7th discussion (Jan 24, 2012 - on poor Cuba's healthcare system which is 100% govt-funded and is among the best in the world)
#taknak1care Cuba is a wonderful model of a national healthcare system. The Cuban government operates all health services and pays for the health care of all its citizens. There are no private hospitals or clinics.
How efficient is their 100% govt-run healthcare? Here are the 2007 WHO figures:
Life expectancy:
Cuba, 78.26 yrs; World, 68.76 yrs; high income countries, 79.66 yrs;
Mortality rates for children under five (per 1000):
Cuba, 6.5; World, 68.01; high-income countries, 5.71;
Infant mortality (per 1000):
Cuba, 5; World, 46; High income countries, 6;
Healthcare in Cuba - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Cuban government operates a national health system and assumes fiscal and administrative responsibility for the health care of all its citizens.[1] There are no private hospitals or clinics as all health services are government-run. The present Minister for Public Health is José Ramón Balaguer.
If a poor, tiny, pariah island state like Cuba with hardly any natural resources can achieve this, why not "affluent" Malaysia?
Replies:
- #taknak1care It's even more wonderful when we understand a little of their history:
"With the collapse of the socialist bloc, Cuba’s island economy lost 85% of its trade in two years, threatening the economy and the health system with collapse. The remarkable paradox is that...health indicators held the line. In some cases...they actually improved. During the worst years of the crisis, the health status of the population remained a fundamental government priority. In fact, the Cuban Parliament actually increased the health sector budget..."
http://www.medicc.org/ns/index.php?s=11&p=0
And what is the Malaysian govt doing?Cuban Health Systemwww.medicc.orgThrough the pre-revolutionary period before 1959, Cuban medical practice and res...See MoreJanuary 24 at 4:06pm · Like · - #taknak1care Cuban healthcare maximises their resources by heavily emphasising preventive healthcare - policies and education that encourage a healthy lifestyle. healthy lifestyles minimise risks of the public getting sick. Less sick people translates to less very sick people who need high level healthcare.
The result is, the country enjoys excellent health indices and health resources are not strained due to low disease rate.
Very simple and cost effective way to minimise healthcare cost and maximise the nation's health, isn't it?January 24 at 4:21pm · Like · 1 - Hisham Abdullah I wish I have the opportunity to study in detail the Cuban healthcare model. Looking at the Strength and weakness. I just wonder if this is a perfect model why WHO or other countries in the world are not adopting this system. Furthermore if we were to adopt this system what will happen to all our private hospitals and clinics as they have none in Cuba. This is some of my doubts and curiosity I would like to explore further.January 25 at 12:46am · Like
- Hisham Abdullah Thank you for the website. It seems to me that they have dedicated healthcare professional and their approach of solid community-oriented primary care network. There is much we could learn and emulate but they too have their shortcoming. In service delivery sector the most important asset of any organisation is the human capital development and prioritise their resources. Think you once againJanuary 25 at 3:57am · Like
- #taknak1care Datuk, surely the proof is in the pudding. The Cuban health indices are comparable to high-income countries without having to burden the people with high healthcare costs. Cuba has the most impressive doctor to patient ratio of 1 to 175. All this and more while facing more than 40 years of US trade and financial embargoes. If the crippled Cuban economy can sustain a completely nationalised social healthcare model that has measurably excellent results, why not Malaysia who is many times richer?
"Cuba's achievements in social development are impressive given the size of its gross domestic product per capita. As the human development index of the United Nations makes clear year after year, Cuba should be the envy of many other nations, ostensibly far richer. [Cuba] demonstrates how much nations can do with the resources they have if they focus on the right priorities - health, education, and literacy."
-- Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations, April 11, 2000January 25 at 11:58am · Like - #taknak1care "Cuba's achievements in social development are impressive given the size of its gross domestic product per capita. As the human development index of the United Nations makes clear year after year, Cuba should be the envy of many other nations, ostensibly far richer. [Cuba] demonstrates how much nations can do with the resources they have if they focus on the right priorities - health, education, and literacy."
-- Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations, April 11, 2000
Datuk, surely the proof is in the pudding? Cuba's crippled economy is able to produce healthcare indices comparable to high-income countries without having to burden the rakyat with high healthcare costs. Cuba has the most impressive doctor to patient ratio of 1 to 175. All this and more while facing more than 40 years of US trade and financial embargoes.
If poor little Cuba can do it, why not Malaysia who is richer and more blessed with natural resources many times over?January 25 at 12:10pm · Like
- Hisham Abdullah I wish I have the opportunity to study their healthcare system. However from the reading I can see they do face similar healthcare issues and challenges. If you read their performance it starts from good human capital development from the planning of medical school right to the the top, and good priority and planning. Obviously we can learn their strength and avoid the weakness so as not to reinvent the wheel and customise to our systemJanuary 25 at 12:15pm · Like
- #taknak1care Datuk, there is a fundamental difference between the Cuban model and 1Care - the Cuban govt assumes full responsiblity for the rakyat's healthcare, maintains standards and contains costs with conscientious effort, whereas 1Care aims to equalise public and private healthcare costs and transfer the subsequent increases to the rakyat.January 25 at 12:42pm · Like
- Hisham Abdullah Again i have said nothing has been agreed on asking t patients to pay extra. I repeat t principle is maximal health benefits and impact with minimal cost or no cost at all. When we have the figues then we can make adjustment like for example increase more funding i.e. GDP or GT to healthcare. What we are doing is improve the public sector likewise in cuba efficiency, cost effectiveness, performance monitoring like is stage one two and three of one care reform in t public system.January 25 at 12:50pm · Like
- Azmi Man Nor as for me i would suggest the government xplain to the public n those involve regarding 1 care concepts. from the feedback that i havefrom the pts, from the Drs. ive found out they r all in the dark. good xplanation will clear all the rumours.January 25 at 2:35pm · Like
- #taknak1care Azmi Man Nor That's what we're waiting for too - a clear explanation of what 1Care is about. So far all the govt has revealed is that "1Care is definitely coming, 1Care is good for you, 1Care is almost ready to be fully implemented," etc.
But when we provide facts, figures and even govt documents about what 1Care is about, the only response we've gotten is "1Care is nothing yet."
Very puzzling...January 25 at 4:28pm · Like - Raj Kumar Maharajah if its good for me and you, why not market it as an election selling point ? something not right ! after election, we will have OGDS and Colonoscope done at the same time without anaesthesia...January 25 at 6:42pm · Like