An Army of White Coats: Exploring the Implications of Cuban Medical Diplomacy 23.Dec.2020 9:00 AM . 9 min read There are 68 languages spoken in Kenya. Most people speak Swahili or English and at least one of many local mother tongues. In the streets of Nairobi, it is not uncommon to hear greetings in multitudes of different languages, from “ hey, how are you?” in English to “ jambo, habari gani?” in Swahili, including “ wĩmwega, ũhana atĩa?” in Kikuyu. Kenyans speak and understand many different languages—Spanish, however, is not usually one of them. In the past few years, though, Kenyans have been hearing Spanish increasingly often, especially when seeking medical care. The introduction of a new language in Kenyan society may be surprising, but it is not a coincidence. Like many other countries in the world, Kenyans have seen Cuban doctors enter their health facilities and provide healthcare alongside their local counterparts since 2018 when the Cuban government deployed its doctors in rural, underserved areas in severe need of specialized medics. With this arrival, local clinics were able to provide quality specialized healthcare to patients in need instead of referring them to urban hospitals. The doctors generally adapted well to their new environments, such as by learning local dialects, and their presence led to improved access to specialised medical care and reduced congestion in urban referral hospitals, or hospitals that provide specialized care after referral from local primary care providers.