Like the US's medical system, the Cuban medical system has problems, but the ones in the article you link to are related to shortages caused by the embargo, not to some sort of callousness to human life as the author would like us to think.

Why not also link to an article about how Cuba's doctors are some of the best in the hemisphere? With all of their infrastructural difficulties, Cuba manages to maintain excellent quality of life for its citizens, high life expectancy, low infant mortality rates, by far the lowest incidence of AIDS in the world. Meanwhile, we Americans are unable or unwilling to provide health care to our poorest citizens.

Why compare Cuba's health system to ours? It doesn't make any sense, not even Mexico or Brazil can afford to be compared to the USA, the richest country in the world. A more logical comparison would be with countries of the same size of Cuba that have been under American influence for the last 50 years, in that group we have Paraguay, Haiti, Guatemala, El Salvador, all of them with higher infant mortality rate and less doctors by far than Cuba. No matter how many web sites the "dissidents" financed by the CIA can set up the fact remains that Cuba become what it became in great part because of the policies of the USA for the region in the 1950's that remain in place today perpetuating poverty and underdevelopment. You should worry more about the human rights record in Haiti, the poorest country in the western hemisphere, "our" Haiti.

I live in Cuba for 30 years. I can speak of the medical system. The articles noted above are not worthy of being published. Mr. Castro the Cuban dictator for more than 40 yrs. uses the medical system as a propaganda tool. I live im the U.S. and I have to send medicines and money to my family in Cuba, because of 40 yrs of economy mismanagement. Cuba lacks everything because of the embargo, not the US embargo but the embargo imposed by its goverment to it people.

Long Live the Revolution Henry Valois. Another CIA funded pack of lies. Maybe you should send the medicines to New Orleans huh?

Sadly, Even "unbiased" news outlets can not resist Cuba bashing. Talk to the millions in Africa, Latin America and the Carribbean who have benefitted from Cuba's medical generosity. While many will disagree with Cuba's political stance, there should be a celebration of the achievements of a tiny island, inspie of and despite the US embargo.
Please be honest.
Varsi Padayachee

Regardless of Cuba´s political stance, we should speak of their hurricane response system- how the Cuban government ensures that people are evacuated and protected. If we, the richest and most powerful country in the world, cannot out-do a small, impoverished (due to our embargo) caribbean nation.....shame on us.

Considering the difficulty we seem to have had in getting US doctors permission to practice in hurricane-ravaged states, it seems likely that Cuban doctors, even if accepted and no matter how qualified, would still be cooling their heels come December. While Cuban may be owed the coutesy of a reply, there would appear to be no point in accepting -- due to American bureaucratic inertia.

Actually, White House press secretary Scott McClellan responded last week that the United States had turned down Cuba's offer. Come on, Washington Post, you guys are supposed to keep up with this stuff!

Regardless of Cuba's political regime, which is the reason for me living here instead of living in my own country (Cuba)silly propaganda cannot hide the fact that Cuban health system is an excellent one. In fact, I have not found a physician here who take care of me here the way Cubans doctors did. And, please, do not think I do not love this country. I do.

Vicenta: Was it this lovely castroite hospital where you got all that free healthcare?

http://www.therealcuba.com/page3.htm

In other news, The Miami Herald reported earlier this week that the filthy Castro ordered his Soviet takeout service to serve him up a shipment of nuclear weapons to point at Louisiana in 1981. NOW he wants to send them his loving Cuban doctors on the go???? One can just imagine.

Fidel you cuddly old .... psychopathic killer.

It never ceases to amaze me at how quickly some people such as TB above take the word of fidel castro and his cronies as gospel and dispell the world of those Cubans that exiled as CIA backed lies. Would that be the case, the CIA would have almost 2 million Cuban agents.

Vicenta, while I agree that some Cuban doctors are excellent care givers, these same doctors were readily available and tending to those in need prior to the revolution.

Another point that noone here seems to consider is that anytime a groud of Cuban are allowed tp travel abroad, to the US especially, they are accompanied by Cuban state security agents to ensure they do not defect. How many Cuban state security agents would it take to cover 1,500 doctors? How many doctors, earning a measely 12 dollars a month in Cuba, would defect with the hopes of prospering and possibly helping their families remaining on the island?

Mr. Morley, you do a disservice to your readers if you dont take these things into account, along with the current crisis in Venezuela and other Latin American countries where these "doctors" act more as political agents than care givers.

As for comments on the US embargo being the cause of Cuba's ills, be realistic. Cuban trades ith every other country in the world. Tourists in Cuba have anything they want, from Heinekens to Viagras.

I am a Cuban-American and every month I get letters from family still on the island to send either medicines, or dollars, which they can use to purchase the medicines the Cuban State is supposed to provide for them.

Really want to know what medical care in Cuba is like? Ask a Cuban that has just gotten off a raft somewhere in the keys. Youd be surprised by what you hear.

I think it seems to consider is that anytime a groud of Cuban are allowed tp travel abroad, to the US especially, they are accompanied by Cuban state security agents to ensure they do not defect.

shboomm www.onlineshopping.com