Care of Common Endocrine Problems in Cuba

Abstract

Endocrine care in Cuba is limited and is said to be impacted by the U.S. trade embargo. At the local level, each level I physician cares for 100 families, helping toreinforce preventive health habits and detecting the very ill who may benefit from higher level (II and II) treatment and access to medications available only at those levels. Priority of care and resources are directed to life-threatening illnesses or diseases for which funds are available through support from non-Cuban sources (e.g. WHO). Care for disorders or disease of less current concern to the Cubans such as loss of bone mass and osteoporosis, menopause, or undetected hypercalcemia are not being adequately addressed at this time. Although Cubans point out that they have a system of universal health care, that care, especially access to medications, is limited due to several economic and political factors, including the U.S. trade embargo. In our interactions with the Academic Cuban Endocrinology Community, and in conducting our research on published Cuban endocrine literature, we found that lack of resources to provide state-of-the-art care did not preclude a high level of knowledge and scholarship. These individuals have access to the latest journals through the Internet, and they use these resources to teach, do their own research, and write review articles that are used to teach and train physicians within and outside Cuba.