|
Cuba is a healthy country and is famous
for having the best heath care system in
Latin America. Many developed countries
lag behind Cuba in medical care. All medical
care is free. Birth is a natural event,
taken for granted in most developed nations.
But, for millions elsewhere, it can be a
fearful and dangerous experience. Cuba has
one of the lowest infant mortality rates
in the world of 7.2 per 1000 live births-almost
as low as the U.S. and Canada. In Latin
America only Argentina, Chile, Uruguay and
Costa Rica have the same low levels of infant
mortality as Cuba.
With a life expectancy rate of 75, Cuba
also ranks with the U.S. and other developed
countries. Health care personnel are found
in both urban and rural areas. Hospitals
are well equipped. There are about 270 hospitals
and 422 poly clinics (half hospital/half
clinic) all over the country. Every village
has a medical facility. Cuban doctors are
considered experts in some areas of research
and experimentation. Cuba has around 60,000
doctors (about one for every 250 persons)
which is one of the highest ratios in the
world and about twice as many per capita
as in the U.S.
First rate medical services are available
to foreigners, however unlike Cubans they
must pay. The cost of medical treatment
for foreigners is very reasonable, around
$25 per visit. The Cira García Clinic
(Ave. 20 between Ave. 41 and 19-A, Tel:
26811, 24493) in Havana's Miramar area,
cares for foreigners and fills prescriptions.
There is no limit to the wide range of medical
services available.
Most tourist hotels and resorts have doctors
on call and a pharmacy. These pharmacies
tend to be better stocked than local ones.
However, if you need medicine you can also
go to a local pharmacy. Every city and town
has an all-night pharmacy or farmacia.
Drogería Sarrá and Drogería Johnson
are located in Old Havana. In Centro Havana
there is a pharmacy behind the Hotel Inglaterra
in Vedado there is a pharmacy at Calle 23
at M.
Servimed operates special clinics
for foreigners with fluent English-speaking
doctors. If you speak Spanish you may go
to any of the local health care centers
called polyclinics which also provide care
for foreigners. In general, the cost of
medical care is much lower than in the U.S.
For additional information about health
services contact Health Tourism,
Apartado 16046, Habana, Cuba, Tel: 225511
or 221623, Fax: 202350.
Hospital Nacional Hermanos Ameijeiras
(Tel: 33-5361 Fax: 33-5036) just off the
Malecón in Central Havana specializes
in plastic surgery and other cosmetic procedures
for foreigners.
Dental care is inexpensive and good but
lags behind the U.S., Canada and Europe.
The country also has about 10,000 dentists.
There is a dentist for about every 1,200
inhabitants.
If you do feel more comfortable having
American doctors treat you, then you will
have to go to Miami for treatment. This
will be one of the advantages to living
so near the United States. Obviously if
you seek emergency care you have no other
choice but to be treated in Cuba.
U.S. Medicare will not provide coverage
outside the United States. It is therefore
advisable to have some type of health insurance
that covers emergency medical care, hospitalization
and all eventualities abroad. Check with
your insurance company to see what type
of coverage they provide for policy holders
who reside abroad. Some American companies
provide traveler's insurance, but it is
not cheap. So far as we know, presently
there is no health insurance available for
foreign residents of Cuba.
If you are not used to living in a tropical
climate, give yourself time to adjust. The
most common health problem is taking too
much sun. You should really limit your time
in the sun until you become acclimated.
Between May and October, the risk of sunburn
is high. Use sunscreen, avoid prolonged
exposure between 10 am and 4 pm and drink
plenty of liquids. Dehydration can pose
a problem for those people who are not acclimated
to living in a tropical climate. It is also
a good idea to have all of your vaccinations
up-to date. The water is safe to drink in
most of Cuba's cities. You should boil water
in the countryside. Drink lots of water
so as to not become dehydrated.
Whatever you do, you should try to evaluate
your future health care needs to see if
they will be taken care of abroad. If you
become infirm, it is comforting to know
you can hire a servant to do all of your
daily tasks for far less than in the U.S.
or Canada. So, elderly persons need not
worry about finding someone to take care
of them.
|
