Cuban Minister of Public Health Calls to Change the Course of the Pandemic in Trinidad (+photos)

The actions implemented to address the COVID-19 pandemic in the municipality of Trinidad lack the effectiveness demanded by the complex epidemiological scenario of the territory, marked by the high transmission of the virus, deficiencies in medical care and people dissatisfaction.

The diagnosis was certified by the Minister of Public Health, Dr. José Ángel Portal Miranda, during a visit to the southern Cuban city in which he toured several health facilities to meet with patients and health personnel.

“You will have all the help from the country, but you must be the first to get convinced of the change of strategy; it is the local structures who must address the issue. There are things that are wrong which lead to people dissatisfaction and they have to do with the delay in the response”, said the minister.

The poor organization of human resources —very much limited in some services—, the disregard of the protocols for patient care, the violations of biosafety standards, the delays in the transfer of patients and their treatment, and the collapse of admission capacities are among the most serious symptoms of the lack of control that threaten the quality of medical attention.

Dr. Portal Miranda went to one of the ARI clinics at the Manuel de Jesús Lara Cantero Polyclinic, where he noted the slowness of the diagnostic test process, a situation that is repeated in the rest of the health areas and contributes to the spread of the virus due to the high concentration of people, most of whom are symptomatic.

When visiting the School of Hotel Management and Tourism, currently turned into a field hospital, the minister acknowledged the organization of the services which include a 68-capacity ward and an intensive care cubicle with two beds for seriously ill patients.

In the Tomás Carrera Galiano Hospital, he noticed the lack of capacity for the admission of sick people who must wait for several hours in the institution’s corridors. He also witnessed the stress of the health personnel —one doctor in charge of two wards—, the abuse of antibiotics and the lack of sanitary clothing, essential for the protection of the professionals who face the virus.

Accompanied by top local party and the overnment authorities, the minister listened to the people’s dissatisfaction concerning primary health care. To win this battle, he recommended revolutionizing the work of community work groups as the right arm of family doctors and nurses.

During the conclusion meeting it was said that, in order to alleviate the burden on the health care network, another contingent of health professionals will arrive in the next few hours to the territory, made up of 60 general practitioners and graduates in intensive care, as well as supplies and three positions of pulmonary ventilators.

Dr. José Ángel Portal Miranda insisted on the urgency of advancing in the process of mass immunization with the Abdala vaccine, as one of the actions that will be able to contain the high transmission of the virus, in addition to other recommendations based on the preparation of health personnel, communication, reorganization of services and the support of all the members of the Temporary Working Group, because “together we must change the course of the pandemic in Trinidad”.