Suva, June 14, 2026.—In a highly competitive professional and academic environment, the story of Dr. Asil Kant Ram stands out as a testament to resilience, perseverance, and overcoming adversity. After facing multiple scholarship rejections and severe financial hardships, Dr. Ram turned those initial obstacles into the driving force behind building a distinguished career in public health. Today, he proudly practices medicine in his homeland, having graduated with honors from Cuba and recently completed his postgraduate training.
The turning point in his life came when he successfully applied to the Cuban Government Scholarship Program. In 2010, he was part of the first group of Fijian students selected to study medicine. Dr. Ram completed his initial studies at the prestigious Latin American School of Medicine (ELAM) in Havana, before transferring to the “Carlos J. Finlay” University of Medical Sciences in Camagüey. In 2017, he graduated with honors as a Doctor of Medicine.
“One of the most enriching aspects of studying in Cuba was the opportunity to live and learn alongside students from different countries and continents,” Dr. Ram notes in his interview. “We forged international friendships and gained a global perspective on diverse cultures and realities—something we would not have experienced had we stayed in Fiji.”
Upon his return, adapting to the local healthcare system posed an additional challenge that he more than overcame alongside his colleagues. Committed to the continuous improvement of healthcare management, Dr. Ram subsequently earned a Postgraduate Diploma and, earlier this year, graduated with a Master’s degree in Health Services Management from the Fiji National University (FNU).
Dr. Ram expresses his deep gratitude to the Government of Cuba for its hospitality, resilience, and internationally recognized robust healthcare system.
(Embacuba Fiyi)