[Intiltern]

Q: How many of those physicians gained their qualifications overseas, and how how many Cuban physicians practice overseas (legally...)

[SodeSceriobia]

I doubt it that Cuban medicine is excellent. Modern medicine is very expensive and Cuba can't afford to fully specialize all those doctors and equip them with the latest technology.

Thanks for the info about Castro's obsession, I didn't know that.

[allvideO]

Only 2 MRI machines? You sure? That does seem a little low...

[Avaboormavoro]

Originally posted by Krill
Only 2 MRI machines? You sure? That does seem a little low... Google has spoken.

[Arrectiff]

Originally posted by LotC


Life expectancies from the CIA World Factbook via Wikipedia:

Rank Country Overall Male Female

29 United States 78 75.15 80.97
38 Cuba 77.08 74.85 79.43

Cuba stresses something called "preventative medicine", which does not cost a whole lot of money nor require the latest technology. With things like universal free health care, proper and universal nutrition for children, and a lifestyle that is not driven by laziness and overconsumption, they tend to live long and healthy lives.

As for the "obsession" with health and education, I'd say it's a lot better than an obsession with throwing over 1% of its citizens in jail and putting an unfair economic burden on the people that are not in the position to bear it, which seem to be the obsessions of most US politicians. For the record, not that there is anything to be proud about, US rate of imprisonment at 790/100000, not quite 1%. Cuba is very close behind if not higher with numbers wildly varying from 490 to 900 depending on the source. regardless I wouldn't cling to the notion that Cuba is a paragon of virtue with respect to imprisoning its own citizens and simlarly burdening the populace with a 3rd world nation economy.

[CtEkM8Vq]

Originally posted by LotC


Life expectancies from the CIA World Factbook via Wikipedia:

Rank Country Overall Male Female

29 United States 78 75.15 80.97
38 Cuba 77.08 74.85 79.43

Cuba stresses something called "preventative medicine", which does not cost a whole lot of money nor require the latest technology. With things like universal free health care, proper and universal nutrition for children, and a lifestyle that is not driven by laziness and overconsumption, they tend to live long and healthy lives. This exactly the sort of post the perpetuates these myths about excellent Cuban medicine.

If you take a look at the statistics, there doesn't seem to be a correlation between number of doctors and life expectancy.

Albania, for example, has only 1.31 physician per 1,000 people and has similar life expectancy to Cuba. Albania is a barely functional country BTW.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/he...tal-population

#49 Albania: 77.6 years
#50 Taiwan: 77.56 years
#51 Anguilla: 77.46 years
#52 Kuwait: 77.36 years
#53 Korea, South: 77.23 years
#54 Costa Rica: 77.21 years
#55 Cuba: 77.08 years
#56 Chile: 76.96 years
#57 Libya: 76.88 years
#58 British Virgin Islands: 76.86 years
#59 Ecuador: 76.62 years
#60 Slovenia: 76.53 years

[citicroego]

LOng Life =| Good quality of life

[Fellionas]

What was the last miracle drug/medical procedure to originate from Cuba?

[Wezfyowk]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara


Europe's health care is far better than American health care, and ours is, on average, three times more expensive. Prolly has much more to do with the fact that we as Mericans eat like crap moreso than the state of health care.

[Immampdah]

If you want something that might not be safe for humans yet, go to china!

JM

[acceraStoof]

Originally posted by David Floyd
Also, specialized medicine in the US is superior to that of Europe, and almost anywhere else. If you need a major transplant operation, for example, or brain surgery, from everything I've heard you want to have the procedure done at a US hospital. That's why there's a growing health travel industry.

Going to Thailand to get your surgery for less.

Going to Cuba to get it done for free.

[foI3fKWv]

Originally posted by LordShiva


India is one of teh largest medical tourist destinations. Nobody goes to Cuba. All South America goes to Cuba for treatment. I personally know three (well-off) South Americans who went to Cuba for that purpose. One of them is the daughter of a right wing mayor of a medium Chilean city.