Equity and the Cuban National Health System's response to COVID-19.

Cuba's National Health System has managed to guarantee an effective and equitable response to COVID-19. Universal and free health coverage, based on primary care, follows the principle of equity and the greatest resources are allocated to areas of the lowest socioeconomic stratum (where higher risk is concentrated), followed by those of medium and high strata, in that order. This allowed for similar mortality rates in the three strata, and Cuban national mortality rate was one of the lowest in the Region of the Americas.

[Equity and the Cuban National Health System's response to COVID-19Equidade e resposta do Sistema Nacional de Saúde de Cuba à pandemia de COVID-19].

Cuba's National Health System has managed to guarantee an effective and equitable response to COVID-19. Universal and free health coverage, based on primary care, follows the principle of equity, and the greatest resources are allocated to areas of the lowest socioeconomic stratum (which concentrates the higher health risks), followed by those of medium and high strata, in that order. This allowed for similar mortality rates in the three strata, and Cuban national mortality rate was one of the lowest in the Region of the Americas.

Cuban Strategy and Medical Cooperation to Combat Ebola, 2014-2016.

The Ebola virus is a pathogen that causes high morbidity and mortality in epidemic events during which health personnel are frequently infected. Such an epidemic occurred in West Africa, prompting WHO to issue a call in 2014 for health personnel to be dispatched to affected countries. Cuba responded and signed an assistance agreement under which 265 Cuban health professionals, members of the Henry Reeve Emergency Medical Contingent, volunteered their services in the Republic of Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

The first report of Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus in Haiti.

Aedes albopictus was found in six of the 10 departments of Haiti and in 14 of the 35 communes surveyed. The survey found the larvae of Ae. albopictus in 13 different types of containers.

[Contributions made by the Cuban advisory work to the entomological surveillance in Haiti].

Introduction: the earthquake occurred in Haiti in January 2010 led to the worsening of the hygienic, sanitary and environmental conditions and increased the number of breeding sites for disease-borne vectors in the country.

Objectives: to report the first results of the entomological surveillance set by the Cuban advisory group in Haiti after the earthquake.

Methods: the work was carried out in 7 sites located in West department, one of the ten departments of the country; larval sampling was conducted in reservoirs and natural breeding sites based on the methodologies for both.