Why Cuban Solidarity Was Ebola's Antidote

How Cuban Medical Internationalism is Radically Changing Health Geographies in the Global South

Datos Bibliográficos

ID12979137
AutoresRobert Huish (0000-0002-6331-6550, Dalhousie University, autor de correspondencia)
Año2017
Volumen10
Número3
Páginas54-70
Fecha de publicación2017-11-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaHuman Geography (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1942-7786 • E-ISSN: 2633-674X
EditorialSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/194277861701000305
OpenAlexW2771041129
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas2
Referencias citadas13

When the world responded to the 2014 Ebola outbreak a lot went wrong. Vaccines were promised but never delivered. Health workers were called for, but never arrived. Patients needed urgent care, but were forced into quarantine. Amid repeated calls for urgent action and increased care to the Ebola stricken countries in West Africa many nations acquiesced. Yet economically hobbled Cuba offered more health care workers, established more hospital space, and trained more people in the fight against Ebola than any other country in the world. It is a seemingly exceptional effort considering the lacking response of many nations. As this paper argues, Cuba's Ebola effort is a normative response within its broader commitment to solidarity. This paper demonstrates that Cuba employs a solidarity approach to global health that meets the health needs of some of the world's most marginalized populations, while contributing to its own economic and political goals. What is more, this approach works to further Cuba's own political interests by facilitating cooperation through health care provision. The paper explores the program design, logistical operations, and broader conceptualization of Cuba's Ebola efforts based on testimony from Cuban health workers in the field, and health officials in Havana. Cuba's solidarity approach to global health outreach stands in stark contrast to many global health efforts, and, if expanded upon, it could drastically improve global health efforts

Economic growth · Economics · Global health · Health care · International health · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Solidarity · Employment and Welfare Studies · Global Health Care Issues · Healthcare Systems and Reforms · Law · Public Administration · Health Policy