Cuba opens helpline for people with special needs

HAVANA, Cuba, Mar 15 (ACN) A project of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security (MTSS) aims to establish a telephone line to provide personalized attention to the elderly, people with disabilities and caregivers in situations of psychosocial or physical risk.

Belkis Delgado Cáceres, director of Social Prevention of the MTSS, said that a pilot experiment is now under way in several provinces before the system is implemented nationwide to give around-the-clock counsel and information to individuals who live or spend most of the day alone in order to help them be more self-sufficient, as well as to detect, prevent and in some cases intervene in any risk situation.

The target population will also be informed by telephone about specific activities at community level, always in close coordination with and with assistance from various bodies, institutions and social actors of the public system.

According to Delgado Cáceres, this service will be provided mainly through the MTSS helpline, assigned by the Ministry of Communications.