Now that's health care

The latest reform to come to Cuba since Raul Castro took over.

HAVANA - Cuba has authorized sex-change operations and will offer them free for qualifying citizens, an official said Friday. The move is the latest in a series of changes implemented by President Raul Castro since he succeeded his elder brother, Fidel, in February. Raul Castro's daughter, Mariela, heads Cuba's National Center for Sex Education, which strongly backs the new policy.

Health Minister Jose Ramon Balaguer signed a resolution approving sex-change surgery, said an official at the center who spoke on condition of anonymity because the measure has not been formally published. The resolution will be posted on the Internet on Saturday, the official said.

The procedure would be available to Cubans for free as part of their country's health-care system.

The sex education center has said previously that 28 transsexual Cubans have asked to undergo the surgery and that Cuban doctors have trained with physicians from Belgium to prepare for the procedures.

According to the center, a clinic for transsexual health will be created to perform the procedures, but it was not clear when it will start operating.

Toasters, computers, now sex changes. What's next in store for the people of Cuba?

All joking aside, I think Cuba has another reason for opening this clinic. They will start selling GRS(Gender reassignment surgery) to non-Cubans. As it stands, most people wanting GRS travel to places like Thailand for that surgery. The last time I researched it(For a web fiction I was writing), there weren't many options here in North America. Montreal, Neenah Wisconsin, Oregon and maybe one or two other places. Also note the physicians teaching the Cuban doctors come from Belgium. Belgium was another place people went for GRS.

Unless travel restrictions are relaxed, few Americans will be making the trip to Cuba for surgery. I'm all for easing up some on Cuba for our present policy isn't working. Change won't happen till some US President takes a unpopular stand. Obama maybe, if he's elected. McCain is less likely because Cuban Americans vote heavily Republican.