Salud
El gobierno reorganiza el programa de m=E9dicos de la familia
Fuentes sanitarias dijeron que m=E1s de la mitad de los consultorios se
cerrar=E1 y aumentar=E1 la dotaci=F3n de personal en el resto.
Agencias
martes 8 de abril de 2008 17:38:00
El gobierno ha comenzado a reorganizar el programa de m=E9dicos de la
familia, en respuesta a las quejas de la poblaci=F3n, seg=FAn Reuters.
M=E1s de la mitad de los consultorios se cerrar=E1 y aumentar=E1 la
dotaci=
=F3n
de personal en el resto, dijeron este martes fuentes m=E9dicas citadas
**** la agencia.
Los cubanos se han quejado reiteradamente en los =FAltimos a=F1os de falta
de personal en el programa --de atenci=F3n primaria y con =E9nfasis en la
prevenci=F3n--, debido al env=EDo de decenas de miles de profesionales a
Venezuela y otros pa=EDses desde 2000.
En las provincias, los consultorios del m=E9dico de la familia
trabajar=E1n ahora con un m=E9dico y una enfermera durante todo el d=EDa,
en=
lugar de s=F3lo en la ma=F1ana, dijeron las fuentes consultadas, que no
fueron identificadas.
"Ha habido mucho movimiento en las =FAltimas semanas. Se est=E1n pintando
los consultorios, se esta desarrollando un sistema para asegurar un
buen almuerzo para el personal, m=E1s el equipo que llegar=E1 a las
cl=EDnicas tambi=E9n", dijo este martes una enfermera en el centro de la
Isla, de acuerdo con Reuters.
En La Habana existe un plan similar, pero tomar=E1 m=E1s tiempo a causa de
la falta de m=E9dicos y enfermeras, y los consultorios se cubrir=E1n ****
ahora, como se ha hecho habitual, como un m=E9dico s=F3lo **** la ma=F1ana.
http://www.cubaencuentro.com/es/encuentro-en-la-red/cuba/noticias/el-gobiern=
o-reorganiza-el-programa-de-medicos-de-la-familia
Cuba reorganizes family doctor program
Tue Apr 8, 2008 1:56pm EDT
By Marc Frank
HAVANA (Reuters) - President Raul Castro's government will close more
than half of Cuba's family doctor offices and boost staffing at the
rest in a major reform of its vaunted free health care system, medical
sources said.
The overhaul of one of the pillars of the health system came in
response to public complaints, the sources said, and is another step
by Castro to improve life since he succeeded his ailing elder brother
Fidel Castro as president in February.
Cubans complain that the family doctor program has been short on staff
since the communist government began sending thousands of doctors to
Venezuela in 2000.
In the provinces, family doctor offices will now be staffed by a
doctor and nurse the entire day, instead of just in the mornings,
health care sources said.
"There has been a lot of movement in recent weeks. They are painting
the offices, developing a system to insure a proper lunch for staff
and more equipment is arriving at the clinics as well," a nurse in
central Cuba said on Tuesday. Like others interviewed, she asked not
to be named because she was not authorized to speak to a foreign
journalist.
There is a similar plan for Havana, a city of 2.2 million people, but
it will take more time because doctors and nurses are in short supply.
For now, some of the doctors offices will open in the mornings only.
Cuba has the best health care system in Latin America, according to
the Pan-American Health Organization, boasting the region's highest
longevity and lowest infant, child and maternal mortality rates.
But family doctor offices were left in poor condition and understaffed
when Cuba was plunged into deep economic crisis by the collapse of the
Soviet Union in 1991.
Fidel Castro launched programs six years ago to rebuild crumbling
hospitals and expand community clinics. But he also sent tens of
thousands of doctors and nurses to work in poor neighborhoods in
Venezuela after his main ally President Hugo Chavez came to power.
The ex****t of medical services to Venezuela went in return for vital
supplies of oil that helped keep Cuba's economy afloat.
Some 40,000 Cuban health professionals are working abroad in 81
developing countries, more than half in Venezuela.
OVERWORKED, UNDERPAID
Raul Castro, 76, took over day-to-day control of Cuba when Fidel
Castro fell ill in July 2006 and then formally succeeded him on
February 24, becoming the first new leader in almost half a century.
In public debates fostered by Raul Castro last year, authorities heard
frequent complaints that family doctor offices were empty or open only
in the mornings. They were told medical staff were overworked and
underpaid, and forced to use some of their time in other activities to
make ends meet.
Under the new reforms, all medical school students will now do their
sixth year residency at a family doctor office to reinforce staffing.
"There will be fewer offices. Most are already vacant, but those that
are open will be easier to supervise and better staffed," a Havana
doctor said.
Since becoming president, Raul Castro has moved quickly to lift some
of what he has called "excessive prohibitions" on daily life.
Cubans now can buy DVD players, computers and other consumer goods,
stay at tourist resorts and use cellular telephone services -- all off
limits before.
More im****tantly for most Cubans, who cannot afford cell phones and
luxury hotels on average salaries of $17 a month, it is now easier to
fill drug prescriptions, changes are being made to the health care
system and the government is also reviewing complaints about
education.
Cuba's family doctor program began with much fanfare in the 1980s with
a family doctor for every 500 to 700 residents, coordinated by larger
community-based clinics.
The family doctors were given the task of preventing illness by
getting to know every family under their care and identifying health
problems early on for referral to medical specialists.
Now each family doctor office will cover up to three times as many
residents, between 1,500 and 2,000, a doctor said.
(Re****ting by Marc Frank; Editing by Kieran Murray)
http://www.reuters.com/article/reutersEdge/idUSN0835601820080408?sp=3Dtrue
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