La Vega.
It's a typical Cuban sugar town.
Most of the the men work at the factory
and live in apartments provided by the State.
Their kids go to the local school
and communist slogans are everywhere.
Vega also has a pharmacy and a health clinic.
Unlike almost anywhere else in Cuba
here there are no lines.
They treat everything from motorcycle accidents
to pregnancies.
Both the doctor and the medicines are free.
But Vega has something even more unusual -
its very own guardian angel.
Angelina is a family doctor.
Two days each week she walks house-to-house
checking up on everyone inside.
She sees each of her 2,000 patients -
even if they're healthy -
at least twice a year
This may be why Cuba's infant mortality
is on par with the United States.
She also takes the time to discuss their lifestyles,
relationships,
and anything that might be causing them stress.
The young boy can't take his eyes off
her blood pressure cuff.
A future doctor?
Not unlikely -
in Cuba, medical school is free.
Her last patient is schizophrenic and lives alone.
Five days ago she was dizzy -
probably another episode.
Something doesn't quite add up
and Angelina won't leave until she's figured out
what's really going on.
A random comment tips her off.
Because of doctors like Angelina
Cubans can now expect to live as long as Western Europeans.
Angelina doesn't have a car.
She hitchhikes to work whenever possible
to save money.
Today she wants to get home quickly
so she takes the bus.
it's still a grueling, 45-minute ride
with an unexpected reward.
Her husband and 5-year-old daughter are waiting
when she gets off.
And for good reason...
Tomorrow's New Year's Eve
and Angelina's making Imperial Rice -
one of the most elaborate meals of the year.
They've been buying food for days.
Angelina is no barefoot doctor.
Her medical training is as good as a degree in the United States.
She's extremely bright and caring
and she believes utterly in the communist way.
She doesn't think she should get special privileges because of her education.
Nor does she seem to mind their tiny, one bedroom apartment.
Or having to work two full days to buy her family a can of spam.
She's proud of her new rice cooker
and deep fryer
both issued by the State.
And the 'fridge is her most prized possession.
It take center stage.
And yet they only have running water one hour a day.
If she's not home when it turns on
then she has to go to her in-laws to wash clothes.
Cuba has more doctors per capita
than any other country in the world.
The government sends some 20,000 of them overseas each year.
If Angelina agreed to go
then she would earn better housing
and perhaps even her own car when she came back.
But she would have to leaver her husband and daughter behind.
Tonight at least, they're going to eat well.