Cuba Caring

This is the Latin American School of Medicine (known by its Spanish acronym ELAM) on the Caribbean coast on Havana's western edge. According to Wikipedia:

"Established in 1999 and operated by the Cuban government, ELAM has been described as possibly being the largest medical school in the world by enrollment, with approx. 12,000 students from 29 countries reported as enrolled in 2006/early 2007. All those enrolled are international students from outside Cuba and mainly come from Latin America and the Caribbean as well as Africa. The school also accepts students from the United States - 91 were reportedly enrolled as of January 2007. Tuition, accommodation and board are free, and a small stipend is provided for students.

I learned that currently many of the school's graduates and students serve time in Haiti, helping the poor in that country with critical health care needs. Haiti is one of numerous countries in the developing world to benefit from the medical expertise of ELAM. Cuban and Cuban-trained doctors have also responded to major natural disasters, such as earthquakes and the Indonesian tsumani.

When Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, Cuba offered to send more than 1,500 doctors to help with recovery efforts. You can read a USA Today story about that here. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice thanked other nations but completely ignored Cuba's offer. Cubans told me their doctors, equiped with backpacks full of medical supplies and ready to depart Havana, could have reached New Orleans far more quickly than did significant rescue assistance from Washington D.C.