On June 14, 40 years ago, Fidel Castro Ruz, then president of the country's Councils of State and Ministers, inaugurated the Health Complex in Las Tunas.
Las Tunas, Cuba.- It is on June 14, 1980. Las Tunas awakens among slogans, flags and flowers that are confused in a sea of people; they are children, mothers and fathers of families, retirees and humble workers. They flooded with emotion to shake a dream come true.
There were intense days distilling sweat. Ready hands that made possible the completion of the Health Complex; there are plenty of reasons to celebrate. Before the immensity of the work, more than 50 thousand beating hearts await the arrival of our maximum leader, our Fidel.
The Commander bursts in and the crowd churns, shaken by an immense love that squeezes the chest and pops. His words, spread like gunpowder, embrace each of those present; all owners of the new works: surgical clinical hospital, the nursing home, another for the physically and mentally handicapped and a polytechnic of Health, become University of Medical Sciences.
The ovation fills every space in the geography. And from other dimensions, eyes and ears connected to Radio and Television support the historic meeting. The speech takes on special nuances when Fidel refers to the motivations that gave rise to the name of the hospital: Doctor Ernesto Guevara de la Serna; in remembrance of whoever was a defender of justice, an upright internationalist, man and an exemplary doctor.
"Today marks the anniversary of the birth of Antonio Maceo and Che. As luck would have it, two such extraordinary men had been born precisely on June 14… Works like these are a worthy tribute to the memory of Maceo and Che."
The forecasts are many, given the exaltation of the moment, some do not stop to think about the real magnitude of the work; those with more experience do manage to discern the differences with the gloomy past. In any case, each other has hopes and the security offered by these healthcare centers.
It is June 14, 1980, and Las Tunas inscribes a page of glory in its history; a true metamorphosis, fruit of the effort of its children, led by the hand of this social project.
THE MATERIALIZATION OF A DREAM
40 years after that event, the Guevara hospital established itself as the main health facility in this province. And it is said quickly, but there go hours of sleeplessness and infinite delivery.
Walls, corridors, halls ... are silent witnesses of happiness and sadness. Here several mourn the loss of loved ones; but there are also many who celebrate the arrival of a new member to the family and more than one thanks - with tears in their eyes - for the effort and passion of the professionals who dedicate much of their time to saving lives.
Dr. Henry Rodríguez Jiménez, general director of the "Ernesto Guevara", told 26Digital that the center arrives at this anniversary immersed in the confrontation with the COVID-19 and with the satisfaction of achieving positive results in the different hospital indicators.
The infant mortality rate of 2.6 per thousand live births without maternal deaths, advances in the Assisted Reproduction Program and excellent care for the maternal in serious condition are among the main achievements stemming from the will and expertise of professionals.
“In these four decades, more than 450,000 major surgeries have been performed. This year it has been difficult to fulfill the purposes of the surgical plan, as a consequence of the current epidemiological situation. We have kept operating the emergencies and patients with oncology pathology. It is also possible to intervene in all hip fractures in the first 24 hours after the event.
“The infections associated with the sanitary processes decrease. Despite the United States Government's campaign against Cuba, we maintain international commitments, with more than 300 workers assisting in other countries.”
“We have a very well-trained faculty and several accredited specialties, in addition to three national and 35 institutional research projects. We continue with the epidemiological battle and the strengthening of Hygiene and Microbiology activities.”
New technologies and the expertise of personnel allow the application of novel methods that contribute to the satisfactory recovery of the patient and in many cases to their reintegration into society with fewer limitations.
Between successes and mistakes, progress and setbacks, the 40th anniversary knocked on the doors of Las Tunas Health Complex. And timely response has not been lacking in these pandemic days. Those who work in these facilities are committed to achieving excellence in services every day, which is the best way to honor heroes.
