Cuba is testing a teleassistance service for people with special needs and limitations that will allow them to improve their safety and company in their daily life.

Havana, Cuba.- Designed by the Ministry of Labor and Social Security (MTSS), this initiative is currently being implemented in two municipalities in the western provinces of Artemisa and Mayabeque to be evaluated in June this year and be extended later to other regions of the country.

The project aims to manage personalized care for the elderly, and people with disabilities, as well as for caregivers in a possible psycho-social or physical risk situation, who live alone permanently or for a large part of the day.

According to the Granma newspaper, the director of Social Prevention at the MTSS, Belkis Delgado, explained that this service also enhances independence and facilitates people’s integration into their usual living environment, as well as detecting, preventing, and in some cases intervening in risk situations.

Among the services offered are care, advice, guidance, and information, through a helpline with specialized personnel through 24-hour interpersonal and bidirectional communication, and on-site attention to the user when required.

Beneficiaries will be informed by telephone about a specific activity at a given time, sporadically or with the periodicity established, always in coordination with the different agencies, institutions, and social stakeholders of the public system. This service will be provided mainly through the MTSS helpline, assigned by the Ministry of Communications. (PL)