US economic blockade on Cuba also affects genetic studies

CIENFUEGOS, Cuba, Oct 5 (ACN) The economic blockade imposed by the United States on Cuba for more than six decades has had a negative effect on the Medical Genetics service in the province of Cienfuegos(central Cuba), because it hinders access to technologies for the detection of congenital malformations.

Dr. Diana Ferriol Dorticos, director of the Provincial Genetics Center, explained that most of the resources are acquired in first world nations at a very high price and their arrival in the territory delays the performance of the studies.

This is the case, for example, with the reagents for prenatal cytogenetic diagnosis, performed on pregnant women at risk of giving birth to a child with a chromosomal disorder, because they are over 37 years old or have a history of hereditary diseases in the family.

However, in order to maintain the vitality of the service, Cienfuegos specialists adopt other strategies that have allowed them to continue providing care to expectant mothers.

In that sense, Ferriol Dorticos mentioned that they carry out the recovery of analyses such as hemoglobin electrophoresis, which has made it possible to use the tests of pregnant women who were studied during their first pregnancy.

Despite the difficulties associated with the hostile U.S. policy against the island, the Territorial Genetics Network, which has been in existence for more than three decades, has obtained satisfactory results.

Thanks to this network, in the last 10 years the indicators of the province's Maternal and Infant Care Program have improved, since the number of deaths due to congenital defects has decreased, with a rate of one per 1,000 births.