By José A. de la Osa
In 1991, Cuba achieved an infant mortality rate of 10.7 per 1000 live births. This rate, which has been achieved for two consecutive years, is the lowest in the country's entire history.
Infant mortality is an international indicator which shows not just the frequency of deaths, but also the quality of life and the health risk during the period at which babies are most susceptible to adverse sanitary conditions.
Last December 9, the National Action Program for the Fulfilment of the Accords of the World Summit on Children was unveiled in the Palace of the Revolution. This program gives priority to the care of mothers and children, and to consolidating and improving the health of mothers and children throughout the '90s. Work is being done to reduce the infant mortality rate to nine per 1000 live births by the year 2000.
At the ceremony, Richard Jolly, assistant executive director of UNICEF, said that Cuba's achievements in the field of childhood development and welfare are internationally recognised. As an example, he pointed out that the infant mortality rate was over 60 before 1959 — the year the revolution triumphed.
He declared that despite the current difficulties facing Cuba, due to the transformations in parts of the world where the country's major trading partners had been, one of the greatest challenges for Cuba is preserving the levels of children's welfare which have been achieved in the last few decades. He also recalled that while in many Third World countries, the last decade is considered the lost decade, for Cuba it was a decade of constant progress, with the rate of infant mortality being reduced by half.
Fidel Castro added that even in the midst of this difficult situation no child is left without a basic education, medical care and protection. He said that he was convinced that "despite these challenges Cuba will move ahead".
Since 1987, when the infant mortality rate was 13.3 per 1000 live births, 80% of the reduction achieved is due to the reduction of perinatal problems and congenital defects.
In 1986, a perinatology development plan was stated in Cuba, which included advanced courses in gynaecology and obstetrics, neonatology, paediatrics, nursing and other technical fields.
A substantial investment was also made in advanced equipment, including the construction of neonatal intensive care and special perinatal care units in the country's maternity hospitals.
[Abridged from Granma International.]