Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee and President of the Republic, today visited the Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery, where he witnessed advances in digital transformation and telemedicine, despite the tightening of the economic and energy blockade imposed by the United States.

Accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Eduardo Martínez Díaz, Minister of Public Health José Angel Portal Miranda, and Minister of Communications Mayra Arevich Marín, the president highlighted the professionalism, performance and excellence of the centre, which has become a vanguard in the country’s digital transformation strategy, prioritised in sectors such as health and education, according to the Presidency website.

Dr Duniel Abreu Casas, Deputy Director of Diagnostic Means at the Institute, explained that work on developing digitalisation and telemedicine techniques began in 2018, and that although it has been difficult. Impediments have taken their toll, such as obtaining certain software applications; the will of the doctors and the institution to achieve it has allowed them to win 50 per cent of this battle.

He noted that telemedicine, despite being highly technically demanding, is a way of addressing the shortages imposed by the blockade, because once implemented, it generates significant savings in paper, printing, and time.

Dr Orestes López Piloto, the centre’s general director, founded 64 years ago and is responsible for the neurology and neurosurgery specialities in the country, conveyed the satisfaction and pride of the workers at the President’s visit, especially dozens of renowned specialists with many decades of work who wanted to express their commitment to their science, their patients and the Revolution.

He mentioned that projections for 2026 are to continue providing excellent care to the population across the country and to continue advancing in digital transformation, telemedicine and tele-education.

Abreu Casas argued that the institute is at the forefront of these processes, with all its diagnostic laboratories digitalised and feeding into the information and medical records system, allowing doctors to interact from their desks via the network.

Teleconsultations enable real-time interaction with Cuban or foreign medical personnel, regardless of where they are, with three high-definition internet points already installed.

Digitalisation, he added, has brought modifications in imaging and equipment, but also the peace of mind of having a digital backup of documentation that was previously stored in physical files, and which can now be viewed from any point in the hospital.

Upon leaving, President Díaz-Canel wrote in the centre’s Visitors’ Book: «It is very heartening in the difficult times we are living through, with enormous shortages and suffering the impact of the tightened blockade, now increased with the energy blockade, to appreciate the performance, will, professionalism, tenacity and eagerness to improve of the workforce of the National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery. The progress in the development of the digital transformation process and the use of AI in this important institution is particularly interesting. If we can today, we will always be able to.»