Division General Ramón Pardo Guerra, head of the National Civil Defense Staff (EMNDC), verified in Ciego de Ávila, the conditions of the Defense Zone (ZD) 07 Cayo Coco to guarantee the preservation of human and economic resources during the current cyclone season.
When specifying the Disaster Risk Reduction Plan in the second most important sun and beach tourist destination in the country, he was interested in the assurances to maintain health, food, aqueduct and communications services in the face of the threat of extreme hydro-meteorological phenomena.
The main strength of the Civil Defense in Cuba, he said, lies in the integration of forces and means to face disaster risks, in addition to the priority that is established to the attention to the ZD and the strengthening of early warning systems.
Caridad Rosa Franco Almaguer, an epidemiologist at Jardines del Rey, explained that three public health posts have been set up, with guarantees of medical and nursing personnel, as well as the necessary medicines.
Given the imminent risk of disasters, the reinforcement of care is ensured with two brigades from the Roberto Rodríguez Fernández Provincial General Teaching Hospital, she added.
In circumstances characterized by the progressive increase in air operations, they comply with health protocols at the borders and monitor visitors in hotel facilities, where conditions exist to isolate and assist those infected with the SARS-COV-2 virus, she exposed.
The booster vaccination against the COVID-19 pandemic continues to protect the health of the more than 11,600 workers who converge on that key, and investigations continue in tourism service and support entities, she argued.
Measures are being adopted for the prevention and control of other infectious and contagious diseases, and the vaccination process against typhoid fever is currently advancing, with priority given to immunizing food handlers and construction workers.
Iyolexis Correa Lorenzo, delegate of the Ministry of Tourism, reported that the medical posts in the hotels are made up of multidisciplinary teams (doctors, nurses and epidemiologists), who maintain the health control of the workers, with the support of Human Resources personnel.
In case of damage due to hydro-meteorological phenomena, rapid response modules are available to undertake the recovery stage in the shortest possible time, she stated.
Macelis García, director of Aguas Cayo Coco, explained that the northern keys of Ciego de Ávila present a favorable situation with regard to water resources, as there are two sources of supply that are at 95 and 109 percent of their storage capacity.
However, water saving measures are maintained to guarantee a maximum level of reserves of 20,000 cubic meters, to which another 36,000 are added to guarantee the rest of the users, she added.
Accompanied by Division General Andrés González Brito and First Colonel Israel Cubertier Valdés, heads of the Central Army and the Military Region of Ciego de Ávila, respectively, Pardo Guerra exchanged with directors and workers of the Meliá Cayo Coco hotel.
In beach areas of this tourist facility, measures have been adopted that integrate adaptation to climate change and disaster risk reduction, including the dumping of sand to reduce the vulnerability of the coastal sector to hydro-meteorological events and the impacts of a changing climate.
He also inquired about the measures for the protection of liquefied gas deposits and learned about the strategies that are implemented to protect the assets of the facility in the event of tropical cyclones.
The tour also included the Flamenco Este wastewater treatment plant, with the capacity to evacuate around 2,400 cubic meters of wastewater daily, the processing of which allows it to be reused in the landscaping of three hotels.
With the aim of exchanging experiences and reinforcing disaster risk reduction plans, during his stay in Ciego de Ávila, Pardo Guerra also spoke with workers from the Turiguanó Genetic Livestock Company and the La Candelaria mipyme, where he verified the sustainability and food safety.
At the Bioelectric Plant located in the municipality of Ciro Redondo, it checked the physical protection measures and actions aimed at reducing risks and vulnerabilities.
Together with the main authorities of the region, he evaluated and made details of the Provincial Plan for Disaster Risk Reduction, Lieutenant Colonel Ismael López Abreu, head of the EMNDC Health Risk Reduction Section, said.
