RESUMO
Since 1959 Cuba has tripled the quantities of its medical facilities, equipment and health services to the population. In this setting, the health manpower is sufficient to attain the goals of the public health plan. In 1985 the manpower requirements were met 100% (247,2 health workers for every 10,000 inhabitants). The geographic distribution betrays the usual urban-rural imbalance, but is improving; this is exemplified by Havana, whose share of the country's physicians has dropped from 63% in 1959 to 29.9% today. Health manpower in Cuba being sufficient in numbers and qualifications, the recommendations are aimed at improvement in such aspects as the assimilation of modern technology, greater emphasis on prevention and primary care, and the provision of one physician for 120 families or 600 persons by establishing the specialty of comprehensive general medicine.