The transformation of relations with Cuba suggests we may begin interacting with Cuba on a more regular and useful basis, and so occasional tidbits should be of interest. NewScientist (21 March 2015) contributor Penny Sarchet reports a rather small tidbit on Cuba’s health system (paywall):
Cuba does more with less. Despite having been under US sanctions for decades, people in the country have similar life expectancies to US citizens. The island has one of the highest concentrations of doctors in the world, with a family physician living every four blocks, seeing patients from their house, serving about 300 local families. Regular visits mean health problems tend to be diagnosed early and vaccination rates are among the highest in the world.
My experience with the American health system, limited as that’s been, suggests we tend to centralize doctors and require everyone to come to those centers, and while that makes sense for specialists, I do like the idea of a General Practicioner who just drops by from time to time.
