(12 Feb 2020) Hundreds of neighborhood clinics are the front-line defense against contagious diseases in Cuba, providing care to patients seeking relief from colds, aches and minor injuries. The 'policlinicos', or polyclinics, are situated throughout the island, designed to provide urgent care to patients, and evaluate whether those patients need more attention in a hospital.
They also are an important element of the Cuban government's monitoring of the health of its citizens system, which provide a tripwire to warn of any impending health crisis.
When dengue and Zika swept the island several years ago, it was in the clinics the seriousness of the epidemics was first detected.
Widespread anti-mosquito spraying quickly followed, with clinics passing seriously ill patients to nearby hospitals.
With millions of tourists annually visiting the island, and growing numbers of visitors coming from China and Asia, Cuban health authorities are on a heightened state of alert for the coronavirus and other transmissible diseases.
General practitioner Dr Zuzel del Valle said nothing "beyond some colds and common respiratory ailments" had brought patients into the neighborhood clinics so far.
Cuba's tightly knit health care system is unusual in the region, while somewhat challenged by lack of drugs and other supplies, it is easily accessible to millions of citizens.
The easy access guarantees quick response to health issues, with doctors and nurses staffing the clinics 24-hours, seven days a week.
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