The National Center of Medical Genetics of Cuba reaches its 20th anniversary today, with the imprint of Commander in Chief Fidel Castro, promoter of the study of Cuba's genetic heritage.

Havana, Cuba.- Fidel Castro's tracks are not only in this institution created in 2003 but also in the general development of this science before the opening of the scientific entity, stressed the director of the entity, Beatriz Marcheco.

Tania Margarita Cruz, First Deputy Minister of Public Health, pointed out that following the ideas of the Commander in Chief, the country was placed at the forefront of knowledge about the human genome.

As part of the work carried out by the center, more than 380 thousand people with disabilities were visited in their homes, and more than 34 thousand professionals were deployed throughout the country.

Cruz said that this institution led the training of specialists in Clinical Genetics for Cuba and countries of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America, with 140 graduates in 20 years.

The National Center for Medical Genetics leads the development of clinical genetics with a community approach, by integrating highly specialized medical care with the introduction of technologies and the production of new knowledge to prevent the impact of congenital defects and diseases in the Cuban population. (PL)