THE proposition of extending life expectancy to 120 years in Cuba is the result of the development of public healthcare on the world and most especially, on our country, believes Dr. José Oliva Rodríguez, second-grade specialist in obstetrics and gynecology, as well as a consultant professor.

He added that all the programs and activities that have been undertaken demonstrate that prolonging life expectancy is possible, and not just in numerical terms but also referring to the quality of existence. Such conditions have led to the development of the 120 Years Club. He continued by observing that it was initially considered important to work with older people, attempting to counteract the effects of aging on human beings, but through this the idea has developed to turn attention to prenatal life, in order to ensure that children grow under optimum conditions that will allow them to confront any aggression that a human being may be subjected to.

These include environmental problems, illnesses and stress.

As a member of the Club’s executive, Dr. Oliva is focusing on the area of prenatal attention, taking into account his eminent experience in the field and his work at the Ramón González Coro Hospital in Havana. In 1999, Professor Oliva Rodríguez was declared a Master of Latin American Gynecology and Obstetrics by the Latin American Federation of the same name for his research, labor and teaching methods.

In the efforts to prolong life, he attends to all areas of pre-natal care, pregnancy and up to the moment of childbirth.

He presides over a commission comprising three doctors, as well as second-grade specialists and professors, each of whom covers one aspect of the above-mentioned period. The group is undertaking the study of pathologies that most affect individuals, including genetic problems.

He highlighted the importance of studying this area, given that genetic illnesses can cause disabilities in individuals.

On the subject of prenatal attention, Dr. Oliva stated that the team is working on important issues: everything related to premature birth and growth delay. The first refers to births prior to 37 weeks gestation. It is one complication of pregnancy that constitutes a challenge for the specialist who, in many cases, cannot predict such events.

Our interviewee emphasized that this situation requires ongoing research aimed at selecting and identifying patients who may present such problems. He also specified that it does not just concern babies’ premature birth but also how much that subsequently influences those infants’ quality of life and how to adopt measures quickly enough to avoid any adverse effects from the experience.

With respect to growth delay (babies born with a low birth weight), he indicated that these cases can lead to complications in adult life such as the danger of obesity, diabetes and hypertension. He continued by stressing the importance of long-term research using case studies so as to understand child development in our country.

Information: redac2@granmai.cip.cu