The Holguin scientific community celebrated the 48th edition of the Annual Health Award Competition (PAS), the most important recognition granted by the Ministry of Public Health (Minsap) to professionals and students with relevant results in research linked to the health sector.
On June 13th, the presentation of 80 valuable scientific results took place with an added value to science, technology and innovation from the territorial health system among which 12 awards and 16 mentions stood out.
About the value of this kind of events, the General Director of Health, Dr. Julio Yamel Verdecia Reyes, said that “it was a special day for science in Holguin and specifically for Public Health. More than the number of works presented, it is valuable the impact they have on the social order because these works transversalize all the science around the social problems and our main problems in the health of our province.
Among the scientific contributions, proposals on how we can overcome and reach higher levels and results in the Maternal and Child Care Program (PAMI), the management of those conditions that are nowadays health problems such as the Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)
Verdecia Reyes explained that valuable works referred to patient safety in hospital centers were presented, with proposals of new work management for clinical Microbiology laboratories, with wide social repercussion and economic contributions, which are translated into necessary solutions for our country today.
Researchers, students, directors of municipal and provincial health institutions, vice-directors, doctors of science, presidents of the chapters of scientific societies and members of the Provincial Council of Scientific Health Societies participated in the event.
The panel of judges for the Provincial Annual Health Prize Competition in the current edition of the contest was made up of 15 prestigious professionals with recognized scientific leadership, with a session of three panels.
Special recognition was given to the presidents and members of the panels, who demonstrated their level of expertise, scientific rigor and impartiality in the analysis and evaluation of the competing scientific papers and in the selection of the finalists.
Dr. C. Aymara Cruz Almaguer, president of one of the PAS tribunals, explained that the Master’s Thesis tribunal included renowned professors and doctors in Sciences María Carrasco Feria, Georgina Velázquez, Verónica Velázquez and Neyla Santiesteban, all with experience in this area of knowledge.
The tribunal evaluated in a general way the theses of completion of studies of three master’s degrees: Medical Education Sciences, Mental Health and Natural and Traditional Medicine.
These researches responded to the bank of problems of the Department of Science and Technique of the University of Medical Sciences of Holguin and give solutions to health problems of the population and to the main substantive processes of the house of high studies, she explained.
It was very complex for the tribunal to determine the finalists to the contest and the prizes and mentions for the high methodological quality of each research, with all the requirements with valuable contributions both practical and to the health of the people of Holguin.
Among the most recurrent themes of this edition of the contest, the following stood out: maternal and child health; human resources training; primary health care; communicable and non-communicable diseases and introduction of new therapeutic lines; health promotion and disease prevention; addictions, quality of life and mental health; quality and patient safety; and health technology.
A special Lifetime Achievement Award was given to Dr. Pedro Augusto Díaz Rojas, a professor dedicated to the Medical Sciences training program, coordinator of the Master’s program in Medical Education, with 44 years of teaching experience at UCMHo.
This is a reward for the daily sacrifice to serve the formation of human resources, to the integral formation of generations of doctors. It is not possible to train only in the field of teaching, it is necessary to train in the field of science, ethics, morals and values. It is part of the effort made in the training of so many generations that I am being recognized today. That is where my very modest contribution lies.
Seven doctors of science of the territorial health system in Holguin, who defended their theses in the previous year, were also granted the category of Award. The management of health entities was highlighted, with contributions from several institutions, such as the Arides Estévez Sánchez Branch of Medical Sciences, the Vladimir Ilich Lenin Hospital and the Center for Research and Rehabilitation of Hereditary Ataxias.
The work of the municipality of Moa, second in the province with the highest number of prizes and mentions in the contest; of the Mariana Grajales Coello School of Medical Sciences, The Provincial Pediatric Hospital Octavio de la Concepción de la Pedraja, an institution with an increase in its contributions to the contest and the socialization of its scientific production at national and international level; and the Clinical Surgical Hospital Lucía Íñiguez Landín, an institution that contributed through its professionals the largest number of awards in this edition.
At the end, the Provincial Council of Scientific Health Societies recognized the Holguin Chapter of the Cuban Nursing Society and its President, Master of Science Isidora Gordon Benjamín, for having been selected as the best Chapter in the country in 2024, which recently started its master’s degree and for its contribution to the sustainability of the sector.
Translated by Aliani Rojas Fernandez
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