Medical Internationalism

To the wider world owe a debt both Cuba’s past (e.g. the descendents of Africa lead the independence charge) and future (e.g. the unification of Latin America will engender security and developmental benefits). And since Cuba’s well educated populace is its most valuable resource, it relies on human capital as a principal instrument of foreign exchange.

As such, Cuba’s foreign policy focuses heavily on loaning health and educational personnel to underdeveloped nations. Currently, 42,000 Cubans serve in 103 countries—responding to natural disasters, eradicating literacy, performing opthalmological surgery, and building public health capacity. Cuba also hosts without charge over ten thousand students from 113 different countries in its six year medical schools. These efforts demonstrate writ large the selflessness required for revolutionary socialism and create the favorable diplomatic relationships necessary to counteract the continued enmity from the US. However, some Cubans contend that the external emphasis has taken needed resources away from domestic health care—where it has now become customary to bring gifts to doctors to guarantee proper medical attention.