Cuban eastern province develops unique health project to address disease risks

HOLGUIN, Cuba, Jan 12 (ACN) A unique project in Cuba to reduce the danger, vulnerability and risk to diseases and the negative impact of climate change, through the interrelation of disciplines is being developed in the province of Holguin.

This research, presented on Wednesday, arises from the need to control chronic, exotic or emerging diseases, taking into account environmental and social factors such as climate, said Maria de los Angeles Salermo Reyes, coordinator of the program, to the Cuban News Agency.

She stressed that the study also contemplates the adaptability of pathogenic agents, based on the links between man, the environment and animals in the control of pandemics and viruses.

Salermo Reyes indicated that the main objective is the transfer of knowledge between science, health and civil defense to contribute from the community to disaster reduction with a preventive approach based on the preservation of human lives.

The actions also include the strengthening of primary, secondary and hospital care structures to deal with conditions that constitute health problems and generate a large number of patients in a short period of time, she explained.

It also includes the training of professionals from the undergraduate level, the training of cadres and managers and the creation of circles of interest in schools and early childhood institutions with the participation of medical students, said Salermo Reyes, who is also an assistant professor and researcher at the University of Medical Sciences of Holguín.

The eastern territory has an academic scientific observatory and the "One Health" chair, directed by the university, where disaster risk monitoring, promotion activities and other aspects aimed at improving the population's quality of life are carried out.

The research contributes to Tarea Vida(Task Life), the Cuban government's plan to combat climate change, which covers more than 70 coastal municipalities and develops actions aimed at reducing saline intrusion, coastal flooding and intense drought, among other phenomena.