Havana - Cuba reached the lowest infant mortality in its history in the first five months of this year, with a rate of 3.9 per thousand live births, official sources reported here.

Cuban Minister of Public Health, Roberto Morales, quoted last night on national television, said the new record shows the consolidation of the maternal and child program and highlighted the government's efforts in primary care, in maternal homes and intensive pediatric units.

Morales also pointed out that the Cuban health system intends to maintain a record in 2018 that is lower than the historical minimum of 4.0 registered the previous year.

He added that priority is given to maternal mortality and to strategies to improve neonatal, delivery and pre-natal services throughout the country.

The minister detailed that advances are also made in the techniques acquired in the treatment of infertile couples and extreme measures are taken with their possible causes, among which abortion stands out.

With the new figure recorded, Cuba is located next to the most developed nations in the world in the health area.