JQPublic1
Gold Member
- Aug 10, 2012
- 14,220
- 1,543
- 280
SINCE the triumph of the Revolution in 1959, the development of Cuban medicine has been a government priority. The country is now a point of reference internationally, with Cuba, in fact, currently having the highest number of doctors per inhabitant in the world.
In 2012, more than 11,000 new doctors graduated, completing their six years of studies in exemplary medical schools. This is the largest graduating class in the countrys history, reflecting Cubas continuing commitment to health.
Among these recent graduates, 5,315 are Cuban and 5,694 from 59 other countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia including the United States with the majority from Bolivia (2,400), Nicaragua (429), Peruvian (453), Ecuador (308), Colombia (175) and Guatemala (170). Thus, in one year, Cuba trained almost twice the total number of doctors present in Cuba in 1959.
At the time of the Cuban Revolution, the country had only 6,286 doctors. Of these, 3,000 decided to leave the country for the United States, attracted by professional opportunities there. The Eisenhower administrations policy of ideological warfare against the new government led by Fidel Castro, led to depleting the countrys human capital to the point of creating a serious health crisis.
Faced with this situation, Cuba undertook a massive investment in medicine, creating universal access to higher education, free of charge in all areas of advanced study.
Thus, today, there are 24 medical schools in Cuba, as compared to only one in 1959, in 13 of Cubas 15 provinces and the country has more than 43,00 professors of medicine. Since 1959, approximately 109,000 doctors have been trained in Cuba. Currently one doctor is available for every 148 Cubans (67.2 per 10,000 inhabitants, 78,622 in all). According to the World Health Organization, Cuba has the best ratio in the world. These medical professionals staff 161 hospitals and 452 polyclinics around the country. Click link to see full story.
granma.cu - Cuba, a healthy island
In 2012, more than 11,000 new doctors graduated, completing their six years of studies in exemplary medical schools. This is the largest graduating class in the countrys history, reflecting Cubas continuing commitment to health.
Among these recent graduates, 5,315 are Cuban and 5,694 from 59 other countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia including the United States with the majority from Bolivia (2,400), Nicaragua (429), Peruvian (453), Ecuador (308), Colombia (175) and Guatemala (170). Thus, in one year, Cuba trained almost twice the total number of doctors present in Cuba in 1959.
At the time of the Cuban Revolution, the country had only 6,286 doctors. Of these, 3,000 decided to leave the country for the United States, attracted by professional opportunities there. The Eisenhower administrations policy of ideological warfare against the new government led by Fidel Castro, led to depleting the countrys human capital to the point of creating a serious health crisis.
Faced with this situation, Cuba undertook a massive investment in medicine, creating universal access to higher education, free of charge in all areas of advanced study.
Thus, today, there are 24 medical schools in Cuba, as compared to only one in 1959, in 13 of Cubas 15 provinces and the country has more than 43,00 professors of medicine. Since 1959, approximately 109,000 doctors have been trained in Cuba. Currently one doctor is available for every 148 Cubans (67.2 per 10,000 inhabitants, 78,622 in all). According to the World Health Organization, Cuba has the best ratio in the world. These medical professionals staff 161 hospitals and 452 polyclinics around the country. Click link to see full story.
granma.cu - Cuba, a healthy island
