The health of a nation: perspectives from Cuba's national health system.

This paper focuses on the current healthcare system in Cuba and provides a description of an alternative healthcare provision. The information is based on a visit to the country in 2007 as a member of a health study tour. The purpose of the visit was to explore the functioning of a population-based health service and to interview key people. The data are compared with the literature on Cuba. The effects of the economic crisis, the US embargo and the absence of international debate about Cuba's health achievements are discussed.