Nearly 150 children born with malformations of the heart in the central Cuban province of Sancti Spiritus have undergone surgery after the creation of the cardiology-pediatric system throughout the island over twenty years ago.

Due to the availability of these surgical procedures, Sancti Spiritus is one of the provinces with lowest infant death rate due to deformities of the heart -0,8 in 1 000 born alive- similar to reports from developed countries.

Dr. Miguel Perez Piñero, head of the cardiology services in this territory, considered the permanent cooperation with specialists from Havana and Santa Clara cardiology hospitals as an important factor in the overall results of the province.

A team of health professionals -heart surgeons, nurses, family doctors and geneticists- is currently in charge of supervising nearly 300 children identified as suffering from congenital disorders of the cardiovascular system.

Medical sources in this territory affirm that 30-40 children are born every year with this kind of anomaly. This figures have been reduced with the development of the genetic science and the techniques applied in the prenatal diagnosis procedures.
(Escambray)