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• Las Tunas
• Health and Medicine
• 06 / 05 / 2007

The Cuban province of Las Tunas welcomed International Children's Day with an infant mortality rate of 3.6 deaths per thousand live births, the lowest record in local history for the period between January and May.

That advance in such an important healthcare indicator was achieved by reducing by six the number of deaths as compared to the similar period last year, despite the fact that there have been 229 more births so far this year.

According to Dr. Viviana Gutierrez head of the Infant-Maternal program in this province, some of the factors that have allowed for that drop have been the reinforcement of medical attention of pregnant women and newborns.

She also pointed out that the 18 maternity homes across the province are working efficiently, permitting mothers-to-be with health risks to be attended more closely before they give birth.

Fifteen years ago, Las Tunas reported of 12.9 deaths per thousand live birth; however over the past three years that figure has dropped under 6.

Among Third World countries, Cuba has made the greatest advances in the objective of lowering the rate of infant deaths, with figures ranging between 5 and 7, similar to those of developed nations.

Source: Radio Habana Cuba