Cuba's health sector, which is staffed by thousands of highly-qualified professionals and equipped with state-of-the-art technology at dozens of specialized medical centers, also benefit from natural and traditional medicine.

The procedure, also called alternative or complementary medicine, is based on experiences and practices that have been transmitted from generation to generation.

Traditional medicine is also an effective option to treat a wide range of diseases without using chemical and synthetic drugs, which often cause annoying secondary effects to many patients.

In that regard, the Cuban program to develop bioenergetic and naturalist medicine has designed a strategy that includes the training of human resources, scientific research and technological development, the application of different therapies in the country's health system, and production, distribution and use of natural products.

The use of traditional and natural medicine is based on the existence of a network of laboratories to process the raw materials of natural origin to produce syrups, extracts, talc, tinctures and other medications, which are very effective to treat several ailments.

In order to keep a stable production of these medications, several establishments have been created to cultivate medicinal plants, in order not to leave up to Nature's decision the growth of those species, which are so useful to improve human health.

At the same time, Cuban research centers study a wide range of plant species to determine whether or not they have medicinal properties and the feasibility of using them in the national health system.

In addition, water and mud from several regions of the country play a very important role in the development of natural medicine, since they have excellent medicinal properties to treat several diseases.

It is in Cuba's westernmost province, Pinar del Río, where the San Diego de los Baños spa, the oldest in the country, is located. Its water, which has a high content of sulfur, is used to make cosmetics.

In the City of Havana and Havana, the spas of Santa María del Rosario and Madruga offer a good tourist infrastructure, beaches and marine weather, in addition to mineral-medicinal waters with a calcic and sodium bicarbonate composition in the case of the former, and sulfurous and siliceous characteristics in the case of the latter.

Mineral-medicinal water is bottled and sold in the country's commercial network, thus contributing to treating gastrointestinal ailments and improving the people's quality of life.

For all these reasons, Cuban nature plays a key role in the Caribbean Island's health programs, since natural medicine does not cause secondary effects and is within reach.