August 15, 2005
Cuba Facing Epidemics
Cuba continues to send its doctors and medical professionals to Venezuela and other countries, while Cubans face shortages of medical supplies, doctors, and now, as a result, various epidemics.
As further evidence of this travesty, I have translated an article in today El Nuevo Herald which uncovers the true details of the health crisis Cuba is currently undergoing.
For the sake of brevity, I only translated the key parts, the entire Spanish article can be found here.
Remember, at least "the healthcare is free".
Health Crisis in Cuba
The recent deaths of children and adults as a result of an epidemic breakout in Cuba are barely the tip of the iceberg in a battered public health system that for decades proclaimed itself as a model of excellence and a great achievement of Fidel Castro' revolution.
Although the Cuban government on July 25th did inform of the deaths of eight minors, recognizing the "affected water supply, domestic fuel availability, and electrical service to the population" as possible factors tied to the hygienic-epidemic situation, independent sources and testimonies point at deeper causes, related to the galloping deterioration of health conditions and medical care in the country.
A four-page report by the Center of Health and Human Rights "Juan Bruno Zayas" questions the assertions published in a release by the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP), and also questions the number of deaths confirmed by Cuban authorities.
"In internal meetings with doctors, a total of 31 deaths involving children and adults have been handled in Havana alone, but there must be even more", indicated Dr. Darsi Ferre, director of Juan Bruno Zayas. "We are continuing to compile all the data to alert the population and international public opinion of the dangers that we currently face in Cuba and the immorality of the authorities who don't properly inform its citizens."
"Several factors appear to have a decisive influence in these breakouts'', affirms the document. "They are: the lack of attention given to epidemic control programs of transmitted diseases due primarily to the lack of qualified personnel, the lack of motivation of the part of professionals in those fields and the lack of resources required to accomplish the tasks; and the deplorable hygienic-sanitary state, characterized by the presence of garbage dumps in every city block".
The four-page text, that even manages to track down opinions of MINSAP employees, observes that the provision of water is irregular throughout the country and the pipes are seriously damaged, resulting in the contamination of the water drains.
In addition to the virosis, the report points to an increase of epidemics of dengue, hepatitis, leptospirosis and meningoencefalitis. "The situation is very serious", confessed a pediatrician of a clinic in Havana. And many people think that all this is because of the lack of qualified personnel due to the large number of doctors who have been sent to Venezuela and other missions outside the country."
In order to erase these black marks, the Cuban government is promoting short-duration courses for nurses and health technicians.
This year, 29,000 students are expected to enroll in the medical science fields, the largest number of students in Cuba's history. Conscious of displeasure in this professional sector, Fidel Castro announced in June the increase in wages for all health workers, with a maximum of 573 pesos (about $21) as basic wage for specialized doctors.
But the wage increase is not providing enough stimulus for doctors and stomachologists, who see foreign missions as an alternative in order to make money in dollars and to remove themselves from the tense national reality.
Arco Progresista, a moderate dissident organization, has already alerted on the exodus of health professionals to Venezuela and the humiliating reorientation of medical services to foreigners.
"The government of Venezuela worries and takes care of the health of Venezuelans. The Cuban government does as well. Who then worries and takes care of the health of Cubans?", questioned dissident Manuel Cuesta Morúa. "Entire communities in this country have seen their doctors sent to other countries, and how they themselves have been neglected by a badly- understood solidarity, strictly for the political benefits of the authorities of Cuba".
Posted by Robert M at August 15, 2005 05:19 PM
Comments
Val ahora que tu hablas de ese tema me hiciste recordar una conversacion que tuve por telefono con un viejo amigo de miami el cual me comentaba que unos de los muchachos del barrio que se habia criado casi junto conmigo se habia hecho medico y estaba cumpliendo mission internacionalista como le dicen ellos.
No se si lo obligaron o lo hizo por voluntad propia cosa que practicamente no existe.
al mismo tiempo estos hechos se dasarrollan cuando en ranchuelo , villa clara,cuba ,lo medicos escazean y los policlinicos ni un cartucho de algodon tienen a veces ni para curar una herida.
Pero no el hijo puta de fidel no puede dejar de caer su imagen de buena gente en latinoamerica.
el prefiere sepultar en una tumba de aflicciones y enfermedades a su pueblo ..que antes de dar su brazo a torcer ...o sea su imagen internacional vale mas que la vida de un cubano.
Posted by: tocororo at August 15, 2005 06:02 PM
perdonando el error cuando em referi a val sin darme cuenta que fue robert el que puso el post mis mas sinceras disculpas
Posted by: tocororo at August 15, 2005 07:55 PM
Robert, in this and the post on your site I did not read anything about the specific infections or illnesses. Do you have any information on that?
Posted by: George L. Moneo at August 15, 2005 08:23 PM
George,
The first sentence in paragraph 7 of the posted article states the different illnesses. I will highlight them in bold for easier viewing.
Posted by: Robert at August 16, 2005 01:22 AM
"Dengue, hepatitis, leptospirosis and meningoencefalitis." This in a country that before castro had a life expectancy close to that of the US, and a healthcare system that owuld be the envy of any country.
Posted by: George L. Moneo at August 16, 2005 09:56 AM