If Cuba's healthcare is so great, why doesn't Fidel Castro use it?

One of Fidel Castro's biggest propaganda successes has been  the acceptance as fact his lie that Cuba has the best healthcare in the world.  I could link story after story that proves  Cuba does not provide good healthcare for its citizens, but the most telling proof of all is the fact that after his emergency surgery, Fidel Castro himself chose not to trust Cuban healthcare providers, but instead arranged to fly in  a prominent Spanish physician  along with the latest equipment to tend to his medical needs.   

Did the Cuban doctors botch his surgery?  If so, it wouldn't be the first time, there are many stories like this one from TheRealCuba:

Yamilet Fernandez Donate, a 32 year old Cuban woman almost died after complaining last November 27 of abdominal pain and entering one of Havana's hospitals for Cubans. At the time, Mrs. Fernandez was six weeks pregnant and wasn't suffering from any diagnosed illness. She entered the Hospital Nacional in Havana where she was given intravenous analgesics and was sent home when the pain subsided.

A few hours later, Yamilet's abdominal pain got much worse and she was also running a fever. She went to the Hijas de Galicia Maternity Hospital. There she was told that her pain was not related to her pregnancy and that she should see the surgeon on duty at the Miguel Enriques Hospital. In there, she was told that she was suffering from Acute Gastritis and the doctors recommended a gastric suction (stomach pumping or gastric lavage) and after the procedure she was told to go home that everything was now OK.

When Yamilet got much worse, her family took her to the Julio Trigo Hospital. Once there, the doctors told her that what she really had was an Urinary Infection and said that the best thing was to send her back to the Hospital Nacional. In the next couple of days Yamilet's health got much worse. She was in constant pain and running a high fever. She was vomiting, had muscular fatigue and even fainted several times. After the family kept complaining, the doctors decided to operate the poor woman and they finally determined that she had a perforated appendix, peritonitis and an intestinal occlusion.

After the operation she spent several days in the intensive care unit and later had to have another surgery due to several complications that resulted from the first one. Several days later the doctors told her that they had to perform an abortion. At the end, and because of the negligence of her doctors, Yamilet lost her baby and also portions of her intestine and colon. She also has very ugly scars on her abdomen to remind her of the pain and suffering that she had to endure at the hands of these butchers dressed as doctors.

Castro has sent thousands of Cuban doctors to Venezuela and many other countries of South America and Africa. And now Cubans who get sick have to endure not only the lack of medicines, but also the lack of qualified medical practitioners. Of course, those 'doctors' don't have to worry about a malpractice lawsuit since they work for the Cuban regime and the victims don't have any right to complain about their "free healthcare." Next time that you hear one of Castro's apologists saying that Cubans receive "excellent free healthcare" show them Yamilet's photos and the story of what she went through.

                        

Don't blame the embargo for the lack of medical equipment in Cuba's hospitals.  Those who still are trying to defend the indefensible claim that the reason why Cuba's hospital lack the necessary equipment and supplies to treat regular Cubans is because of the US embargo. But that is another lie perpetrated by Castro's propaganda machine.

Have you ever heard of Combiomed?

Comments

[Alberto Quiroga]

I kinda like the nomenclature the “kuban kameraden” have concocted for their “vaunted” medical equipment…surely not intentionally?

“Cardiocid-BS” “Your ticker will love our BS-units – just ask and we’ll give you BS.”

“Oxy 9800” – “Our Best Oxy – Morons can Operate It. And It Shows!”

“Hipermax” – “A Unique Unit, Named In Honor of Our Coma-Andante’s Sustained Hysterical – er, Historical - Speechifying – Works In Tandem With Our BS System!”

At least let’s give them credit for being creative. They oughta advertise in the NY Times.

[J.D.]

Moore's agenda has been to capitalize on public issues. Health Care is not his issue, it is just another of his movies.
The enamoured media have fallen under Moores power and participates in his self-promotion.
They overlook the bigger story.

These links may offer you a bit more information on Michael Moore and Flint back in the 1980's.
It is just amazing that Moore would turn on Jim Musselman and Ralph Nader who both did so much for him.

http://michaelwestfall.tripod.com/id17.html
http://www.intellectualconservative.com/2007/05/18/the-american-conservative-worker/
http://www.newmediajournal.us/guest/m_westfall/04142007.htm

Thank You,
J.R.