Porras ST, Wong SJ, Hernández BE, Suárez GLR

Language: Spanish
References: 0
Page: 55-63
PDF size: 260.39 Kb.

ABSTRACT

Introduction: public health in Pinar del Rio has gone through several moments throughout the history. A great contrast is shown between the colonial and neo-colonial past and the transcendental work that the Revolution has achieved in this area since January 1959.
Objective: to characterize the development of public health during the period of neo-colonialism in Pinar del Rio.
Method: a historical and descriptive study was conducted, using theoretical and empirical methods, the first one included the historical-logical, deductive-inductive investigation, analysis and synthesis; and a documentary review was included in the second.
Development: at the end of the war of independence the health situation in the province was devastating. The lack of medical and hospital care went together with a terrible economic crisis and the murders provoked by the dictatorship which is the reason of the numerous deaths. Life expectancy at birth was 53 years. The province had 248 doctors and the approximate ratio was one for every 1,935.8 inhabitants. Leon Cuervo Rubio Hospital became the most notable institution in Vueltabajo, demonstrating the shortcomings of the system, which was insufficient to meet all patients’ needs.
Conclusions: During the neo-colonial period the health services, the problems of sanitation and the policy assumed by the governments of that time, caused the characteristics of public health development for this region, which was characterized by a poor accessibility and quality of health care for the population of the province.