It’s been an eventful year for Cuba. The United States policy changes announced on Dec 17, 2014—the result of 18 months of negotiations—signified a new era for Cuba. On July 20, 2015, the United States reopened its embassy in Havana which has been closed since 1961.
Over the course of three visits to Cuba in the past year I have learned much about this nation, its people, its art, and its healthcare system. We’ve toured polyclinics, hospitals, and medical schools. I’ve met with professors and medical students. We’ve gotten the government’s healthcare statistics and double checked those with providers on the ground. I’ve seen facility standards that are disappointing and observed shortages of the most basic medical supplies and pharmaceuticals.
But everyone I have met on the street knows and respects their local doctor, assigned to them by the state. They have all described their doctors as accessible, empathetic, and caring.
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A Look Inside Cuba's Family Clinics
