“Discuss the contrasting health care approaches in countries at different stages of economic development.”
The health care approaches in the USA and Cuba are very different. Cuba, being an LEDC in the Caribbean, has a system of total state control over health care. With the government having all the control, it enables the health system to be completely free to the public. Fidel Castro, having said the health of an individual is a metaphor for the health of the nation, decided that in order to have the best possible system, it should be free for the use of the individual. This way of working is proving to be effective as Cuba’s GDP on health is 6.4%, which is a lot less compared to the MEDC the USA which spends about 15.7% (for those with a low income) and 55% of its total expenditure is from private individuals. Cuba has the same male life expectancy as the USA (77) and their infant mortality rates are lower, with Cuba having 5/1000 and the USA having7/1000; despite Cuba spends ten times less per person meaning that their healthcare is clearly more effective. Over the past 35 years, the number of healthcare workers has tripled, going from one doctor for every 1393 people in 1970 to one doctor for every 159 people in 2005. This shows that despite their lack of “development”, their healthcare system is superior and the policy of a “doctor on every block” has clearly been carried out. Cuba has indirect payments, this means that the state pays for everything and there are no upfront fees for the Cubans as their healthcare is paid by a percentage of their taxes. This means that there are no “surprises” when it comes to leaving the hospital or fears of not being able to get treatment for something as the treatment has been paid for already. This is