ABSTRACT
This chapter analyzes Cuba’s distinctive approach to medical internationalism: the provision of healthcare support, mainly in the Global South. It argues that the Cuban philosophy is radically different from that traditionally practiced by the industrialized world. For Cuba, ‘aid’ is replaced by ‘collaboration’, while solidarity – rather than charity – is its philosophical basis. Free healthcare is a human right, not a privilege for those who can afford it, and ‘patients’ take the place of clients. Nevertheless, surprisingly little is known about this Cuban stance, despite its extremely important real-world contributions since its first internationalist mission in 1960. On the one hand, in recent years, some attention has been paid to Cuba’s role in sending thousands of medical personnel to over 40 countries to support various healthcare campaigns: from the struggle against the COVID-19 pandemic, to West Africa in the campaign against Ebola, to Haiti after devastating earthquakes and resulting cholera outbreak. On the other hand, as the chapter demonstrates, there remains much more to explore about the Cuban approach itself. To this end, the chapter presents a broad overview of Cuba’s strategy of medical internationalism, and examines three specific components: medical education, the Operation Miracle ophthalmology program, and the Henry Reeve response to natural emergencies and epidemics. Based on this examination, the chapter concludes by reflecting on the broader political-economic implications of Cuba’s approach to medical internationalism for designing alternative healthcare configurations. It argues that this internationalist orientation constitutes a successful model ahead of its time, and should be accorded serious consideration by the Global North to better prepare for future natural emergencies and medical disasters.
