Cuban Hospitals

[jdizzle113]

Hi All,

As part of my studies I'm going to be doing an 8-week medical elective - it can be anywhere in the world. But I'd really love to do Cuba - cigars aside - the healthcare system is pretty bloody brilliant - they have the healthcare budget of a developing world country and yet they have the life expectancy similar to the developed world. Their major killers are chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer - just like us - even though their latin american counterparts still have infectious diseases as some of their major killers.

So what I was hoping to find out was - for those of you that have been to Cuba - do any of you have experience with the hospitals over there? If so, is there a particular region you would recommend going to? Does anyone know any heads of the hospitals over there?

Your help is much appreciated

Cheers

James

[SamuraiJack]

Very cool, best of luck. Would love to hear how it goes.

[bassman]

Went to Cuba in 2001 & 02 on an "Educational" OFAC license. Just before our 2003 trip the educational license was not renewed, but we were able to go on a "Humanitarian" license. That required each member of our group to bring at least 15 pounds of medical supplies. Half was skimmed off in Havana & we brought the balance to Moron, where our group was based for a week. The hospital director had tears in his eyes when we presented him with our supplies. They had practically nothing in stock. Seems little in the was of suplies gets out to the backwater areas of the country. And, FWIW, we were in Moron because in that part of Cuba many of the sugar mills still used 80 year old USA built steam locomotives to haul sugar cane from the fields to the mills. We were there to ride & photograth the steam trains.

[Froggy]

Can't give you any advice, as I never had any business with the Cuban Health system. But I wish you luck. Compare with other "free" systems maybe (Canadian, French, etc)? I'm curious about the question of waiting lists and access to various treatments in Cuba... Have fun!

[cadillacdoc]

Been to several "neighborhood" clinics and spent some time at the Hogar Feto-Maternal hospital at the corner of Lamparilla and Mercaderes. ( a place catty cornered from it is an establishment you might find interesting, its called the Villanueva. Say hola to Reynaldo and Antonio.)

Also spent a day at the Havana Psychiatric hospital, They let me out that evening. ;>)

I don't have a contact that can arrange a "formal" clerkship, but I'm sure you could talk your way into several interesting situations if you have legitimite documentation and references. The system is not nearly as good as Michael Moore portrays it. General/family practitioners function at the level of EMT's/paramedics in the US. Supplies are non-existant. Just my opinion.

[El Presidente]

The 'Foreigner" hospital/clinic "Circa Garcia" in Mirimar is quite good. The Cuban hospitals and clinics are crowded, outdated and struggling.

When I hear about the great cuban medical system I scratch my head. It certainly isn't the experience of my friends in Havana.

There has also been a transformation in the treatment of medical ailments over the past 5 years. There are now serious delays for the average Cuban as all the better wards are taken up by Venezuelan patients being sent to Cuba for treatment. It is part of the contra healthcare for oil program.

To say that the average Cuban feels royally ripped off is an understatement.

[jdizzle113]

Thanks for all the replies guys.

I won't be going on this elective for quite a while (maybe a year) - but I'm told I have to get the ball rolling this early to get a placement sorted.

On the cuban healthcare system - I guess all their positive outcomes come from public health - i.e. things like vaccination programs and screening programs - it's these programs rather than higher doctor to patient ratios that lead to better patient outcomes per dollar spent. Just as a comparison - the US government spends much more money on healthcare (Even as a percentage of their GDP it is higher) than Australia - and yet they have worse patient outcomes because their programs are geared towards the tertiary level of healthcare: ie. the individual patient - whereas in Australia our money is very much spent on primary healthcare - the population level - so we get much more bang for our buck.

A good site on the cuban system:

http://www.medicc.org/ns/index.php?s=11&p=0

[SethG]

Aren't all the best doc's in Cuba still sequestered in Venezuela on the exchange system???

Sorry to say, I think you're going to find that the government approved news stories about the medical system and life expectancy/results/spans are going to be very distorted and you're likely to be a bit shocked at the reality on the ground!

All the more reason to go I say, but at least do yourself a favor and travel into the Vuelta Abajo region to do your medical work

[bassman]

Hospitalization is free in Cuba, but better bring your own sheets & medicine.