Cuba Debate

[James]

I would be so very gratefull if someone who is in the know, what is the education, health, law and order, etc - system. How do they operate?
Successes?
Failures?
Improvements?

I ask this because i feel rather disalusioned. The traditional neo-leftist thing seems to be; say health care and we win the debate.
I used to think this, but when one actually talks to those who have been to cuba (friends who tell me how guys wanted to marry them to escape cuba), things look different.

For example;
"The health care system is often touted by many analysts as one of the Castro government's greatest achievements. What this analysis ignores is that the revolutionary government inherited an already-advanced health sector when it took power in 1959.

Cuba's infant mortality rate of 32 per 1,000 live births in 1957 was the lowest in Latin America and the 13th lowest in the world, according to UN data. Cuba ranked ahead of France, Belgium, west Germany, Israel, Japan, Austria, Italy, Spain, and Portugal, all of which would eventually pass Cuba in this indicator during the following decades.

Today, Cuba remains the most advanced country in the region in this measure, but its world ranking has fallen from 13th to 24th during the Castro era, according to UN Data. Also missing from the conventional analysis of Cuba's infant mortality rates is its staggering abortion rate -- 0.71 abortions per live birth in 1991, according to the latest UN data -- which, because of selective termination of "high-risk" pregnancies, yields lower numbers for infant mortality. Cuba's abortion rate is at least twice the rate for the other countries in the table below for which data are available.

In terms of physicians and dentists per capita, Cuba in 1957 ranked third in Latin America, behind only Uruguay and Argentina -- both of which were more advanced than the United States in this measure. Cuba's 128 physicians and dentists per 100,000 people in 1957 was the same as the Netherlands, and ahead of the United Kingdom (122 per 100,000 people) and Finland (96)."

http://nocastro.com/documents/facts/zenith.htm

I know its anti castro - but the document claims to be factual. The UN to me is a reliable source of info.

[UnionofSovietSocialistRepublics]

I think standards of health care etc have probably slipped in Cuba, but what do you expect with all those blockades?

[James]

i was told by my friend that healthcare is very good - but only for a few. The high tech equip is only used on foreigners and important people. I don't know if this is true though... but hey, she's been there and i havn't.

[Xprewatik RED]

Thats true since foreigners have money, which Castro wants.

[James]

so in reality there is shit healthcare for all - good health care for those with money?

hmm... don't sound socialist to me

[Urban Rubble]

so in reality there is shit healthcare for all - good health care for those with money?

hmm... don't sound socialist to me

No, that's not quite true. The average Cuban has great healthcare. I wish I could find what I was reading the other day. It gave figures for how much the average Cuban had to pay for different kinds of surgeries and treatments. The price was staggeringly low, a very small fraction of their wages.

[Discontinuity]

I think the amount the average Cuban pays for healthcare is just below cost, with some amount paid by the government.

I read a study on it by some Canadians a while back. Possibly the same thing you were talking about, UR?

[UnionofSovietSocialistRepublics]

If your a tourist, and have to see a doctor i think you have to pay about $25 US dollars. Unsure if thats just a consultation fee, i got the impression that you could have operations etc performed if u were in a life threatning condition, thats out of a cuba travel book.

[RED CHARO]

Quote; Friends told me how they wanted to marry them to escape Cuba....

In any country in the third world, the people want to leave there country,..

Why do you think the Mexican / U.S border is the most heaverly guarded in the world, and Mexico has the most migrants in the world, yet no other country out side of North America has any sizeabule Mexican community....
Also even people in South Korea, Tawain and Hong Kong (and Italy ) want to leave there countrys, even though they have advanced economys,....
Its when you are exposed to this Disney and Hollywood culture, every thing looks better than whats out side your front dor,
In short stop the blockaide that hampers Cubas progres, they can build there minds, the rest needs out side help which there not getting.....

[UnionofSovietSocialistRepublics]

Red Charo, i agree, it is the grass looks greener on this other side phenomona. Cuba is 2nd world , not 3rd by the way.

[James]

hmm its tricky.
I'd appreciate a link to this article; and possibly replies to other issues raised on this anti castro site.
Some of the arguments do appear to be fair - all are supported with facts.
Something which no one here has done.

[Severian]

The largest question about that article is its statement about the 1957 infant mortality rate...that seems surprising to me. But it would take some time in a library to check, stats that old aren't on the web anymore. And if you checked it, then there's be the question: can the Batista regime's statistics be relied on?

Considering how rarely people in remote areas saw a doctor, before the revolution, it seems likely that many deaths would never have been recorded.

In any case, as that article acknowledges, Cuba now has a large number of doctors, everyone has access to them, and medical care is free. There is a shortage of medicines, since funds to import them are limited. That's the largest problem.

It may indeed be that foreigners who can pay in hard currency would get first access; the hard currency would make it possible to import medicines for others. Unfortunate necessity in a difficult situation.

[Urban Rubble]

Ya, that's a big part of the problem. People in these poor impoverished countries think that when they come to the U.S their standard of living will improve. I an unbelievable percentage of the time that turns out not to be the case.

[Inocente]

Have any of you guys being to Cuba?

Or are you Cuban?

Listen with all your repect, do not beleive all the crap written around. But please take sometime to talk to a Cuban and ask about medicine.....

[Fidelbrand]

Originally posted by [email protected] 20 2003, 12:23 PM
Have any of you guys being to Cuba?

Or are you Cuban?

Listen with all your repect, do not beleive all the crap written around. But please take sometime to talk to a Cuban and ask about medicine.....
i once talked to a Cuban on the icq.... the most remembered sentencel he said was. .....

" ONE FIDEL IS NOT ENOUGH!"

He is also studying in the universidad de Habana for free.. they have free uni to go to if they are competent.
that seems pretty positive~ :)