Dr. Yofaidy Pérez Medina, a specialist in Pediatrics and head of the Maternal and Child Program of the provincial health directorate of Santiago de Cuba, clearly lists some of the ways in which this territory has consolidated care for its smallest: “Strengthening work in the community and with families, from primary health care onwards, so that they recognize the warning signs on which they should immediately see a doctor, the training of professionals in the sector with a view to diminishing infections in this first stage of life, the promotion of breastfeeding.”
At the close of 2017, Santiago de Cuba had the second lowest infant mortality rate in the history of the province (4.0 per 1,000 live births); but with the peculiarity that 49 deaths were reported in children under one year of age, the lowest ever figure in the territory.
The consolidation of these results goes beyond this province, as specialists from Santiago have contributed to the care of infants across the eastern region of the country, in fields such as pediatric intensive care.
In 2018, efforts are focused on the community extension of the provincial Human Milk Bank and the opening in the southern Children’s Hospital of a pediatric care ward for polytraumatized patients, which would make Santiago the third province in the country to offer this service. In addition, efforts are being made to prevent accidents, which are still the main cause of death among preschool, school and adolescent children, Dr. Pérez concluded.
(Granma)