| -link"> | | | | After Hurricane George and Mitch plummeted Central |
| The American Healthcare Crisis Can Solved By | | | | America and the Caribbean, Cuban Doctors rushed to |
| Studying And Implementing A System Like That Of | | | | the disaster zone, as was their practice for similar acts |
| Cuba. The Cold War Is Over. It's Time To Look At | | | | of Mother Nature. |
| What Works And Heal Our Relationship With Cuba. | | | | When it was time to go back to Cuba, the team of |
| I decided to do some research on Cuba's healthcare | | | | doctors saw a need for posting doctors in several of |
| system. as we excitedly wait for film maker Michael | | | | these countries in order to train local people in medicine. |
| Moore's new masterpiece,"Sicko," | | | | Thus the Havana-based Latin American School of |
| "Sicko" spotlights the negligent U.S. healthcare system. | | | | Medicine or ELAM, was born, offering $10,000 |
| In a brilliant example of contrast, Moore takes 911 fire | | | | scholarships for free medical training. |
| fighters and rescue workers with life threatening lung | | | | The Program has grown to 22,000 students from Latin |
| problems their health insurance policies refused to | | | | America, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia and the United |
| cover, first to the U.S. Post Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, | | | | States. The students attend ELAM and 28 other |
| where care was refused; then to Havana, where the | | | | medical schools across Cuba. The students represent |
| doctors there happily treated them. | | | | all ethnic groups, 51% are women, and they come |
| 50,000 people are without healthcare insurance in the | | | | from 30 countries. |
| United States. Many of those who are insured are | | | | A young person from inner city Bronx who chooses to |
| under insured. The job of the insurance companies is | | | | take part in this program, forinstance, must promise to |
| to deny claims and services to their clients, whether | | | | take her expertise back to the neighborhood she |
| they admit it, or not. | | | | came from. |
| According to Health Care Now, the U.S. ranked 58 in | | | | 350,000 people now work in the healthcare field in |
| the provision of healthcare worldwide. More than 50% | | | | Cuba, serving a population of 11 million people. |
| of American bankruptcies are the result of inability to | | | | Everyone has access to doctors, nurses, specialists |
| pay for medical emergencies. | | | | and medicines. A doctor and nurse team oversees |
| The United States has aggressively attempted and | | | | every neighborhood. |
| consistently failed to destroy the communist | | | | House calls are routine. The wisdom of treating a |
| government of Fidel Castro, most recently through an | | | | patient holistically, knowing a patient's family and her |
| ongoing blockade of goods and services into that | | | | environment, is crucial to successful treatment. |
| country. | | | | Doctors and nurses in Cuba are trained in acupuncture, |
| Due to the pressure the U.S. has exerted on other | | | | herbal treatments, massage and other natural health |
| countries to stop their trade with Cuba, Cuba has been | | | | modalities, as well, something lacking in American |
| forced to request higher prices for goods and | | | | healthcare. |
| services, including medicine. In one year, Cuba had to | | | | The exportation of Cuban healthcare is a Peace |
| pay an extra 45 million dollars for pharmaceuticals, | | | | Project that we all can learn from. |
| which is 80% to 140% more than other buyers of | | | | Before Cuba sent doctors to Pakistan, relations |
| medicine, according to Medi-Cuba, the Cuban firm that | | | | between these two countries were not harmonious. |
| imports medicine and human technology. | | | | But now, the relationship is "magnificent," says Dr |
| Nevertheless, Cuba continues to offer free and | | | | Ceballos, a Cuban physician. |
| comprehensive healthcare to all her citizens. | | | | The investments in healthcare missions "are resources |
| In addition, since 1963, Cuba has exported its | | | | that prevent confrontation with other nations," Dr |
| exemplary healthcare service around the world, | | | | Ceballos explains. "The solidarity with Cuba has |
| sending doctors and its own technological | | | | restrained aggressions of all kinds." |
| advancements in medicine to countries throughout | | | | And in a statement that acknowledges Cuba's |
| Latin America and Africa. | | | | vulnerabilities on the global stage, Dr. Ceballos explains, |
| Cuba provided much needed medical support after the | | | | "It's infinitely better to invest in peace than to invest in |
| 2005 earthquake in Kashmir, Pakistan. Fidel Castro | | | | war." |
| offered to lend medical support after the devastation | | | | A SINGLE PAYOR PLAN IN PENNSYLVANIA |
| following Hurricane Katrina. Medical Personnel were | | | | "Family and Business Healthcare Security Act of 2007" |
| packed and ready to go. | | | | is a single payor healthcare plan currently being set |
| Unfortunately, the U.S. chose to play politics over the | | | | forth in the state of Pennsylvania where I live. It may |
| saving of lives. | | | | prove to be the prototype healthcare plan for every |
| EXPORTING HEALTHCARE | | | | state in the union. |
| Cuba trains international students at its medical schools. | | | | |