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Ada never believed on the efficiency of the natural and traditional medicine when people talked her about it. She preferred “the industrial productions, a pill and the pain disappeared, an antibiotic and the cold said good bye,” but life took this young woman from Santiago de Cuba, eastern province of Cuba, through inspected ways.
“I had just given birth and I almost had no milk, the baby never stopped crying and I was desperate until a doctor arrived in my house and told me he was going to prescribe me a treatment to help me breastfeed my baby – I later learned it was a treatment called moxibustion (sort of an Asian cigar that is lighted and place in acupunctural points to stimulate a reaction to the body). He took this small cigar, lighted it and applied heat around my breasts and I did not have to wait long to feel the change, since then on, I joined all those who in health matter prefer the natural and traditional way.”
Like Ada, thousands of people in Santiago de Cuba attack with faith to this kind of drugs, in a province that is distinguished to do things well in this specialty, materially supported by the annual production of more than 7 million of bottles of drugs, besides the services of consultations of this type at the hospitals and policlinics.
In the matter of human resources, the territory also highlights as a solid bastion with hundreds of professionals who recognize and apply concepts and practices that support it, from them about 250 graduated doctors as masters in this specialty.
A good complement
The country is interested in the application of the natural and traditional medicine and it is reflected in the Guidelines number 158. The hospital Juan Bruno Zayas from Santiago de Cuba province is a scenery where they successfully put this kind of treatments into practice.
Doctors, technicians, nurses and the support staff that works there has more than 15 years of experience in the assistance to patients that arrive there sent by doctors from other specialties form that institution or by those working in the health areas.
“Our services are in constant development, with an important demand of about 200 people daily treated where there are some coming from Guantanamo and Holguin provinces,” doctor Lilian Rodriguez, master and specialist of first grade in natural and traditional medicine said.
“We have a hall with eight beds to hospitalize patients besides the external consultations, as well as emergencies the 24 hours of the day; and, with the exception of spa waters we carry out all the modalities in the natural and traditional medicine like acupuncture, cupping glass, ozone therapy, nutritional advices, sowing of catgut, massage floral therapy and homeopathy among others.
While finding release or cure to the health problems of its patients, the provincial service of the natural and traditional medicine of the hospital Juan Bruno Zayas also contributes in the training of a qualified staff in this matter.
“The training of residents in this hospital started since 2010, a task with territorial perspectives, because we not only have students from Santiago, but also from Guantanamo and Granma provinces,” doctor Caridad Jacas, master and specialist of second degree in natural and traditional medicine informed.
“In very few days there is going to be held the first graduation with eight titled, while other 19 doctors more are still in the classrooms to get the specialty, after four years of studies.”
Doctor Mayda Rodriguez, a passionate woman to the natural and traditional medicine confessed: “My father is a physiotherapeutic, so since many years ago, before I started studying medicine I was linked to all this world, which turned wider and more diverse when I decided to study this career in the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FAR), an institution with recognized prestige in the application of natural and traditional medicine. “I am studying this specialty at present stimulated by two things: see the evolution of each patient, how grateful they are when they see the kindness of the natural and traditional treatment, and the way they spread the advantages of this treatment among their friends and relatives.
“The second are the words of our Army General Raul Castro I always have in mind with me when I study and apply hen applying all I learned: the natural and traditional medicine is not an alternative for poor people but an option of the wealth.”
surtidos, abre un abanico de investigación científica. Foto: De la autora
A world to discover
“In Santiago de Cuba there is a renewal interest in these matters. It is a pleasure knowing that more than the 80 percent of our professionals use in a way the modalities of the natural and traditional medicine. It is power that stimulate the job,” said Doctor Enriqueta Cedeno, president of the provincial chapter of the Cuban Society of Bio-energetic and Naturalist Medicine.
“There is also a close link between Public Health and the organisms that contribute to the materialization of the budgets in the branch in the application of these therapies; the link with agriculture and the pharmaceutical laboratories is strong, besides other scientific institutions.
Right now, we are joining interests to investigate more about a plant that little by little gains space in the province, I refer to the Jamaica’s flower, also known as Chinese Okra. Its qualities as food and drug are still for future research.
“It shows us the richness the natural and traditional medicine has, which is always widening its horizons, diverse like life itself, useful and kind…something it is known by those who by chance, had had to use it.”
