Throughout the 1960's, 70's and 80's, the Cuban people enjoyed the highest quality-of-life indices in Latin America, rivaling the United States and other countries of the developed world. Cuba was internationally praised as the one developing country that had eradicated hunger, and the World Health Organization touted the Cuban health care system as a "model for the world." In 1989, Cuba ranked 11th in the world in the Overseas Development Council's Physical Quality of Life Index, (which includes infant mortality, life expectancy and literacy) while the U.S. ranked 15th.

Despite the setbacks of the 1990's, caused by the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the tightening of the U.S. Embargo, Cuba's Health indices did not decline during that decade, but continued to improve. Many new innovations in the fields of Biotechnology and Health Tourism were achieved, as well as a remarkable integration of Natural and Traditional Medicine at all levels of care. Cuba's three-tiered system of Hospitals, Polyclinics, and Family Doctors continues to reach all sectors of the Cuban population with a variety of preventive, therapeutic, and curative practices.

In 2006, the United Nations Development Program selected Cuba's Program for the Development of Natural and Traditional Medicine as one of the five most important health-related programs worldwide. And the World Wildlife Fund designated Cuba the only nation in the world that could truly be said to be living "sustainably" because of its high human development index (nutrition, health care, education levels) and its low "ecological footprint" (resource use per capita).

Cuba models, for the rest of the world, the possibility of obtaining a high quality of life, on a relatively small national budget, while utilizing low levels of the planet's limited resources. It's Health Care System is but one of many areas in which this tiny island nation is showing us a way to live simply, healthfully, and sustainably on the Earth.

Cuba Health Exchange is dedicated to creating strong links between health care professionals from Cuba and the United States. Given that the development of innovative new technologies in health care is vital for both U.S. and Cuban citizens, the new program aims to foster an exchange of medical ideas, knowledge and experiences.

The Cuba Health Exchange Program focuses on universal health care, infant and maternal health, public health, neighborhood physician care, natural and traditional health care practices and the production of alternative drug treatments. Aside from being a resource site for professionals to find information on these topics, Health Exchange organizes health-based conferences to Cuba. The trips help raise awareness about the Cuban health care system and the social impact of the US embargo on the lives of Cuban people, as well as to assist professionals make vital links with their counterparts in Cuba.

In Cuba we work with the most prominent experts in the health field and aim to create long-term substantial academic relationships with their counterparts in the U.S. Global Exchange has helped organize workshops and meetings in multiple fields of interest, and has created and facilitated many bilateral projects between our peoples.

Travel to Cuba with Global Exchange's Educational Exchange and learn how Cuba does so much with so little!

There are two tours coming up in June 2009 and in December 2009

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