Camagüey, April 9.- The Cardiovascular Care Center, of the Manuel Ascunce Domenech Provincial University Hospital, faces the adversities derived from the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States government towards Cuba.
This blockade significantly affects the regular import of pacemakers, which are mostly produced by American companies. Currently, devices from the Biotronik brand, of German origin, are chosen, whose regular purchasing and supply process has been interrupted even before the outbreak of COVID-19.
Leonardo Segura Pujal, leader of the Department of Arrhythmia and Pacemakers, explained that four varieties of these devices were previously used in the country, including two American ones, ST. Jude and Medtronic, as well as an Italian one.
He explained that an additional difficulty is the lack of programmers, essential for the configuration and maintenance of those equipment whose software cannot be updated without local suppliers. In the face of these challenges, specialists altruistically collaborate with the Cardiocenter, providing essential solutions to overcome these barriers.
In relation to the implant procedure, he reported that the department's image intensifier is broken, making it difficult to visualize the precise location for the placement of the pacemaker cables. As an alternative solution, the reuse of the accessories has been chosen with sufficient useful life (more than one year), which are reimplanted.
Despite the resource limitations induced by the restrictive measures of the North American government, cardiology consultations continue to operate on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
The Cardiovascular Care Center in the Agarmonte capital was inaugurated on November 15, 2000, it has 27 beds for intensive and semi-intensive care, it is dedicated to treating patients with ischemia and arrhythmias, also extending its services to the inhabitants of the provinces of Las Tunas and Ciego de Ávila. (Text and photos: Dannys Hernández de Luaces/ Radio Cadena Agramonte)
