's hospitals in the face of issues such as health centers have been facing up for months due to the health personnel shortage, Occhiuto stated.

"I went into negotiations and reached an agreement at the Cuban Embassy. 497 Cuban doctors will be available for us to serve at our hospitals. Dozens of physicians will start serving in our health system as of September", Occhiuto said.

The Italian official also explained, "Calabria's health system has lots of resources to hire health personnel at the moment, and we have tried all of them in the last few months."

Occhiuto revealed that "I've had fruitful talks with the Cuban government" while recalling the Cuban doctors "already aided Italy (in Lombardy and Piedmont) in the most difficult months of the pandemic."

"We're pleased with the signing of such a pivotal agreement, a further opportunity for Calabria, a concrete way to provide on-the-spot answers to citizens' needs, to provide health services properly to guarantee operational health facilities across the region and functioning hospitals," added Occhiuto.