Quality services and care must define public health institutions

It is possible that on occasion insufficient financial resources are available to carry out some efforts, but what can never be lacking in Cuba’s public health institutions is attention to detail in services offered, and care of medical equipment and facilities to prevent their unnecessary deterioration.

These were the concerns emphasized by Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, President of Cuba’s Councils of State and Ministers, during a recent meeting to examine the current situation in Cuba’s public health system, one of the most important social programs undertaken by the Revolution.

Health Minister José Ángel Portal Miranda reported on work underway to improve attention in neighborhood family doctor offices, polyclinics, hospital, and institutes, while scientific research continues to advance, he said, which will guarantee further development.

He explained that the Cuban healthcare system includes, among other institutions, more than 10,800 neighborhood family doctors’ offices, 450 polyclinics, 12 institutes, 29 blood banks, 150 rest homes for the elderly, 13 universities and 25 medical sciences department. These are staffed by 480,000 workers, 71% of whom are women.

He noted that in 2017 a higher number of primary care consultations were provided, as compared to the previous year, and more than a million surgeries were performed, for the sixth consecutive year.