Free health care: The Cuban example

BY SARAH STEPHEN

The Coalition government argues that it is impossible to provide a world-class health care system that is free to all citizens at the point of delivery. Yet that's exactly what a Third World country in the Caribbean has been able to do. Despite its limited resources, and the crippling effect of the economic blockade imposed by the United States, Cuba's 11.3 million citizens have one of the best health-care systems in the world.

With an average life expectancy of 75 years and an infant mortality rate of 7.2 per 1000 live births (compared with 38.7 per 1000 in 1970), Cuba rivals the much richer United States in key health indicators.

Cubans pay no health insurance. Prescriptions are free, and medicines — when they are available — are cheap. (The US blockade has restricted the availability of medicine.) Because of its reliance on community-based care, health provision is extremely cheap — approximately $20 per head per year, compared with $1550 per capita health expenditure in Australia.

Private expenditure contributes only 11% of total health care expenditure in Cuba, whereas the figure is 28% in Australia and 55% in the United States, according to the World Health Organisation in 2000.

Cuba has 28 medical schools. Australia has 12.

Cuban medical students study for free. Australian students pay more than $6000 a year in HECS.

According to the World Health Organisation, Cuba has one doctor for every 189 people, while Australia has one for every 416 people and the United States one for every 358.

The ratio of dentists to population in Cuba is 1:1183; in Australia it is 1:2500. In Australia, a trip to the dentist costs a small fortune. In Cuba, it is free.

From Green Left Weekly, May 7, 2003.

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From GLW issue 536