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EconomicDemocracy Coop
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"According to the Cuban authorities, more than 80 young US students
are currently receiving training at the Latin American Medical School
in Havana, whose qualifications are recognised by the World Health
Organization."
BBC article:
Cuba-trained US doctors graduate
Eight US students have graduated from a Cuban medical school after
completing a six-year study programme funded by the [Cuban]
government.
The eight came to Cuba as part of a deal agreed between President
Fidel Castro and members of Washington's Congressional Black Caucus.
Under the plan, Cuba offers students from deprived backgrounds full
scholarships, including accommodation.
They are meant to return to the US to offer low-cost healthcare.
The BBC's Michael Voss in Havana says the stories of the six medical
students are something of a propaganda coup with Cuba.
Hearts and minds
Cuba's vice president Carlos Lage and other Cuban leaders attended a
graduation ceremony for the students at Havana's Karl Marx theatre.
"We get everything from books, even uniforms. But the conditions are
that we go back to our communities, wherever we're needed, and we
provide healthcare and that's what we really want to do, so we're
actually looking forward to it," Evelyn Erickson, a graduate from New
York told the BBC.
According to the Cuban authorities, more than 80 young US students are
currently receiving training at the Latin American Medical School in
Havana, whose qualifications are recognised by the World Health
Organization.
Cuba's free healthcare system has been a ["succeeded in" would be
accurate,
"is a tool for" is adding pro-Cuban-embargo demonizing spin -ED]
winning hearts and minds in the developing world, our correspondent
says. [COMMENTS: BBC asserts it's a "tool" as if
Cuba only does it for the 'hearts and minds", as if it hates the idea
of the health
care itself...if you want to see a government which puts military
spending way
over health care you'll need to look a bit north of Cuba... Washington
does not
let its own citizens visit Cuba..though "money talks" so it's ok to
visit China
...ahem...Washington is not afraid that we'll come back thinking "gosh
a
1-party dictatorship is a good idea" (though we put up with a "two"
party "money talks" dictatorship in the US..) because it knows no one
is
going to come back from Cuba thinking 1-party dictatorship is
good...what
they ARE afraid of is people coming back saying, if this tiny nation
can
afford to give free health care and free college education, why can't
we
do the same? Why do we deny that to Americans while offering
massive corproate welfare, massive military spending (equal to the
rest
of the world combined) and so on? THAT'S why they make it illegal
for us to travel to Cuba...THAT'S what they are afraid of...-ED]
The government has sent tens of thousands of Cuban doctors abroad to
help some of the world's poorest communities.
It also trains large numbers of foreign doctors on the island.
According to the official newspaper, Granma, there are currently more
than 5,000 medical students from 25 countries studying in Cuba.
[See http://www.cubasolidarity.com/
or other unrelated groups like http://www.cubasolidarity.net/
or the UK group http://www.cuba-solidarity.org/ -ED]
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/6914265.stm
Published: 2007/07/25 06:20:00 GMT
are currently receiving training at the Latin American Medical School
in Havana, whose qualifications are recognised by the World Health
Organization."
BBC article:
Cuba-trained US doctors graduate
Eight US students have graduated from a Cuban medical school after
completing a six-year study programme funded by the [Cuban]
government.
The eight came to Cuba as part of a deal agreed between President
Fidel Castro and members of Washington's Congressional Black Caucus.
Under the plan, Cuba offers students from deprived backgrounds full
scholarships, including accommodation.
They are meant to return to the US to offer low-cost healthcare.
The BBC's Michael Voss in Havana says the stories of the six medical
students are something of a propaganda coup with Cuba.
Hearts and minds
Cuba's vice president Carlos Lage and other Cuban leaders attended a
graduation ceremony for the students at Havana's Karl Marx theatre.
"We get everything from books, even uniforms. But the conditions are
that we go back to our communities, wherever we're needed, and we
provide healthcare and that's what we really want to do, so we're
actually looking forward to it," Evelyn Erickson, a graduate from New
York told the BBC.
According to the Cuban authorities, more than 80 young US students are
currently receiving training at the Latin American Medical School in
Havana, whose qualifications are recognised by the World Health
Organization.
Cuba's free healthcare system has been a ["succeeded in" would be
accurate,
"is a tool for" is adding pro-Cuban-embargo demonizing spin -ED]
winning hearts and minds in the developing world, our correspondent
says. [COMMENTS: BBC asserts it's a "tool" as if
Cuba only does it for the 'hearts and minds", as if it hates the idea
of the health
care itself...if you want to see a government which puts military
spending way
over health care you'll need to look a bit north of Cuba... Washington
does not
let its own citizens visit Cuba..though "money talks" so it's ok to
visit China
...ahem...Washington is not afraid that we'll come back thinking "gosh
a
1-party dictatorship is a good idea" (though we put up with a "two"
party "money talks" dictatorship in the US..) because it knows no one
is
going to come back from Cuba thinking 1-party dictatorship is
good...what
they ARE afraid of is people coming back saying, if this tiny nation
can
afford to give free health care and free college education, why can't
we
do the same? Why do we deny that to Americans while offering
massive corproate welfare, massive military spending (equal to the
rest
of the world combined) and so on? THAT'S why they make it illegal
for us to travel to Cuba...THAT'S what they are afraid of...-ED]
The government has sent tens of thousands of Cuban doctors abroad to
help some of the world's poorest communities.
It also trains large numbers of foreign doctors on the island.
According to the official newspaper, Granma, there are currently more
than 5,000 medical students from 25 countries studying in Cuba.
[See http://www.cubasolidarity.com/
or other unrelated groups like http://www.cubasolidarity.net/
or the UK group http://www.cuba-solidarity.org/ -ED]
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/6914265.stm
Published: 2007/07/25 06:20:00 GMT
