Health Cooperation In The New U.S.-Cuban Relationship

Four months after the surprise announcement of his determination to normalize relations with Cuba, President Barack Obama is rapidly translating that wish into reality, with the cooperation of Cuban counterparts and widespread support among Americans. On April 11, the Summit of the Americas featured the first meeting of the two countries’ presidents in over fifty years. Three days later, even amidst a struggle with Congress over a possible nuclear deal with Iran, the Obama administration announced it will remove Cuba from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism, a step Carl Meacham, Director of the Center for Strategic and International Studies' (CSIS) Americas Program, calls “the biggest signal yet that Washington no longer sees Havana as an enemy.” Authority to lift the U.S. trade embargo of course ultimately remains in the hands of Congress; hence, realistically the full restoration of relations may be slow in coming. Nonetheless, multiple factors steadily propel these bold moves by U.S. and Cuban leaders. As the Cold War becomes more distant and the decades-long failure of U.S. sanctions becomes ever more conspicuous, American public sentiment is softening, and a majority of Cuba’s 11 million citizens yearn for a better life. The opportunity looms for Barack Obama and Raúl Castro to end their respective tenures with a dramatic, historic rebalance, however bumpy and fitful it may be. Health Collaboration: Opportunities, But Also Challenges In the unfolding r...
Source: Health Affairs Blog - Category: Health Management Authors: Tags: Featured Global Health Bill Frist Cuba cuban health care Raúl Castro U.S.-Cuban relationship Source Type: blogs