Prevention, key to preserve health

The First Provincial Workshop on Comprehensive and Integrated Management of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) held this week in Holguín included six scientific conferences presented by experts from the Ministry of Public Health and professionals from this eastern city.

The event confirmed that prevention is key to preserve health, since the 10 main causes of death in the province are related to NCDs, including cancer, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease and accidents, which are preventable by assuming healthy lifestyles.

Dr. Geanela Cruz Ávila, director of the Center for Hygiene, Epidemiology and Microbiology of Holguín, referred to the aging that the population of Holguín has experienced from 2017 until today. “Since the end of 2023 and throughout 2024, the national statistics office is reporting that 24 percent of the territory's inhabitants are older adults.”

“In this age group predominates non-communicable chronic diseases, characteristic of developed countries, but as our health profile, due to the high life expectancy that characterizes it, there is a large population in those ages and therefore the incidence of NCDs increases, a worrying situation due to the low birth rate present for several years,” he explained.

Hence, in the province there are various projects aimed at prevention, including the HEARTS initiative for the comprehensive control of arterial hypertension, which allows other health problems to be inserted under the WHO and PAHO care model, such as diabetes mellitus.

The specialist explained that they are engaged in strengthening the response of the sector and the training of professionals, with the aim to reduce the incidence of the conditions that contribute to the main causes of morbidity and mortality in the population of Holguín, particularly the actions carried out for the prevention of cancer.”

The event had the participation of about 60 professionals from all municipalities and included six conferences related to indicators of NCDs; the Maternal and Child Care Program and the study of the predictive model of cardiovascular disease based on artificial intelligence in primary health care, among others.