"Salud," New Feature Documentary, in Marin

Salud! ― a new feature documentary by Academy Award nominee Connie Field ― explores the curious case of Cuba, a cash-strapped country with what the BBC calls 'one of the world's best health systems.' And for 40 years, Cuba's taken it to the road, their doctors in demand by other struggling nations. Cuba's volunteer corps now posts 28,000 health professionals in 68 countries. Cuban medical schools enroll 30,000 students from other developing areas, an unprecedented undertaking for any country. The film probes the motivations of international students at Havana's Latin American School of Medicine (ELAM) where a bold paradigm shift is producing doctors committed to public service. Through these stories and testimony from experts around the world, ¡Salud! traces the opinions and competing agendas that mark the battle for better global health.

Dr. Kay Taylor, a Bay Area gynecologist, will introduce the program. Dr. Taylor retired from Kaiser in 2005 to organize a volunteer medical service called Prevention International: No Cervical Cancer (PINCC), which provides mobile one-visit care to women in need. Dr. Taylor has worked in Central America with graduates of the Cuban Medical School; and PINCC’s team visited Cuba at ELAM’s invitation in November 2006, toured their medical facilities and discussed future opportunities to work with their graduate doctors.

The film will be shown at The Redwoods Presbyterian Church, 110 Magnolia Avenue, Larkspur, at 7:30 PM on Thursday, March 22. This event is sponsored by Marin Interfaith Task Force on the Americas and is a fundraiser to support PINCC's ongoing work. A $5-15 donation is requested. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. The venue is wheelchair accessible. For more information, please call 415/924-3227, email mitf [at] igc.org or go to mitfamericas.org.