http://www.granma.cu/ingles/2009/diciembre/mier16/cuba-action-pregnant-women.html
Havana. December 16, 2009
On AH1N1
Cuba undertaking unprecedented health
action with pregnant women
José A. de la Osa
IN an unprecedented effort on the part of Cuba's public health services,
medical personnel and those from other sectors are undertaking daily
epidemiological screening throughout the country of all pregnant women and new
mothers to check for respiratory symptoms.
Photo: Yordanka Almaguer
This important screening is within the context of the AH1N1 pandemic and
its particular "aggressiveness" in the case of pregnant women, a group at high
risk of developing complications related to this virus.
Dr. Doris Sierra Pérez, national director of primary care at the Ministry
of Public Health, informed Granma daily that this action began last September,
given the capacity of the virus to produce severe pulmonary lesions within a
few hours, thus requiring patients' immediate hospitalization in intensive care
units.
From then on, on a daily basis, local health care personnel have been
visiting pregnant women and those with newborn babies in their homes to confirm
their state of health and, in the case of any flu symptoms, to instruct
hospital admission and immediate treatment.
According to estimates given to Granma, of the 65,456 currently pregnant
women in the country, and the 16,507 with newborn babies (a total of 81,963),
an average of 96% are visited on a daily basis. Of these, 12,065 have been
admitted to hospital.
Dr. Sierra highlighted the selfless dedication of Cuban health workers,
including medical students incorporated into the screening program, who are
making a decisive contribution to the saving of more than a few lives.
She also noted the support received from political and mass organizations
and other sectors of society, in conjunction with the political will of the
revolutionary government, which views the health of the population a prime
human right.
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