Abstract

PUERTO RODRIGUEZ, Asela M. Del  and  DIEGO OLITE, Francisca. Health, environment and development in Cuba. A realistic look. Rev Cubana Hig Epidemiol [online]. 2004, vol.42, n.3, pp. 0-0. ISSN 1561-3003.

The human development report 2003 states that in order to revert the decrease of the economic growth experienced by numerous nations in 2000, the development strategies should focus not only on economic growth, but also on a more equitable distribution of wealth and services. What has Cuba done about it? In this paper, it its summarized the relation between indicators associated with human development, environment and health in different stages of the Cuban revolutionary process, in which equity ,social justice and the State's concern on this regard are constant. The fundamental results obtained in these spheres and some elements characterizing the conscious and foresighted work done after the triumph of the Revolution in connection with the protection of the environment and the health of the population, as well as the utilization of the available resources to potentiate the human capital, are dealt with. The main moments of the national environmental strategy, with particular emphasis on the development of environmental health, are included. It is made a summary of the international legal instruments regarding the environmental aspects that have been signed by the greatest island of the Antilles in the last three decades.

Keywords : Health; environmental health; development; human development; equity.