Cuban Medical Brigades

Cuban Medical Brigades is a public database that collects and systematizes information on the presence of Cuban medical brigades in 209 countries. It documents the number of deployed professionals, the duration of missions, signed cooperation agreements, and registered mission defection cases.

The project was born from the need for structured, accessible data on a phenomenon of major geopolitical and humanitarian scope that, until now, lacked a centralized, freely accessible reference source.

Cuban medical missions constitute one of the most extensive professional services export programs in the world. Present in Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia, and Eastern Europe, these brigades have treated millions of people. At the same time, they have generated intense international debate about the working conditions of doctors, their freedom of movement, and the terms of agreements between Cuba and recipient countries.

Transparency and access to information are necessary conditions for any objective assessment. This project contributes to that goal.

Data comes from primary and secondary sources: official documents from governments and international organizations, parliamentary resolutions, academic research, verified journalistic reports, and testimonies from professionals who have participated in missions.

Each country profile is subject to periodic review. Requests for access to complete profiles are evaluated individually to ensure responsible use of information.

This platform is developed and maintained by Prisoners Defenders, a human rights organization based in Spain specializing in the defense of political prisoners and the documentation of systematic rights violations, including forced labor in Cuban medical missions.

For information requests, data corrections, or academic collaboration, you may write through the request form available on each country profile, or contact Prisoners Defenders directly at prisonersdefenders.org.