More than 178,000 patients have benefited in the province of Pinar del Río from the hospital digitalization project for diagnostic imaging, promoted by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Cuban Ministry of Public Health.
This initiative, which began in 2022, has provided a significant injection of technology to the Abel Santamaría Cuadrado General Teaching Hospital, the main health institution in Vueltabajo, which today translates into more accurate studies and a greater number of people treated.
Dr. Ana Lidia Paula Paredes, a secondary imaging specialist, explained that thousands of patients with various pathologies have been able to minimize the damage caused by their illnesses thanks to this experience. She stated that, thanks to the institution’s interconnection with the rest of the Pinar del Río hospital network, it is now possible to receive and analyze tests performed at other centers, which promotes teamwork and improved diagnostic quality.
For his part, engineer José Eduardo Soldevilla, head of the IT department at Abel Santamaría Hospital, commented that in 2022, the hospital only had 32% wireless coverage, but that the resources received have allowed it to reach 100%.
In addition to the equipment for Wi-Fi connection, network connectivity, servers, and storage drives, the project has provided the institution, and consequently the Pinar del Río Health System, with viewing terminals and approximately 130 computers that allow for more effective use of medical images.
The Japanese ambassador to the Greater Antilles, Nakamura Kazhuito, commented that public health cooperation between the Asian nation and Cuba has strengthened in recent years, and that, through various programs, medical equipment has been supplied to hospitals throughout the island.
“This is a demonstration of friendship and solidarity between the Japanese people and the Cuban people,” he stated.
