deaths Six months after the cholera epidemic Juan Diego Nusa Peñalver, special envoy
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Dr. Lorenzo Somarriba
head of the Cuban Medical Mission in Haiti. |
There is a very popular local proverb in Haiti: Deye mon, mon gin (beyond the mountains are more mountains). "We will always have a hurdle to overcome," said Thiogene Duckenson, a Haitian much spark, commenting on the calamities suffered in recent years for his country, tested again and again by hurricanes, floods, a devastating earthquake and a relentless epidemic of cholera, which begins to show signs of decline after a hard battle health. Six months
fighting dangerous epidemic, Granma talks with Dr. Lorenzo Somarriba López, head of the Cuban medical mission here, to reveal the "secrets" that allowed the health workers of our country, save up on Saturday 7 May the lives of more than 73,800 infected with cholera vibrio, and do not report deaths in their units for this reason over the past 109 days.
"Many have asked where are the 'secrets' of the efficiency of our Brigade Medical (with a fatality rate of 0.37%) ¼ The first is that health professionals are here since December 1998 after Hurricane George, the Comprehensive Health Program.
"the outbreak of the epidemic, our medical staff were located in 78 of the 140 communes (municipalities) in Haiti.
addition is the creation of an epidemiological surveillance system that Cuba began building after the earthquake, and has the currently has 28 sentinel sites ".
Here was Fidel's ability to anticipate events, alert us that the great catastrophe behind an epidemic could occur, he says.
After mean that the Cuban medical brigade has 69 units under their charge of health, Cuba-Venezuela Project, points out that there was a warning to our positions. Arise is when the Cholera Treatment Units (UTC), and later cholera treatment centers, with the establishment of isolation areas in the case of the former, and the creation of temporary facilities to care for tents only those infected, in seconds, the worsening epidemic in the wake of Cyclone Thomas. He was instrumental
prior and rapid training of our staff in the clinical diagnosis and therapeutic management of the disease, when deciding urgently transferred to the Cuban brigade located in the five departments of Haiti peninsula, further north, towards Central and Artibonite units, the brunt of the vibrio.
then returned to their home departments, but already prepared on how to build a treatment center or UTC, says Dr. Somarriba Lopez, who points out that only one person in the brigade had experience with cholera.
mentions, among other innovations implemented, preventive screening and health education to the community, schools, churches, marché (informal markets), and the use of local radio, "in regions hidden, "which we explained what it is cholera, how they contracted and how to access health services because many had never heard of that wrong and thought it was a divine punishment." Stresses
stable supply of medicines, quality of services 24 hours a day, the Cuban protocol for managing the disease, which includes antibiotics and delivery of prophylactic treatment to contacts, while the hospital stay is limited to the hours or days required. "Over 90% of our patients recovered within 24 hours," he said. Ensures
contributed to this effort to work together with agencies organizations such as the Pan American Health Organization, UNICEF and the World Food Program.
However, Dr. Lopez said Somarriba creation of 50 research groups active in sub-community, composed of 510 members reinforcing the Henry Reeve International Contingent, as the tool that provided in this fight against the epidemic.
These groups have already visited more than two million people have attended more than 5 000 cases of cholera in the field, he stressed.
also explains that Cuba has not withdrawn its medical brigade in Haiti, but has begun reducing its staff to the extent of the decline of the epidemic, although the risk is latent, while remaining unresolved problem of waste in the country and lack of access to drinking water.
http://granma.co.cu/2011/05/09/cubamundo/artic01.html
