100 pregnant women protest in Holguín

Holguín, August 23, 2017

To: Salud Pública Municipal (Municipal Public Health)

From: Pregnant women of the Mario Gutiérrez Ardaya and Alex Urquiola Marrero polyclinics.

We are approximately 100 pregnant women who receive attention at the Mario Gutiérrez Ardaya and Alex Urquiola Marrero polyclinics. The ultrasound equipment at the Mario Gutiérrez polyclinic has been out of order for more than two months.

Doctor Arelis was carrying out ultrasound test to avoid he people’s dissatisfaction, but two weeks ago she said she would not continue the ultrasounds with that equipment, because it was almost impossible to see the images and she would risk going to jail because of a wrong diagnose. Thus, 14 days ago they put up a paper sign on the door saying that pregnant women should go to the Pedro del Toro polyclinic for genetic markers and fetal biometrics –this is once a week- and, for abdominal ultrasounds, other patients should go to bathe same polyclinic on Thursdays at 10 am.

This is a very uncomfortable situation for us who are pregnant and for other patients, because the polyclinic mentioned before, which is in reparto Pueblo Nuevo, is far from where we live. Most of the patients of the Mario Gutiérrez Ardaya live in Reparto Harlem, in La Plaquita, in Ciudad Jardín, among others, on the other end of town. Transport from one district to another is appalling, and many of us pregnant women risk abortion and cannot ride carts, which are almost the only means of transportation for that zone, without mentioning that the bus in zone is impossible ton use. We cannot risk a blow riding the bus. We demand that the ultrasound equipment be repaired or replaced urgently.

We are pregnant women, and it is the Cuban State’s and this country’s public health institutions’ responsibility that our children are born healthy. We are in our right to demand top quality attention for the good of our babies.

We hope this complaint is valued and we receive an answer as soon as possible. With nothing further: Pregnant women of the Mario Gutiérrez Ardaya and Alex Urquiola Marrero polyclinics.