A year has passed since the first comprehensive consultation for the attention of people with the condition of albinism began in Holguin and Cuba, which has benefited nearly 200 patients and maintains vitality in the three specialties with which it started: Dermatology, Psychological Support and Ophthalmology.
Aliuska Yanet Fernández Mora, specialist in Ophthalmology, remembered that the beginning it was a bit complicated in terms of bringing together the professionals required, but then the Lucía Íñiguez Landín Clinical Surgical Hospital provided help with Dermatology and the low vision consultation.
“We have supported the patients and we have gained a lot, because we have seen that many patients with lesions, mainly of the skin, who needed help, have improved.We have a team that provides them with the care they need to maintain a good quality of life,” she added.
One year later, Yolanda Huerta Sosa is one of the patients who has seen the greatest improvement in her skin: I showed up with lesions on my face, arms and legs, very scared and depressed. I was very afraid that it was incurable, and when they started the Heberferon three months ago, I noticed that they all healed. I am really happy with the results.
Precisely, the use of Heberferon in patients with the condition of Albinism has shown great effectiveness in Holguin, with a total of 15 patients treated and about 85 percent cure rate of the lesions.
In this respect, the provincial coordinator of the product, specialist Katherine Batista Ochoa, emphasized that, one year after its founding, the clinic has achieved an adequate screening and early detection of malignant and premalignant skin lesions.
“At the moment we are working on the use of Heberferon in patients with basal cell carcinoma with the condition of albinism, with very relevant results. We will soon show these results at the International Congress of Dermatology, to be held from October 31 to November 2,” she said.
For his part, 12-year-old Ernesto Santiesteban Torres, for some time, studied piano at the Elemental School of Arts in Holguín, but due to his own visual problems of his condition he had to abandon his training because it was difficult for him to study the instrument.
However, what he had learned helped him to take part in every activity of the Community of the People with Albinism, Piel de Coral, he presents to those present his art and passion for music.
He is another of the patients who benefited from this comprehensive consultation, who, with the sincerity that characterizes children at this stage of life, said that “they are very good people, who have taken good care of me.
They have tested me; for example, the dermatologist looked at some lesions that were growing on me.
The ophthalmologist looked at my eyes and I feel very well”.
The head of the Provincial Dermatology Group, Dr. Sonia María Peregrín Rodríguez, is also part of the multidisciplinary team that provides services at Orfilio Peláez Retinitis Pigmentoza Provincial Center, in the provincial capital city, on the third Thursday of each month.
“Exactly one year ago she started this practice, with so many achievements, because I think that seeing the number of patients incorporated is something significant.
We follow them in the dermatoscopy consultation, where we see the lesions they have. The most important thing: there are children, young people, adults, we treat all of them, we treat any lesion, including carcinomas, and they show us happy they are with our care.”
Following the creation of this consultation in Holguín, seven other territories in Cuba have joined the comprehensive medical assistance to this community.
Such initiative constitutes an achievement in the attention for those who were born with the condition of albinism.
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