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<i><b>US Infant mortality rate: </b></i><i><strong>total: </strong></i><i><b>5.8
deaths/1,000 live births</b></i><i><b><br>
</b></i><i><strong>male: </strong></i><i><b>6.3 deaths/1,000 live
births</b></i><i><b><br>
</b></i><i><strong>female: </strong></i><i><b>5.3 deaths/1,000
live births (2017 est.)</b></i><br>
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<div class="header reader-header reader-show-element"> <font
size="-2"><a class="domain reader-domain"
href="http://en.granma.cu/cuba/2019-01-07/cuba-closes-2018-with-the-lowest-infant-mortality-rate-in-its-history">http://en.granma.cu/cuba/2019-01-07/cuba-closes-2018-with-the-lowest-infant-mortality-rate-in-its-history</a></font>
<h1 class="reader-title">Cuba closes 2018 with the lowest infant
mortality rate in its history</h1>
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<p><span class="g-story-author" itemprop="author creator"
itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"
itemid="/archivo?a=40">Author: <a
href="http://en.granma.cu/archivo?a=40" rel="author"
title="Más artículos de Lisandra Fariñas Acosta"><span
class="byline-author" itemprop="name">Lisandra
Fariñas Acosta</span></a> | <a title="Escribir a
Lisandra Fariñas Acosta"
href="mailto:lisandra@granma.cu">lisandra@granma.cu</a></span></p>
january 7, 2019 <br>
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<p>WE have expected the same news every January for
several decades. At the beginning of each New Year, we
are once again presented with the figures that reveal
that thousands of women have successfully completed
their pregnancy, thousands of babies are now growing,
and thousands of Cuban families are enjoying a desired
son or daughter.</p>
<p>To note that for the eleventh consecutive year, Cuba
maintains its infant mortality rate below five per
thousand live births, is reason enough to rejoice.</p>
<p>But to confirm that for the second year in a row, the
country reached the end of 2018 with the lowest infant
mortality rate in its history, at 4.0 per thousand live
births, is more than extraordinary – it is comforting.
With respect to the previous year – when the figure was
4.044 deaths per thousand live births – the rate was
reduced by 0.081, which represents four fewer deaths,
standing at 3.963 deaths per thousand live births.</p>
<p>This figure is not reached through force of habit or by
chance. It is the result of the determined will to
prioritize universal health access, and inclusive and
human social development. It is the expression of
efforts and perseverance on the part of thousands of
health professionals throughout Cuba – from doctors’
offices to hospital services, with the decisive
participation of maternity homes, health centers,
perinatal care wards, neonatal and pediatric intensive
care units; of the medical genetics network, of neonatal
surgery and of cardio-pediatric care; without neglecting
intersectoral and community support for health measures.</p>
<p>Preliminary data for 2018 offered to <strong>Granma</strong>
by the Medical Records and Health Statistics Directorate
– processed from the early hours of January 1st –
reveals that in the recently concluded year, there were
a total of 116,320 births registered in Cuba,
representing 1,349 more than in 2017; while 461 children
under one year of age died, four fewer than in 2018.</p>
<p>The exact scope of these statistics, illustrating the
extent to which deaths of our children have been
reduced, is appreciated if we consider, for example,
that in 1970, the country saw 9,173 deaths, with an
infant mortality rate of 38.7.</p>
<p>“At the end of a year of unquestionable achievements
and improvements in the main health indicators, it is
fitting to recognize all workers of the health system,
who are the true protagonists of these results, which
confirm the magnitude of the work of the Revolution, now
in its 60th anniversary. In this effort, workers linked
to the Maternal and Child Care Program deserve special
mention,” stated Dr. Roberto Álvarez Fumero, head of the
Maternal and Child Department of the Ministry of Public
Health (Minsap).</p>
<p>He added that the measures implemented to improve the
family doctor and nurse program, and the development
achieved by the community medical genetics network and
the national diagnosis, management and prevention of
congenital defects and genetic diseases program,
contributed to reducing the country’s infant mortality
rate. For six consecutive years, the infant mortality
rate due to birth defects has been maintained below one
per thousand live births; and at the close of 2018 stood
at 0.8.</p>
<p>Likewise, Dr. Álvarez highlighted the work undertaken
by perinatal special care wards, neonatology services,
intensive pediatric therapies, the cardio-pediatric
network and the William Soler Pediatric Cardio Center;
which also contributed to reducing mortality rates
associated with hyaline membrane disease,
intraventricular hemorrhage, influenza and pneumonia,
healthcare-acquired sepsis and intestinal infections.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, a similar mortality rate due to pulmonary
hemorrhage; other perinatal conditions; neonatal sepsis;
neonatal pneumonia; bacterial, viral and unspecified
meningitis; and poorly diagnosed or unknown causes was
maintained.</p>
<p>He noted that from the beginning of 2018, the Ministry
of Health implemented a plan of measures aimed at
maintaining and improving infant mortality indicators,
which included eight components: the improvement of the
management and control systems of the program in those
provinces with the greatest problems; strengthening the
work of the cadres involved in the management of the
Maternal and Child Care Program; a professional training
plan to raise the necessary skills among health
personnel; research development; the assurance of
necessary resources; a broad health promotion strategy
to modify habits, customs and increase population’s
self-responsibility in maternal and child health care;
as well as the implementation of specific measures to
reduce the main causes of infant mortality.</p>
<p>On this last aspect, Dr. Álvarez mentioned the
introduction of new guidelines for the most frequent
obstetric conditions, including predictive technology
for early diagnosis and prevention of intrauterine
growth restriction, prematurity, hypertensive disorders
of pregnancy, diabetes and hemolytic disease of the
newborn, among others.</p>
<p>Reasons to celebrate this January are not lacking, but
we can also be proud of living in a country that strives
every day to preserve the most sacred thing: children’s
lives.</p>
<p><strong>TERRITORIES WITH THE LOWEST INFANT MORTALITY
RATES:</strong></p>
<p>2.1 Isla de la Juventud special municipality</p>
<p>2.6<em> </em>Camagüey</p>
<p>2.7 Cienfuegos</p>
<p>2.8 Granma</p>
<p>2.9 Sancti Spíritus</p>
<p>3.0 Pinar del Río</p>
<p>3.5 Villa Clara</p>
<p>3.6 Santiago de Cuba</p>
<p>3.7 Holguín</p>
<p>3.8 Las Tunas</p>
<p>4.0 Artemisa</p>
<p><strong>TERRITORIES THAT FAILED TO MEET GOALS AND
SHOWED RATES HIGHER THAN 4.0:</strong></p>
<p>7.3 Guantánamo</p>
<p>6.3 Mayabeque</p>
<p>4.9 La Habana</p>
<p>4.4 Ciego de Ávila</p>
<p>4.1<em> </em>Matanzas</p>
<p><strong>OTHER INDICATORS:</strong></p>
<p>- The under-five mortality rate decreased from 5.5 in
2017 to 5.3 in 2018.</p>
<p>- The preschool child mortality rate was reduced from
3.2 to 3.0 per 10,000 preschool age inhabitants.</p>
<p>- The school-age mortality rate remains below 3.0 since
2002.</p>
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<p>- Births increased by 1,349 compared to 2017.</p>
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