What about health care in Cuba? And do I need special vaccinations to visit the country?

There is no need to get vaccinations, such as hepatitis or tetanus, etc. when coming to Cuba. Not only are these, and other, vaccinations NOT recommended, but Cuba is one of the healthiest countries in the world!

For instance, it is one of the few countries in this part of the hemisphere that has managed to control dengue – an acute infectious disease, occurring in tropical and sub-tropical areas, transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, and characterized by fever, headache, extreme pain in the joints and muscles, and skin rash – to such an extent that its anti?dengue program has been recognized by the United Nations as one of the most efficient in the world.

If you require any kind of emergency medical care or hospitalization while in Cuba, rest assured that the quality and level of care will be on a par with what you can expect in most countries. Throughout the country there is a network of hospitals staffed with highly qualified medical personnel and state-of-the-art equipment.

And if you are in a rural area when a health problem strikes, you will immediately receive professional attention from local health personnel, be they family doctors at local clinics, until more specialized assistance is available. In fact, many visitors to Cuba have glowing stories about the quality of health care they’ve received when a medical problem has occurred during their visit.

If you take prescription drugs, bring the amount you’ll need for the time you plan to stay in Cuba. If you use tampons, bring what you’ll need as though they do exist here, they’re not always readily available.