Photo/Estudios Revolucion.

HAVANA, Cuba.- As part of the systematic check to the Cuban Government’s Health Program, the priorities and measures taken in the country were discussed this Monday to achieve an ever better performance of the Maternal Child Program (PAMI). The working meeting with the main authorities of the Public Health sector was led by the President of the Republic, Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez and Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz.

While Cuba has in recent years recorded infant mortality figures that place it in the 35 countries of the world with the lowest rate, the benefits offered by the Primary Health Care System and the facilities for its best performance e could still be more exploited.

The Minister of Public Health, Jose Angel Portal Miranda reiterated that  at the end of 2019 Cuba had an infant mortality of 5.0 per every one thousand live births, higher than the rate of 4.0 of the previous year. Such a reality had as root causes the complications associated with premature birth, delay in intrauterine growth and pregnancy in adolescence.

Hence, in the course of its intervention, Portal Miranda not only referred to the indisputable results in maternal and child care services, but, critically and objectively, assessed the main deficiencies that currently remain in primary health care, as well as the implementation of concrete actions to reverse this situation.

Among the latter he highlighted the strengthening of cadres´ work; consolidation of the genetics services network; constant professional improvement and training of health professionals and workers; application of science and technological innovation; and the development of an effective communication strategy, aimed at women of childbearing age, their partners and family members.

Portal said that without even conforming to results, at the end of January there were 11,697 live births and infant mortality rate is reduced from 5.2, obtained in the same period of 2019, to 3.8. “The virtually uniform development in the health conditions created over decades in the country, puts all provinces on an equal footing to have good results and provide satisfaction to families,” he said.

Taken from www.presidencia.gob.cu