ABOUT CUBA

The paradise called Cuba is a sun-drenched tropical island that prides itself in its superb cultural, historical and artistic traditions. Its major centers host an incredible blend of spectacular historic and modern architecture; while its landscape is rich and varied in ecology, boasting such attractions as lush green mountains in addition to mineral and medicinal springs.
Visitors to Cuba are usually mesmerized by its warm, clear, crystal blue waters, magnificent world-class beaches, superb hotels, villas, and resorts, as well as exciting nightlife featuring great pubs and clubs. Cuba offers many activities and events catered to meet the expectations of anyone, including sports enthusiasts, history enthusiasts, travelers and partygoers.
The people of the island trace their ancestry to Spanish and African roots. They are genuine, friendly, warm, communicative, enthusiastic, and hospitable.
Cubans are generally outgoing and fond of festivals, music, and especially dancing and in general, have a great sense of humor and usually joke around about almost anything.  Cubans are extremely proud and value their national identity and their many achievements. The people of Cuba are very hospitable and helpful; a traveler can always receive assistance in most places.

CUBA’S HEALTH SAFETY RECORDS AND MEDICAL CARE:

• Cuba has one of the most developed and accessible healthcare systems globally. The secretary general of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon (2007 – 2016), during a visit to Cuba hailed its healthcare service as, “a model for many countries”.
•  Cuba has sent thousands of doctors and nurses to a large number of countries including Italy and Kuwait to help in the fight with COVID-19. This was possible due to Cuba’s huge success containing the virus domestically with a rigorous active screening campaign and rigorous restrictions.
• Tens of thousands of family doctors, nurses and medical students have been instructed to “actively screen” all homes on the island for cases Covid-19 – on a daily basis.
• By having a universal health system as well as the highest doctor-to-patient ratio in the world has allowed the government to direct a unified rather than a fragmented strategy in dealing with the pandemic. Asymptomatic cases are identified through contact tracing followed by antibody testing and, when positive, a PCR test for confirmation.
• In virtually every critical area of public health and medicine facing poor countries Cuba has achieved undeniable success; these include most prominently – creating a high quality primary care network and an unequaled public health system, educating a skilled work force, supporting a local biomedical research infrastructure, controlling infectious diseases, achieving a decline in non communicable diseases, and meeting the emergency health needs of less developed countries.
• Itolizumab, a monoclonal antibody produced in Cuba, and Interferon Alpha-2b, an antiviral agent that boosts immune system, are two drugs produced by the Cuban biotech industry that reduce hyper-inflammation in seriously ill COVID-19 patients. The use of these two medications has sharply curbed coronavirus-related death toll in Cuba.

SAFETY:

The center is a gated compound with trained support staff on the ground 24/7
In general, Cuba is one of the globe’s safest countries. The concept of crime as it exists in other countries is unheard of on this island. Police and other enforcement entities presence is in most highly frequented areas.
According to the latest report from the US Overseas Security Advisory Council (OSAC), Cuba is a safe country to visit.

MEDICAL CARE:

At Ecocuba Pro, and in full collaboration with our sister company CubaHeal Medical as well as the International Health Center ”La Pradera”, and as part of the cost, our residents will be entitled to the following medical services:

• Around the clock physicians with internal medicine specialty for the care, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases in the elderly, including prescribing applicable medicine
• Monthly full internal medicine checkups
• Medication Management
• Specialized nursing team trained at addressing all medical needs including urgent situations.
• On site, fully equipped emergency room for immediate events. Upon medical situation control, and if the need arises, the patient could be transferred to a more specialized hospital for additional comprehensive care.
• For long term international visitors, obligatory governmental insurance coverage, relatively cheap at 241.00 CUC a month and considered to be one of the most comprehensive in the western hemisphere whereby the user has access to world class medical attention

Well-Being, Cultural, Entertainment and Religion Services:

At Ecocuba Pro, and in full collaboration with our sister company CubaHeal Medical and Ecotur, and as part of the cost, our residents will be entitled to the following:

• 2-days a week Spanish language classes
• Outdoor entertainment programs which will entail trips to any of the following:

1. Restaurants à la carte (biweekly)
2. Various historical, art museums visits (biweekly)
3. Cultural, art and/ or musical shows (monthly)
4.  Parks (weekly)
   – Two days trips to Varadero/ Matanzas province, including accommodation in 4-star resort
   including three daily buffets and around the clock open bar (monthly)
   – One day trip to Pinar Del Rio province and Viñales Valley (monthly)
   – Nursing staff presence during all of the entertainment programs
   – Television and DVD recorded English programs
   – 20 hours internet card per month
   – Detailed Itinerary

About La Pradera International Health Center

Established in November 1996 by Comandante Jefe Fidel Castro, La Pradera is among the foremost medical institutions in the island of Cuba, bringing together professional service with a uniquely ethical approach to the well-being and dignity of residents. It is staffed with multidisciplinary, multilingual, highly qualified medical personnel proficient both in meeting the needs of the residents in a responsive and individualized manner and in diagnosing and addressing all emerging medical needs.
La Pradera is equipped with modern technology to carry out clinical evaluations, laboratory tests, and imaging investigations. The center is especially accomplished in the provision of specialized medical care in areas such as endocrinology (management of diabetic conditions), nephrology (management of kidney conditions), oncology, neuroscience, phoniatrics and other specialities. Residents receive solid case-by-case medical assessment, treatment and care of such conditions, hemodialysis, osteoporosis, diabetes, heart conditions, high blood pressure, and respiratory ailments, as well as programs for weight loss, cosmetology and the stress reduction among others.

Particular attention is thus dedicated not only to the prevention and early detection of diseases and their treatment, but also to the holistic promotion of a healthy lifestyle with the interest of reducing risk factors and ensuring the residents’ comprehensive well-being.
With its integrated approach to residents’ health, La Pradera is therefore particularly well-suited to meet the needs of the elderly, having designed rehabilitative programs that are specifically tailored to the improvement of the residents’ quality of life by working on restoring functionality and integration within an environment of both the natural beauty of Cuba and the extensive facilities available in the center itself. Residents of the center have access to above-standard medical and rehabilitation services, cognitive therapy, functional therapy, and social interaction therapy, under the care of skilled nursing teams that cannot found in many of the world renown nursing and retirement facilities.
The center prides itself for being the globe’s only nursing and long-term facility with its own emergency department.

Within the center, our resident can enjoy the following facilities and services:
– One room per resident with an electrical resident bed, equipment for disabled patient, Oxygen hookup, fully equipped bathroom, colour TV with national and international channels, local and international phone services (extra cost will apply), safety box, and three à la carte meals taking into account the patient’s preferences and / or special diets prescribed by physician
– Pharmacy
– Emergency room facility
– Minimal surgical theater
– Dental clinic
– Dialysis clinic
– Internet service throughout the center (at an extra cost)
– Laundry services
– Swimming pool, in addition to underwater massage pools
– Sauna
– Gym
– Snack bar
– Coffee shop
– Vast gardens
– Sports fields
– Special event halls
– Restaurant with an open buffet that take into account residents’ nutritional diets
– Hotel-like room services
– Hair dressing salon, pedicures and manicures services, and barber shop
For further information, please visit LA PRADERA INTERNATIONAL HEALTH CENTER information page

Cost

At the cost of $3,564.00 Canadian dollars a month, and factoring all the above medical, entertainment, accommodation and meals programs, the total monthly cost is considered one of the globe’s most financially accommodating.