[NYTr] Cuba: Eastern Province Continues to Break Health Indicator Records

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

Agencia Cubana de Noticias (ACN)
http://ainch.ain.cu/mailman/listinfo/ingles

Eastern Cuban Province Records Its Lowest Infant Mortality Rate

Las Tunas, August 2 (acn) Its lowest infant mortality rate ever
recorded was experienced by the eastern Cuban province of Las Tunas in
the first semester of 2007.

The province's unprecedented infant mortality rate 2.9 per thousand
live births is three times lower than that recorded during the same
period in 2006. While the number of deaths has been cut by seven this
year, births have increased by 300.

In six out of eight municipalities in the province, the rate remains at
zero so far this year.

Dr. Gladys Salas, head of infant-maternity department of the province's
healthcare system, told ACN that this success has been possible thanks
to the superb functioning of the 18 maternity homes in the province. At
these facilities, women with high-risk pregnancies are admitted and get
special attention.

At present, Cuba has the lowest infant mortality rate of any Third World
nation, while the national rate of between 5-7 places the island side by
side with first world countries.