Cuba reaps goodwill from doctor diplomacy

Although thousands of Cuban doctors have defected over the years and others are planning to do the same, more than 72,000 remain on the island and scattered all over the world, and more are in the pipeline. Despite the increasing risks of defection—since 2006 the United States has made it easier than ever for Cuban doctors to abandon their posts by offering them U.S. visas from consulates wherever they defect—Cuba seems to be relying more than ever on its vast health industry for income.