Experts from the US, Canada and Britain compare Cuba’s response to
Covid-19 in the context of the island’s commitment to public health
care, preventative medicine and international humanitarianism.
Speakers:
Her Excellency Bárbara
Elena Montalvo Álvarez
Cuban ambassador to the United Kingdom
Gail Walker, Executive
Director IFCO/Pastors for Peace (USA)
The IFCO has facilitated medical scholarship placements for US students at Havana’s Latin American Medical School since 2001. Gail will discuss the history and legacy of this work, the difference in medical training between Cuba and the US and reflect ten years of US students graduating from ELAM and returning to their communities in the US.
Gail Reed, founder of
Medical Educational Cooperation with Cuba, (MEDDIC), and Executive Editor,
MEDICC Review (USA)
As co-producer of the award-winning documentary on Cuba’s quest for global health ¡Salud!, Gail has a wealth of experience of Cuba’s health service and has facilitated exchanges between US and Cuban physicians for many years. She will compare health equity in Cuba and the US, both nations’ responses to the pandemic, as well as giving a personal overview of MEDDIC’s exchanges and lessons from Cuba over the years.
Professor John Kirk,
Department of Spanish & Latin American Studies, Dalhousie University
(Canada)
John has written and edited numerous books on Cuban international relations, history culture and medicine, including Healthcare Without Borders: Understanding Cuban Medical Internationalism. He will reflect on Cuba’s response to Covid-19 in context of the island’s long tradition of medical internationalism and the latest work of the Henry Reeve Brigade.
Lara McNeill, junior doctor
and Labour NEC Youth Rep (UK)
Lara recently graduated with a medical degree in Britain. As part of her training she spent two months on a medical elective work placement in Havana just before the island closed its borders due to COVID-19.
Dr Joaquin Morante, US
graduate from Havana's Latin America Medical School (ELAM)
Joaquin graduated from ELAM in 2012 and is now a specialist in General Pulmonary Medicine and Critical Care Medicine at New Yorks Jacobi public hospital.
Source: Cuba Solidarity Campaign UK
