Almost half of the doctors practicing in Cuba fled during and after the Cuban revolution, leaving a severe shortage of trained medical personnel. The new Cuban government made universal medical care a central tenet of their remodeling of the country and immediately began a comprehensive program of medical and health care education. The goal was not just to bring in and educate new health care personnel, but to upgrade the education and training of those already in the field. Within a decade, Cuba developed a cost-effective and reasonable quality, largely nurse-based health care system. Cuba continued to develop their medical training system and now trains tens of thousands of doctors and nurses from smaller and poorer countries all across the world.
The Manolito Aguiar Institute in Havana
The Manolito Aguiar Institute opened in 2006 as a nursing school associated with Havana's Higher Institute of Medical Sciences. This nursing school enrolls over 2000 students annually (in a three or five year nursing program).
The School of Nursing in Jaguey Grande
The town of Jaguey Grande in Matanzas province also hosts a nursing school. This school is a hub for foreign students from Caribbean countries studying in Cuba with nearly 3000 nurses graduating annually. Medical education in Cuba is particularly common among students from poorer countries, as the training focuses on prevention and practical training with minimal reliance on expensive equipment and drugs.
The Julio Trigo School of Nursing in Havana
The Julio Trigo School of Nursing is part of the Julio Trigo Lopez School of Medical Sciences in Havana and is overseen by Director Daisye Berdayes Martinez. It is one of the oldest nursing schools in Cuba.
Julio Trigo School of Nursing Calzada de Bejucal km 7 ½ Municipio Arroyo Naranjo (Habana) 011-55-83-80
Dr. Salvador Allende School of Nursing in Havana
The Dr. Salvador Allende School of Nursing is a sister school to the newly opened Manolito Aguiar Institute. It is part of the program at the Dr Salvador Allende Teaching Hospital (also located in Havana).
Calzada del Cerro y Domínguez, La Habana Ciudad de La Habana, 12000 Cuba 011-537-409904
Other Nursing Colleges in Cuba
Cuba has several other nursing schools, including schools in Camaguey and Santiago de Cuba, with approximately 3000 and 4000 graduating students every year. Villa Clara is another well-known nursing school that graduated almost 3000 students in 2006. Cuba also has an active system of teaching hospitals that graduate several thousand nurses a year.