Why can Cuba's national health level rank first among third world countries?

The People's Daily conducted a survey of more than 70 overseas countries, and concluded that Cuba today is the only country in the world that truly implements free medical care for all. At the same time, in view of the great achievements made in Cuba's medical and health undertakings, it has been highly praised by the World Health Organization and relevant experts for many years. According to the data released by the World Health Organization on 20 13, the basic medical indicators of Cubans, such as life expectancy (76 males and 80 females) and infant mortality rate (6‰), have reached the level of the most developed countries in the world, even surpassing the United States, the world's largest power, and the per capita public health expenditure is only less than one twentieth of that of the United States. Since the 1990s, Cuba's economy has been in continuous difficulties, but it has never changed its free medical care policy. 20 1 1 after the sixth national congress, Cuba promoted "economic model renewal" and expanded the proportion of individual economy in the national economy. Despite this, Cuba still insists on continuing to implement the free medical care system for all. In addition, Cuba also uses rich medical and health resources to carry out "medical diplomacy" in exchange for its scarce oil and foreign exchange income.

The formation and development of Cuba's medical and health service system

1959 before the Cuban revolution, Cuba's medical level was not backward, but the utilization of medical resources was extremely uneven. Havana, with a population of 22%, has 60% of hospitals and 80% of beds in the country, while there is only one hospital in rural areas, which is very serious. In the years after the victory of the Cuban revolution, half of the doctors in the country were unemployed and there were a large number of medical personnel. After the United States completely blocked Cuba from 65438 to 0962, the United States cut off the supply of all medicines and medical equipment to Cuba. Cuba has strengthened the training of medical talents through measures such as expanding medical schools, and established a medical and health system under the unified leadership of the Ministry of Health for the vast rural areas and grassroots units. By 1974, after 15 years of efforts, Cuba got rid of the dilemma in the medical and health field. The number of doctors rose to more than 10000 (before the revolution, it was 6000), and three important infectious diseases, polio, malaria and diphtheria, were eliminated. Life expectancy has increased from 55 years before the revolution to 70 years, and infant mortality has decreased from 60‰ to 28.9‰. Of course, the key to Cuba's success is the increase of state investment. From 1958 to 1968, Cuba's public health budget expenditure increased by 10 times. Up to now, Cuba still practices truly and thoroughly free medical care. If you need to be hospitalized, not only are there no treatment fees, surgery fees and medicine fees, but even beds and meals are provided free of charge. The hospital also prepared special meals according to the special situation of patients, and family members also had a place to rest.

Even in difficult economic times, the Cuban government still insists on providing political and financial support for medicine and biotechnology. 20 1 1 Public health service budget accounts for 10.0% of GDP. ④ In biotechnology alone, in the past 20 years, the Cuban government has invested about 1 100 million dollars in biotechnology research and development. At present, Cuba's biotechnology industry holds about 1200 international patents and sells pharmaceutical products and vaccines in more than 50 countries around the world. Exports have increased substantially, bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars in foreign exchange income every year. At present, Cuba is conducting more than 60 clinical trials and researching more than 90 new products. These figures are expected to increase. Attention to health biotechnology has brought great benefits, producing cheaper drugs for treating diseases rampant in low-income and middle-income countries.