THE CRISIS IN THE U.S. HEALTH CARE SYSTEM
MADE THE NEWS LAST WEEK WHEN THOUSANDS
LINED UP TO RECEIVE FREE DENTAL AND MEDICAL
CARE, OFFERED BY “REMOTE AREA MEDICAL” AT
THE FORUM IN LOS ANGELES.
IRONICALLY, THE LOUDEST OBJECTION TO
PRESIDENT OBAMA’S HEALTH CARE REFORM
LEGISLATION NOW DEBATED IN CONGRESS
CONCERNS THE “PUBLIC OPTION PLAN” THAT
WOULD COMPETE WITH PRIVATE INSURANCE.
ONE COUNTRY WHERE HEALTH CARE HAS ALWAYS
BEEN A PRIORITY IS THE ISLAND OF CUBA, WHICH
COUNTS ONE DOCTOR FOR 150 RESIDENTS.
IN 1998, PERHAPS TO HONOR HIS FALLEN
REVOLUTIONARY COMRADE CHE GUEVARA,
HIMSELF A DOCTOR AND INTERNATIONALIST,
PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO FOUNDED THE LATIN
AMERICAN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF MEDECINE,
OR E.L.A.M., NOW THE LARGEST MEDICAL SCHOOL
IN THE WORLD. IN 2001, THE SCHOOL FORMALLY
GRANTED US STUDENTS OF AFRICAN, INDIGENOUS
AND HISPANIC BACKGROUNDS SCHOLARSHIPS
AND THIS PAST THURSDAY, A RECEPTION WAS
HELD FOR NEW YORK AREA STUDENTS AND
GRADUATES AT THE CUBAN MISSION TO THE U.N.
IN MAHATTAN.
