Some 500 students in the country have been accredited to participate in the first National Student Scientific Event on Zoonotic Diseases, Zoontuna, which meets online as an alternative to the complex epidemiological situation due to the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Las Tunas, Cuba.- Research does not stop; and the University of Las Tunas promotes these exchanges that contribute to the comprehensive training of future health professionals. Although all the provinces have already joined, most of the participants are from Cienfuegos, Ciego de Ávila and the host.
Miguel Alejandro Reyes Ávila, a student from Las Tunas in the third year of the Bachelor Degree in Hygiene and Epidemiology and promoter of the initiative, says that in the current context it is vital to study zoonotic diseases to save lives. “You have to know, he said, how to prevent them,” which undoubtedly endows these future health professionals with essential tools in their future performance.
He explained that, during the event, different workshops take place through social networks and the courses are taught via Whatsapp. “First we share the bibliography and once it is studied by the attendees, we ask questions. They will have to intervene more than twice to obtain the certificate of participation.”
The modalities that those accredited in the event can choose include a bibliographic review, case presentations, a final report, or a letter to the editor.
Some of the topics to be investigated are “COVID-19, a deadly zoonosis,” “Rabies in humans,” “Arboviruses, zoonoses of medical importance in Cuba,” and “Scientific and epidemiological teaching training of Health personnel in the fight against zoonotic diseases.” The works will be received until next May 7.
Participants can also present themselves in plastic arts (drawing, painting), photography, literature (essay, poetry, and story), or advertisement (poster). In a special supplement of the EsTuSalud magazine, they will publish the winning works, which will be announced in June.
The contest has the collaboration of the Provincial Center for Hygiene, Epidemiology and Microbiology, the Provincial Center of Genetics, and other institutions of Las Tunas. It is an excellent opportunity to share knowledge about zoonoses which, according to the World Health Organization, are infectious diseases that can be transmitted from vertebrate animals to humans.
