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by culi 56 days ago
It's actually a major source of medical tourism towards Cuba
1 comments

No it isn't. There's little evidence this drug works beyond some small studies done in Cuba by the people who developed the drug. The sum total of medical tourism to Cuba is quite small, no more than about 10k people per year. This is large due to their healthcare system lacking basic supplies like gauze and aspirin. Belly of the Beast isn't a real news outlet, its propaganda.
What is "a lot" of tourism is arbitrary but Cuba is obviously one of the most commonly talked about medical tourist destinations. Despite being strangled by the longest running US embargo (66 years) they managed to make a remarkable and free healthcare system. According to the World Bank and WHO they have the most doctors per capita of any country. Anyone that's worked in international crises is well aware of Cuba's army of doctors that they send to help out in disasters
> but Cuba is obviously one of the most commonly talked about medical tourist destinations.

No it isn't, and not by a long shot. The vast majority of medical tourists to Cuba are from the Caribbean, virtually no one else goes there for medical care. If you have money to travel for healthcare there are tons of better options, and most countries with national systems have VASTY superior facilities.

> Despite being strangled by the longest running US embargo

The US embargo which I don't support doesn't cover medical or agricultural goods. The Cubans received free oil and equipment from the USSR then Venezuela, and still couldn't manage to maintain any infrastructure. They can trade with any companies that aren't US based, and do. Their largest trade partners are Spain, and for agricultural goods the US. However the country is so badly managed and corrupt that they've turned all of that free oil, industrial equipment, and expertise into abject failure.

> remarkable and free healthcare system.

It's actually dog shit, and their own government admits that its plagued by shortages[1][2]. I personally have known several people who go there to perform free eye surgeries and have to bring their own equipment because the Cuban system doesn't have any.

> Anyone that's worked in international crises is well aware of Cuba's army of doctor

The UN has called this slave labor[3] on several occasions, and many people I've talked to who have worked with MSF and otehr international medical aid orgs all say the Cuban doctors are so poorly trained as to be dangerous to patients. The lack of materials in Cuba means they never get hands on experience with vital techniques.

Get out of here with this Hassan Piker bullshit.

[1] https://english.elpais.com/international/2025-12-14/we-are-d...

[2] https://cuba.miami.edu/business-economy/a-close-look-at-cuba...

[3]https://www.prisonersdefenders.org/2020/01/08/united-nations...