The suggestions given by Dr. Wall are excellent. However, I find it hard to
believe the corrupted and moneyed interests medical system in the US will
accept them. It is important to note that the only requirement Cuba puts on
the foreign medical school students that Cuba trains free is that they
return to their home country and practice in underserved areas. This
includes the approximately 70 US students studying free in Cuba of which two
are from Minnesota.
Peace, hope, justice for ALL
Joan M.
===============================================================


Prensa Latina, Havana
http://www.plenglish.com

US Health Care Depends on Foreign Medical Graduates

Washington, Jan 9 (PL) One in four doctors in the United States are foreign
medical school graduates, according to The New England Journal of Medicine.

A large majority - 60 percent - come from the developing world, where
doctors are scarce and countries are being destroyed by AIDS, malaria,
tuberculosis and other infectious diseases.

By luring and keeping large numbers of immigrant doctors, the American
medical establishment is reducing medical care where it is needed most -
and, perversely, hastening the eventual arrival of health problems in our
own communities, says Norman M. Wall, a retired doctor and medical educator,
author of "Living Longer, Living Stronger" in an article published by The
New York Times.

Why is the US so reliant on foreign doctors? The problem is that even as the
demand for doctors has grown significantly in the United States, medical
school enrolment has barely budged. The annual number of medical school
graduates has remained almost constant since 1980, despite a population
increase of 50 million.

Over that same period, only one new medical school has opened its doors. As
baby boomers reach retirement, the shortage of doctors will only grow worse,
creating even greater demand for doctors from Africa, Asia and the
Caribbean, while many young Americans are going to Mexico and Europe to
study medicine.

What can be done to reverse this situation? Wall recommends to open more
medical schools. There are now only 125 medical schools for a population of
nearly 300 million. Also, the United States should invest in training
doctors and building hospitals overseas, particularly in Africa and Asia.

While some American medical centers operate programs abroad, they need
encouragement and greater financing. Outfitting clinics and hospitals is
necessary to keep medical graduates at home in the third world.
Pharmaceutical companies should also join in the effort to ensure critical
drugs are available and affordable.

Last but not least, the World Health Organization, with generous US
assistance, should augment the meager pay doctors and health care workers
receive in the developing nations so they have a respectable salary.

The United States and other Western countries have not only ignored the
appalling lack of qualified doctors in undeveloped countries, but because of
self-interest have perpetuated this problem.

hr/Ef/