Cuba – The nation with best healthcare system globally

A Cuban doctor takes care of his patient. (Photo: Cubadebate)

Cuba allocates as much as 23 percent of its national budget to healthcare and 30 percent to education. Additionally, its international healthcare support services account for 46 percent of its export revenue and 6 percent of its GDP (in 2019 alone). This mechanism has yielded remarkable achievements for the healthcare system of this Caribbean island nation.

In recent years, Cuba has emerged as a popular destination for tourists. Alongside their primary interest in sightseeing, a large number of these visitors have chosen to combine their trips with medical services, including cosmetic surgery and post-accident functional recovery.

Gonzalos Ramos, a Venezuelan tourist who had been paralyzed following a traffic accident, shared that he regained full mobility in all four limbs and could independently take care of himself within a mere 2-month period of treatment at La Pradera International Health Center, situated in the Western residential area of Havana.

In the meantime, following a successful corneal transplant for his injured left eye caused by fireworks, Carlos Armando, a tourist from Mexico, expressed his admiration for the expertise of Cuban doctors, the quality of care, and the infrastructure of an eye surgery center in central Havana.

The medical tourism sector contributes foreign currency to Cuba's economy, as it draws thousands of visitors from Latin America and Europe who are enticed by the reputation of doctors, cost-effective services, and the allure of the resort beaches.

The majority of those who have undergone medical treatment in Cuba affirm that the doctors in Cuba are among the most dedicated in the world. Despite receiving modest salaries, it is a profession that every student aspires to, and it commands high respect within society. In 2014, WHO Director-General Margaret Chan lauded Cuba as a global healthcare leader, not only due to the quality and extent of healthcare available to its citizens but also because of the robust integration of its healthcare systems with research and innovation, as reported by InterNations.

Healthcare workers visit each household to conduct epidemiological investigations in Havana, Cuba. (Photo: VNA)

In the meantime, Business Insider reported that former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, during his visit to Cuba, commended the healthcare system of the Caribbean island as "an exemplar for numerous nations."

Despite enduring ongoing economic challenges, Cuba has sent over 124,000 healthcare professionals to deliver care services in 154 countries. Additionally, Cuba has hosted over 20,000 students from various nations who come to study medicine at the Latin American School of Medicine in Havana.

Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, at a time when countries around the world, including global powers like the US, China, and Russia, were grappling with a shortage of healthcare workers, Cuba deployed a medical team to more than 20 developing countries like Mozambique, South Africa, and Mexico, and developed nations, such as Italy and Canada, as part of their healthcare assistance initiatives.

Amid the peak of the Covid-19 crisis, disregarding the geographical distance, Cuba sent a team of healthcare experts to Vietnam to assist with the pandemic response in Da Nang. Furthermore, they donated thousands of vials of Interferon, a Covid-19 treatment produced in Cuba. In return, the Vietnamese government provided tens of thousands of tons of rice and a substantial quantity of medical supplies to Cuba, including rapid diagnostic kits, medical masks, protective clothing, and some types of medications.

Speaking about the Vietnam-Cuba relationship, Cuban Ambassador Orlando Nicolas Hernandez Guillen is confident that the strong support and close cooperation between the two nations will play a vital role in their success in the battle against the pandemic. Moreover, he regards this collaboration as a meaningful and symbolic milestone in the history of their bilateral ties.

Cuba is the first country in the world to initiate a widespread Covid-19 vaccination campaign for children as young as two years old. Additionally, the nation has achieved noteworthy progress in biotechnology, successfully manufacturing antiviral medications such as Interferon Alpha 2B to address Covid-19. At present, there are 21 products in use for virus prevention, anti-arrhythmia treatment, and antibiotics.

Cuba has not only triumphed over Covid-19 but also nearly wiped out diseases like polio, rubella, tuberculosis, and measles through its nationwide vaccination programs and other primary healthcare initiatives. Moreover, the excellence of Cuba's free healthcare system shines through its successful implementation of modern stem cell therapy, capable of treating a wide range of complex diseases in every corner of the country.

"Cuba is one of the few countries in the world with a population treated with stem cells exceeding 1 per 100,000 people," said Dr. Porfirio Hernandez Ramirez, coordinator of the Ministry of Public Health’s Regenerative Medicine and Cellular Therapy Group.