Sisters, Stay Alive & Informed!

Officially join my family and receive information, insight and inspiration on living a healthy, happy and prosperous life.

    I am not a robot

    Our Privacy Policy
    mail
    arrow

    Education and Prevention – My Trip to Cuba

    by Ngozi Osuagwu, MD | February 19th, 2018

    Education and Prevention – My Trip to Cuba

    Hola! I spent the past week in Cuba and it was totally amazing. The island is beautiful and the people are extremely friendly and welcoming. I look forward to going back.

    I went to Cuba because I was curious. I wanted to know why Cuba was more efficient in providing health care to their citizens. America spends ten times more on health care per person than Cuba and yet the infant mortality rate (the number of babies dying within the first year of life) is lower in Cuba than in the United States. The life expectancy is about the same and depending on the source is slightly better in Cuba than in the United States. How is this possible? The physicians I interviewed all gave the same answer – EDUCATION and PREVENTION.

    Facts about Cuba:

    Cuba is the largest island in the Caribbean.

    Capital: Havana

    Official language: Spanish

    President: Raùl Castro

    Population: 11.2 million people

    Compulsory education from ages 6 – 16 years old – there is no opportunity to drop out. The literacy rate in Cuba is 97%.

    Education is free including all the universities and trade schools.

    Health Care is free to all citizens.

    Every citizen in Cuba is provided food and shelter.

    Along with excellent health care and free education, they have great music and art.

    They are also known for their tobacco, rum and coffee.

    For every 125 families, there is a primary care provider. I had an opportunity to visit a primary care provider in the office. During my visit, people just stopped by to say hello. Some brought beverages for the nurse and doctor. The nurse mentioned, “We are a big family”. About once or twice a week, the doctor will do house calls for those who are unable to stop by the office or for those who have not been seen for a while. The emphasis is on preventing a problem from occurring. Their focus is on providing health rather than treating disease which is the model we currently have in the United States.

    When giving advice to patients, they incorporate food as medicine and offer acupuncture and massages. They freely talk about birth control. All forms of birth control are available.  The average number of children per household is 1.5. The women I talked to stated that it was important to make sure they could provide for their children before considering pregnancy.

    If we are spending as much as we are in the United States per person, we deserve to get better results. EDUCATION AND PREVENTION has to be part of the solution. We have proof that it works.

     

    2 Responses to “Education and Prevention – My Trip to Cuba”

    1. Tracy Davis says:

      Wow…sounds like a wonderful experience!!!

    Leave a Reply

    Secure Your Copy of Sincerely, Your Gynecologist by Dr. Ngozi Osuagwu.
    secimg

    With her trademark wit and straightforward communication, Dr. Osuagwu continues to dole out valuable medical advice using the letter form and addressing women’s health conditions and issues in a method that was praised for its innovative approach in her earlier award-winning book, Letters to My Sisters: Plain Truths and Straightforward Advice from a Gynecologist. In this book, each letter is paired with reference sources and statistics about the condition that is the subject of the letter.

    Click here to Buy Now on Amazon

    Secure Your Copy of Letters to My Sisters by Dr. Ngozi Osuagwu.
    secimg

    The book discusses common gynecological and women’s health issues in a series of witty and entertaining letters. These letters, all educational, offer suggestions on what approaches to take in tackling the medical problems that typically bring women to an ob/gynecologist. The letters are spiced with art, a poem and quotes. Although its emphasis is on gynecology and women’s health, it touches on some other medical issues that make women visit their doctors.

    The second half of the book briefly discusses the most common gynecological conditions and also provides an overview of sexually transmitted infections. A list of annotated websites dealing with the different topics in the book is provided for the reader who wants to pursue each subject in depth.




    Ready to Commit to Living a Healthier Life, Start Here with…

    Dr Ngozi’s 30 Day Alive & Healthy Challenge
    alive

    Get 30 days of insight and inspiration on creating and sustaining a healthy lifestyle straight from the
    doctor. Share this valuable resource with your mother, sisters, daughters, grandmothers, aunts, cousins
    and girlfriends. Do it solo, or in a group. Simply do it! Join our mailing list and get instant access to this life-saving resource now!