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LMSA West Story of the Month

Last summer, during the month of August, a group of eleven

people (4 UWSOM students, 1 UWSOM professor, 1 nurse, 1

human rights advocate, 1 political science student, 1 writer /

women's rights activists, and 2 engineers) traveled to Cuba.

The purpose? To learn about Cuba's healthcare system,

especially about their successful programs focusing on

preventive and community-based medicine. The group spent a

total of two weeks visiting a number of medical centers,

including a policlinic, a family doctor's practice, a mental

health clinic, a maternity home, a retirement home for the

elderly, and the National Center of Sexual Education. Each

visit provided an opportunity to talk to doctors, nurses, and

patients, as well as experts in different areas of the Cuban

healthcare system. In addition, the group's itinerary also

allowed for learning about the Cuban culture. Besides Havana,

the group traveled to other areas known for their natural

beauty: the valley of Viñales, the peninsula of Varadero, and

colonial town of Trinidad. The group enjoyed learning about

Cuban history, geography, music, and "criollo" cuisine. One

of the highlights of the trip was interacting with Cubans in the streets of Old Havana, at the Malecón, or

at the Casa de La Música in Trinidad. It was a fun-filled trip with many takeaways. In a country with

limited resources, it was a humbling experience seeing and experiencing the emphasis Cubans put on

maintaining a universal, community-based healthcare system.

In the words of a couple of the participants:

“We not only had the opportunity to explore Cuban culture and the beauty of the country, but also the

opportunity to see the possibilities of a socialist medical system that measured itself by how well it took

care of the poorest and worst off within the population. It was inspiring for us as someday-professionals

within the medical system to see that there really are other ways of taking care of people. Medical

systems that are built on access to resources, education, giving basic needs of housing and food, primary

care for all and specialized care for those that need are incredibly important and something that we hope

to take home with us.

Plus, we got good food, good music, good dancing, and amazing sights all along the way!”

-Ben Lang

Visiting Cuba: A Close Look at Another Type of Health System

Mariana E. Oliva-University of Washington

U of W students visiting a maternity home

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"This trip was great. Our understanding of Cuba as a country is often muddled by politics and limited infor-

mation. It was enlightening to visit and see the country for myself. Their healthcare model is also exceptional,

and one of the biggest contributing factors I observed was a people and a government that truly value being

healthy. People are active, they know where to get care, and many services are available to them."

-Sean Bernfeld

“One of the most memorable mornings was

our meeting with staff from a mental health

clinic that serves the densest neighborhood in

the entire Caribbean, a corner of Havana

much like the rest of the bustling city's core -

with tight, winding streets of tired, beautiful

apartment buildings. The staff who sat with

us - nurses, social workers, pediatric and adult

psychiatrists, spoke with candor and passion

about their challenging work: with alcohol-

ism, depression, with the homeless, even how

the Cuban medical establishment approaches ADHD treatment for children. More than anything, what struck

me was that the work of the caring, committed physicians of this hyper-urban corner of Havana is identical to

the work of the caring, committed physicians that I've shadowed at our public hospital in Seattle. Despite the

radical differences in our social fabrics and our histories, the language and perspectives of committed caregiv-

ers seems universal”.

-Benji Perin

U of W students visiting Cuba’s National Center of Sexual Eduction

“We not only had the opportunity to explore Cuban culture and the beauty of the country, but also the opportunity to see the possibilities of a socialist medical sys-tem that measured itself by how well it took care of the poorest and worst off within the population.”