For twenty years, Global Exchange has organized research tours to study Cuba's internationally lauded health care system, which has provided high quality, free universal health care to its 11,000,000 citizens for fifty years.

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 relatively 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.

Eco Cuba Exchange is a program designed to promote environmental interchange between U.S. and Cuban environmentalists. For more information, please contact:
Pamela Montanaro
or call 510-649-1052.

Global Exchange Reality Tours has 20 years experience organizing professional, educational, cultural, and "people to people" research delegations to Cuba on every aspect of Cuban life.

Program Highlights:

• City tour of Havana with focus on community development in terms of food, health care and energy
• Meeting with representative of the Ministry of Public Health
• Meeting with the director of the Institute for the Development of Natural and Traditional Medicine
• Visits to family doctor clinic, polyclinic and hospital
• Green pharmacy and Clinic specializing in Natural and Traditional Medicine
• Visit with provincial medical practitioners
• Cultural activities
• New Years Eve celebration at Casa de la Amistad

Cost: $2550

Price Includes:

• Flight from Cancun to Havana
• Flight from Havana to Cancun
• Two meals per day
• Three-four star hotel accommodations
• Translation of all programs
• In-country transportation
• Program fees and Honoraria
• Cuban Visa
• Price is based on double room accommodations (when available); add $300 for single room
• Price does NOT include airfare to/from Cancun, beverages, gratuities, travel insurance, personal expenditures, etc.

How to Register:

We would like to receive your application and a non-refundable deposit of $500 by October 31 and your full payment by November 15. A late fee of $50 will be applied to late applications. Payments by Mastercard, Visa or Discover are welcome.

Please read our Important Travel Guidelines and Cancellation Policy.

Make your reservation online now!

Contact Pamela with any questions about this trip, or call toll-free 1-800-497-1994 .