For months, we have seen people pass by the houses interested in the health of our families, without knowing their names, where they live or what their specific functions are. We only know that they belong to the Health sector and we would like to thank them in a thousand ways for their concern and their courage in exposing themselves to contagion.
Las Tunas, Cuba.- Those who in recent weeks have faced transmission family focus of COVID-19 in the area of the Gustavo Aldereguía polyclinic, in this eastern Cuban city, could be the faces that deserve to be recognized.
A NAME FOR THE FIRST FACE
We left in search of those faces, and arrived at the Family Doctor and Nurse's Office number 7, located in the Constituency 34 in Popular Council 5, which has a population of 1,298 patients from the said health institution.
Dr. Grisel Oquendo Muñoz is in charge of this property, where Primary Health Care takes place, in which they have had to deal with an outbreak of the pandemic in the territory. She comments that the event began on August 5, with the remission and admission of three patients, who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2; days later seven more cases were diagnosed.
"As it concerns the same family, we are talking about a family transmission event, which was still a cause for concern for us," Oquendo Muñoz clarifies.
From the diagnosis of the tenth case number in this Health area, disinfection actions with chlorinated water were carried out in the streets A. Barrera, M. Diéguez, 3, Cristino Barreda, J. Espinosa; also on Camilo Cienfuegos avenue, the 28 de Septiembre park, the surroundings of the Teatro Tuyo cultural center and the Plaza of the Buena Vista Tank. Traffic through the streets was limited and the inquiry was carried out by experts from the "Gustavo Aldereguía" equipped with a special uniform, which allowed them to protect themselves. They, along with the staff of this medical office, have been a fundamental part of this hard work.
The doctor assures that, “in addition to the personnel who carry out the inquiries, we have the support of the authorities of the province, of the people of the community; and we began to carry out the PCR to the inhabitants in six blocks, which are considered risky, in Antonio Barrera and 3rd Streets between J. Espinosa and Cristino Barrera.”
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THE COMMUNITY, FUNDAMENTAL SUPPORT
The members of the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR) have been involved in raising awareness among the population. A member of this team is Rosario Marrero Pineda, coordinator of Zone 24 of the Constituency 34; she feels very grateful to Dr. Grisel, from the medical office, for the care she gives them and she is sure that everything will be fine.
Rosario tells us that "the conversation on the phone or from the street with people, the explanations about the use of the facemask and the desire to take care of oneself have made this a much easier job."
Neighbors in the area are very grateful to the polyclinic staff and the investigators because their concern for them shows them the desire to save people and keep them out of danger. One of the residents there, Rosa Anastasia Pérez Martínez, affirms that “people in the community take better care of themselves now, because they feel the disease very close and they know that, although the Health staff watches over them, they have the responsibility of taking care themselves and take care of their relatives and neighborgs.”
LINK BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND HEALTH INSTITUTIONS
Mairén Sánchez Morales and Lisbet Molina Naranjo, coordinators of the Health promotion and disease prevention Program in the “Aldereguía”, explain that the areas surrounding the medical offices 6, 5 and 2 have been monitored; and more specific health promotion activities are carried out, such as face-to-face through the inquiries and talks with small groups of people in which they are told about the importance of using the facemask and the disinfection of frequently used spaces.
"As psychologists, we have realized people’s fear of getting sick and it is older people who have a greater perception of risk," Mairén says.
"The tie with the representatives of the CDRs and the Federation of Cuban Women (FMC) encourages the training of health promoters in the communities and in these meetings we try to transmit a fundamental message that people do not leave their homes, that take care themselves,” she adds.
Another face that we found in this office is that of the nurse Elsis Borges Mayo; she - like the rest of the team - feels very happy for the work that the community is doing. “There is a perception of risk, the patients stay in their homes and are concerned about the epidemiological situation; they agree to carry out studies if necessary, and they are willing to undergo the PCR; in addition to being aware of those hospitalized."
It has been a month since the report of the first positive case of this outbreak of COVId-19 in the province. There are many names that remain to be mentioned and stories that remain to be told among those who have faced it. But, at least, we already have some that we are sure are part of this community and a source of pride for our province. Although it will always be necessary to remember that the fight against this pandemic is everyone's responsibility.
