Havana, January 3 (RHC)-- In 2014, Cuba maintained the record lowest infant mortality rate in the country's history, 4.2 per 1000 live births, achieved in 2013.

This impressive result, maintained for the second consecutive year now, is an expression of the Cuban Revolution’s commitment to the health of mothers and children, placing the Caribbean island state among the world's countries with the lowest such indicators.

The low rate is a direct consequence of the high quality healthcare services offered to the Cuban people, particularly vulnerable population segments, including pregnant women, their newborn babies and children in general, with the implementation of several special healthcare programs nationwide.

In statements to Granma newspaper, Roberto Álvarez Fumero, head of the National Maternal-child Program at the Health Ministry, stressed that several provinces achieved lower rates than the national average. Likewise, in 24 out of the country's 168 municipalities, there was not a single infant death.

The main causes of death of children under one year of age in Cuba are perinatal conditions, congenital abnormalities and infections.

Among these causes, the greatest decrease was seen in congenital malformations, with the consequent impact on infant mortality. There were also fewer children who died from congenital malformations than in 2013, which keeps Cuba among the countries with the lowest infant mortality from this cause in the world.