CUBAN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM
Speaker - Dr. Dabney Evans (11-12-2012)
I had the opportunity to attend Dr. Dabney Evans
presentation on the Cuban health care system. Before this presentation I did
not know anything about the Cuban health care system. Cuban health care is actually very unique
because even though Cuba is a low income country, it is able to provide health
care that is comparable to more developed countries. The health challenges Cuba
faces are different than those of developed countries. In developed countries the top causes of
death are coronary heart disease and lung cancer. In developing countries the top causes are lower
respiratory infections and HIV/AIDS, in addition to coronary heart
disease. It is important to note that
there are several social determinants of health in Cuba that influences the health
care. First of all, health is classified as a human right under the
constitution which creates a culture of Cubans who care about their health and
expect good health care. Secondly, Cuba has more than double the amount of
doctors per 1000 people compared to the United States and doctors do more than
only diagnosing the disease. Doctors take on additional roles such as those that
would be done by health educators to help patients understand health issues. Finally,
since Cuba is a lower income country, more of the health costs are focused
towards preventative care rather than treating diseases. It was a very
interesting talk and I learned quite a bit about Cuba. I hope I can visit
someday and see this model of health care at work!
