Cuban Medical Internationalism and the Development of the Latin American School of Medicine

Abstract

In response to Hurricane Mitch (1998) in Central America, which claimed over 30,000 lives, Cuba sent medical brigades to the affected region and constructed the Latin American School of Medicine just outside Havana. This medical school offers a free six-year medical education to students from rural and marginalized communities in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the United States. This establishment is a logical continuation of a long-standing tradition of Cuban medical internationalism that emphasizes investment in human capital. This is a progressive movement not just in foreign policy but also in community medicine that has an important place in dialogues about capacity building and human security strategies for the twenty-first century.