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Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2005 6:10 am
by hax103
Mat Linnett wrote:Doesn't Cuba have the best medical workers and facilities in the world?
Or is this just hearsay?
Is there ANYONE who seriously thinks Cuba has the best medical care in the world?

LOL

Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2005 6:12 am
by Guest
hax103 wrote:
Mat Linnett wrote:Doesn't Cuba have the best medical workers and facilities in the world?
Or is this just hearsay?
Is there ANYONE who seriously thinks Cuba has the best medical care in the world?

LOL
I don't know about the quality, but just off the top of my head, I think they do have to best system.

Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2005 10:27 am
by seremtan
well let's consult the WHO for a few stats then

http://www.who.int/countries/en/

first, the US

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GDP per capita (Intl $, 2002):  36,056

Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 75.0/80.0

Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2002): 67.2/71.3

Child mortality m/f (per 1000): 9/7

Adult mortality m/f (per 1000): 139/82

Total health expenditure per capita (Intl $, 2002): 5,274

Total health expenditure as % of GDP (2002): 14.6
now cuba

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GDP per capita (Intl $, 2002):  3,166

Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 75.0/79.0

Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2002): 67.1/69.5

Child mortality m/f (per 1000): 8/6

Adult mortality m/f (per 1000): 137/87

Total health expenditure per capita (Intl $, 2002): 236

Total health expenditure as % of GDP (2002): 7.5
well, most of the figures look pretty similar - even though the US is the world's richest country and cuba is pretty poor and under a US economic embargo. however the huge % GDP difference pretty much underscores what i already guessed at, that largely privatised US healthcare (as well as being highly unequitable) is also pretty fucking inefficient and overpriced for the outcomes by comparison with the entirely state-run cuban system

here's the UK for comparison

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GDP per capita (Intl $, 2002):  27,959

Life expectancy at birth m/f (years): 76.0/81.0

Healthy life expectancy at birth m/f (years, 2002): 69.1/72.1

Child mortality m/f (per 1000): 7/5

Adult mortality m/f (per 1000): 103/64

Total health expenditure per capita (Intl $, 2002): 2,160

Total health expenditure as % of GDP (2002): 7.7
even our system (still largely public) produces better outcomes than the US at a GDP % similar to that of cuba

Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2005 10:33 am
by MKJ
i thought the US had the biggest debt in the world :o

Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2005 4:36 pm
by R00k
We are accepting money from other countries, but are not allowing anyone to actually come in to help.


FEMA has turned away thousands of doctors, from home and abroad, as well as specialized firefighters, volunteers with rescue boats, people with food and water, and even loads of fuel.

If it means non-FEMA or non-military people have to actually enter the area, then we aren't taking it, end of story. This seems to be just the policy for NO though, as there have been tons of people helping out in Mississippi.