“The services of rehabilitation that exist in the polyclinics are not only devised to treat handicapped people but also to make a preventive and promotional and health work,” doctor, Maritza Leyva Serrano, chief of the national program of rehabilitation of the Ministry of Public Health, said.

Maritza Leyva Serrano added that “there are consultations carried out in each polyclinic center with a multidisciplinary approach in order to face the increase of non-transmissible chronic diseases.”

“The aforementioned consultation is made up of a specialist and a technician in physical medicine and rehabilitation, a specialist in physical handicap, speech therapist-audiologist, a nutrition consultation, a natural and traditional consultation as well as the presence of a graduate from the Physical Culture degree,” the specialist stated.

“We do want to improve the quality of life of the Cuban population and the fact of living more with quality, therefore, the rehabilitation service is the first one that is aimed at solving these problems as well as changing the prejudicial styles of life.” Leyva Serrano added.

“The Cuban network of rehabilitation has planned to achieve a positive impact in the quality of life of patients through the prevention and promotion of health from their communities.” The also specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation said.

This way, this is cornerstone to receive an early and timely attention and the only way to reduce the factors of risk that increase diseases like cancer, diabetes, and obesity, among other chronic diseases. By Laura E. Pérez Ceruto