Health Care Trips Licensed

MEDICC ANNOUNCES PROGRAMS IN CUBA FOR 2012    March 5, 2012-- Licensed by the US Treasury Department, MEDICC has announced eight travel programs for Cuba for 2012, using its 15 years of experience to offer a unique and exciting insider's view of health and health care on the island. "We are unmatched," affirms Diane Appelbaum, MEDICC's US Director. "Through our long relationships with Cuban health professionals and communities, we can offer travelers authentic and meaningful experiences that they will always remember."  FOR AN INSIDER'S VIEW OF HEALTH CARE IN CUBA...    TRAVEL WITH MEDICC!   Tired of travel experiences that herd you on and off the bus, with just enough time for a snapshot...but none for getting a better feel for the places and people you visit? MEDICC provides you a unique opportunity for something more - an insider's view of one of the world's best kept secrets, the Cuban health system and the health professionals who make it work. Since 1997, MEDICC has guided over 2,000 people in health-related programs and research in Cuba - using our relationships on the Caribbean island to shape each experience to fit travelers' special interests.    MEDICC offers you travel with confidence. You are assured: An exciting, deeper look at health care in Cuba, with ample chance to meet the health professionals responsible for achieving its impressive outcomes - on a shoestring budget - and to meet the challenges ahead.     A firsthand experience to see how health care delivery, schools, neighborhood projects, natural and traditional medicine, environmental protection, organic agriculture, art and culture all come into play in efforts to build and maintain healthy communities. A pre-trip orientation, relevant readings, and itinerary tailored to your expressed interests. Travel fully authorized under a US Treasury Department license granted to MEDICC. A MEDICC expert and a specialized translator to facilitate your time in Cuba and ensure meaningful dialogue with Cubans you meet, including opportunities for cultural exchanges.  NOTE that MEDICC groups are limited to 20 participants, to ensure you a more personalized experience. Marazul Charters, the largest and most experienced agency in the US providing travel to Cuba, will assist you in making all your travel arrangements.   MEDICC's goal is for you to return home with an insider's view of Cuba, its people and its health care. Join one of the following 2012 MEDICC programs, or contact us to develop your own, tailored to your field in health, medicine, medical education, or another health-related focus that excites and intrigues you.  For further information, see MEDICC's website  MEDICC PROGRAMS IN CUBA 2012 These are just a few of the intriguing opportunities offered in each program. More will be added - designed with your expressed interests in mind. April 22-29, 2012 - Healthy Aging (sign up now--just a few spaces left) Cuba's is one of the fastest-aging societies in the Americas, with one of the highest educational levels. The challenge: how to ensure quality of life and health care for all Cubans beginning life's "third chapter". You'll visit specially designed health programs and meet seniors at the Older Adult University - an experience unique in the developing world. You'll also join seniors in Havana's parks for morning multi-generational exercises, tai chi, in neighborhood projects....and more. May 13-20, 2012 - Gender and Health (sign up now...just a few spaces left)  Cuba's health-related organizations and professionals have taken the lead in addressing issues of gender health and rights. Through this MEDICC program, you'll visit the National Sex Education Center (CENESEX) - a pioneer in LGBT health issues and reforming school-based sex education. You'll also dialogue with specialists in women's health, and meet committed members of "Alas por la Vida" (Wings for Life), the support group organized by breast cancer survivors....and more. May 27-June 3, 2012 - Community Partnership for Health Equity-Albuquerque (Full) Through MEDICC's Community Partnerships for Health Equity (CPHE), a city's community health leaders and academic faculty join together to observe Cuba's working models of health care, generating insights and sparking innovation to confront major health concerns back home....and more. September 16-23, 2012 - Health and Environment (Spaces open)  Cuba has one of the lowest carbon footprints in the world, but faces economic challenges in enforcing environmental regulations and preparing for global warming. You'll be able to see Cuban environmentalists in action, working to protect the population and the natural habitats of this Caribbean island - their efforts involving NGOs, local clinics, schools and community organizations. You'll meet with dedicated activists and professionals at the Latin American Center for Disaster Medicine and the Meteorology Institute, both leaders in disaster preparedness and mitigation...and more. September 23-30, 2012 - Nutrition, Agriculture and Health (Spaces open)  Cuba has been experimenting with urban and rural organic gardening since the 1980s. This program offers you the chance to meet some of the successful pioneers in this field, and to visit both the gardens and the markets that are contributing to sustainable agriculture on the island.  At the same time, you'll hear from nutritionists and clinicians who make no bones about the difficulties--cultural and economic--in transforming Cubans' eating habits into a healthier diet for a healthier population....and more. October 21- 28, 2012 - Medical and Population Health Journal Editors (Waitlist)   This program is intended for editors and editorial board members of journals focusing on health and medical research designed to advance health equity.  Participants will share experiences with Cuban editors working to improve the quality of their country's medical journals; meet Cuban health professionals carrying out research on health care delivery, quality, equity and new medications and vaccines; have the chance to visit all levels of the Cuban health system in both Havana and outlying provinces....and more. November 11-18, 2012 - The Cuban Health System (Waitlist)  Over the past 50 years, Cuban health policymakers and professionals have transformed the country's health institutions and indicators, resulting in a universal health system that contributes to making the population one of the healthiest in the Americas. How did this happen in a developing country? What are the challenges to maintaining such gains?  This MEDICC program offers you an inside view and frank discussion with health care leaders and providers -from the neighborhood doctor-and-nurse offices that dot the island to grassroots projects, specialized institutes....and more. December 2-9, 2012- Integrative Medicine (Waitlist)  In Cuba, "natural and traditional medicine" (NTM) has been systematically and scientifically incorporated into the country's public health system, offering an exciting experience in integrative medicine. You'll visit NTM centers; meet "yerberos" dedicated to use of herbal treatments; dialogue with professionals who combine various Asian medical practices, adapting them to the Cuban context; hear from patients who incorporate NTM into their health care and maintenance....and more. For further information or to sign up for a program, contact Elena Huezo at ehuezo@mediccglobal.org or call directly 510.350.3053