Population Fund foresees intense period of work in Cuba

Havana, February 11 (RHC)-- The Office in Cuba of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) foresees, as part of the 2022-2025 work period, an intense work towards guaranteeing access to quality sexual and reproductive health services and making reproductive rights effective for all people.

During a virtual review of the implementation of UNFPA's country program with the Cuban government, held the day before, the work of the agency and its counterparts in 2020 and 2021 was discussed.

Regarding sexual and reproductive health, Grisell Rodríguez, program officer of the Unfpa Office in Cuba, said that support for quality services for adolescents was guaranteed with the training of health personnel, teachers and people dedicated to counseling, as well as the acquisition of contraceptives with emphasis on this population group.

They also contributed to maternal health care with the purchase of antibiotics, personal protective equipment and kits for the early detection of preeclampsia (a complication of pregnancy characterized by high blood pressure).

Regarding the results in the area of adolescents and young people, Livia Quintana, program associate of the UNFPA Office in Cuba, mentioned the training activities carried out, the delivery of materials for the preparation of teachers in schools and the strengthening of knowledge management in the areas of comprehensive education on sexuality and sexual rights.

Referring to gender issues, she said that the Integral Strategy for the Prevention and Attention to Gender Violence and in the Family Scenario is available, and during the previous two years the preparation of professionals who provide services on these issues was consolidated.

Marisol Alfonso, assistant representative of the UNFPA Office in Cuba, spoke of the results in communication on population and development issues with the inauguration, with the support of this and other international organizations, of the Virtual Journalism Classroom and the videoconferencing system.

He also pointed out the importance of incorporating demographic dynamics into development plans at the territorial level by extending the experience of the Office of the Historian of Havana to other heritage cities.

Similarly, Unfpa will contribute to accelerate progress in the implementation of the Program of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, which are also aimed at promoting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The UNFPA is the United Nations agency in charge of sexual and reproductive health and its counterparts in Cuba include the Center for Demographic Studies of the University of Havana, the National Office of Statistics and Information, the Center for Youth Studies, the José Martí International Institute of Journalism, the Office of the Historian of Havana, municipal governments and the Care Studies Network.