WHO Director Meets with Fidel Castro
HAVANA TIMES, Oct. 29 – Margaret Chan, director of the World Health Organization (WHO) met for more than two hours this week with former Cuban President Fidel Castro, reported IPS.
Fidel has always had health care as one of his areas of top priority. Chan praised his understanding on the topic, “The comprehension of the Fidel Castro on public health is impressive, as is his commitment with the health of the Cubans,” said Chan after the meeting.
The former president gave up the reigns of the Cuban government in July 2006 after undergoing complicated intestinal surgery. He is currently the top advisor to the administration of his brother Raul Castro.
Cuba has a free national public health system and sends doctors to dozens of countries working under different types of agreements.
HT, I wonder if “medical tourism” might become a viable earner of U.S. currency? If a group of medical professionals could come together as an employee-owned cooperative enterprise, and organize a hospital facility specifically for foreign “tourists,” it would seem that there might be a flood of U.S. citizens (and citizens from other countries) seeking treatment there.
U.S. people-in-need would have to find a way of getting to Cuba, of course, around the U.S. restrictions, but that obstacle might be overcome. If such a hospital were established, U.S. citizens needing expensive healthcare services might well spend their healtcare dollars in your country at greatly reduced rates.
I don’t know, and cannot recommend it, but I was just wondering . . .