August 7, 2001
Cuba Extends Free Scholarships to the Latin American Medical School
The island nation of Cuba is offering 500 free scholarships to American students for full medical training. Fidel Castro extended the offer to a visiting delegation of the Congressional Black Caucus after hearing Rep. Bennie Thompson (Democrat from Mississippi) tell of the high infant mortality rate and lack of medical access in the impoverished Delta Region.
IFCO, (Interreligious Foundation for Community Organizing), is organizing the project. Each successful applicant will receive 6 years of medical training, tuition, textbooks and room and board. The criteria for applicants are that they are economically disadvantaged, and will provide healthcare where it is most needed.
Currently there are eleven American Students taking advantage of the program. Nadage, age 25, is a Haitian immigrant who lives in Florida with her parents and 7 brothers and sisters. She relayed "We've never had much. I know my parents had to sacrifice to get medical care. My lifelong dream has been to open a free clinic for those who can't get health care. This opportunity to study medicine in Cuba makes my dream possible."
Students begin their training with 12 weeks of intensive Spanish language instruction. Then they embark on two years of study at the Latin American Medical School, followed by transfer to one of the 21 other Cuban Medical schools. Upon return to the U.S., licensing requirements include one year of study in an American school and passing of a licensing exam.
There are 4,000 students from 24 nations of Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean currently studying at L.A.M.S. Over 2,000 Cuban graduates of the program are providing health care in 57 underserved countries. I.F.C.O. is organizing an informational tour of Cuba's Medical System for late November. This trip will give parents and students an opportunity to learn about Cuba's highly developed healthcare system. Cuban scientists have international patents on 66 pharmaceuticals. They have developed a vaccine for Hepatitis B, and have discovered monoclonal antibodies that help prevent organ transplants from being rejected. According to InfoMed Director Pedro Urva, Cuba has 1.8 scientists for every 1,000 inhabitants. There are 222 research centers with over 34,000 employees.
Yet the 40-year U.S. trade embargo of Cuba continues to cause shortages of medical supplies. IFCO, in conjunction with the MLK Memorial Center of Cuba, has delivered 11 "Friendship Caravans" of supplies to Cuba. Their mission is to "educate people and challenge the blockade". Our Cuban foreign policy, dictated by right wing factions in Miami and Washington, is one of economic punishment of the Cuban people for maintaining a Socialist government. Yet Cuba is still able to make great strides in the areas of "green medicine" and "green energy" -- non-polluting alternatives that do not damage the ozone layer. Towards this end, IFCO is donating solar panels, VCR's, T.V.'s and computers in their next shipment.
These medical scholarships could be of great use to our Capitol Region students. Rev. Lucius Walker, Director of IFCO, describes the free medical scholarships as "a modest beginning to a revolutionary and visionary idea." IFCO, through donations from supporters, will bear the expense of administering the program, interviewing and recommending students and paying travel expenses to and from Cuba.
To find out more about the November trip, or to get an application for a scholarship, please contact IFCO at the National Office, 402 W 15th St., NY, NY 10031. Phone # 212-926-6842, email <ifco (at) igc.org> |