Cuba
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| CUSON students at a clinic with their colleagues |
Humanitarian Assessments
Under the auspices of the American Public Health Association, starting in 1993 we collaborated with the Ministry of Health Epidemiologic Analysis Unit to identify the impact of tightened economic sanctions and identify effective coping strategies for the country. We helped to establish, with this and other cases, that economic crisis and war does not necessarily result in increased mortality. When scarce resources are used more efficiently, mortality can drop. This depends on recognizing potential resources, government promotion of the good use among vulnerable groups, and cultural acceptance of these priorities. Community and public health monitoring and research can be key to bringing these three factors into play effectively.
Reconstruction and Capacity Development Among Health Workers
We have observed and learned from the Analysis Unit in this key work over the years, and benefited from Cuban virtual campus development for distance learning and supervision. Strategies to share these insights with other countries and assist Cuban public health specialists to overcome isolation are current.
Publications
Garfield RM, Santana S. The impact of economic crisis and embargo on health in Cuba. American Journal of Public Health 1997; 87(1): 15-20.
Garfield R. The Public Health Impact of Sanctions: Contrasting Responses of Iraq and Cuba. Middle East Report 2000; 215: 16-19.
Garfield R. Health care in Cuba and the manipulation of humanitarian imperatives. Lancet 2004: 364; 1007.
Garfield RM and Holt T. Health care and reform in Cuba. In Lloyd-Sherlock P., ed. Health Care Reform and Poverty in Latin America. Institute of Latin American Studies, University of London, 2000.
Links
Ministerio
de Salud Pública de Cuba (http://www.dne.sld.cu/minsap/index.htm)
Infomed (http://www.infomed.sld.cu/)