Cuba / Medical

Standards of healthcare increased dramatically in the years following the revolution and social provisions are among the best in Latin America. Minor treatment will routinely be given for free to foreigners at the local clinics.

Should you require extensive medical attention whilst in Havana, the main clinic for foreign patients is the Cira Garcia Clinic, in Havana, t 204 2811. Treatment here is expensive and payment is expected in convertible pesos. There is considerable ‘medical tourism’ in the island. Visitors come for operations that cost less than elsewhere, but it enables the Cubans to earn foreign exchange through their medical skills.

No vaccinations are required for entry to Cuba. However visitors are advised to take precautions against typhoid if travelling to rural areas. The more serious tropical diseases are rare in the country, but viral meningitis and dengue fever do occasionally break out.