BIBLIOGRAPHIC INPUT SHEET TEMPORARY Patterns of mortality ...

Chapter 1. Origin and Initial Phases
21
of workers and the highly accelerated population
increase. In fact, while it took almost
four centuries to reach a population of
25,000 (early 1900's), on 1 July 1969 (midpoint
in the project) the estimated total
was 818,880 inhabitants. This excessive
growth has led to imbalance between the
needs and the availability of resources for
health,
The Public Health Divisions of the National
Ministry of Health in the Department
and the city, and the Social Security
Service deliver most, of the preventive and
curative care. The University Hospital
provides services for more than 50 per cent
of Cali's population.
The principal collaborator was professor
at the Department of Preventive Medicine
of the University of Valle School of Medicine,
the headquarters of the project.
CartagenaProject
The Caribbean region of Colombia comprises
seven departments with a population
numbering more than 3 million in 1964.
The region's ethnic, geographic, ecological,
and cultural characteristics have served to
define its inhabitants (costefios) as distinct
from those in the rest of the country. Cartagena,
an important seaport and capital
city of Bolivar Department, lies in this
region. The old part of the city, which is
typically colonial with surrounding walls
and castles, is an important tourist center,
The temperatures range from 230 to 32°C.
The rainy season, May-October, is the time
of major health hazards for the child
population.
Cartagena's urban zone had an estimated
population of 275,500 at midpoint in the
project (1 July 1969), of which 45 per cent
were under 15 years of age. The city has
experienced rapid growth as a result of
high birth rates and immigration. The dis-
tribution of inhabitants by socioeconomic
bracket in 1965, according to a local classification,
was 7.5 per cent in the high
bracket, 27.7 per cent in the middle, and
64.8 per cent in the low. The main occupation
sources are public administration, commerce,
tourism, construction, fishing, general
and extractive industries, and port
activities.
The city constitutes a health district
which provides integrated preventive and
curative services and is divided into eight
sectors, each one with health posts or centers
that act as outpatient services for the
City Hospital (which serves as the university
hospital). There are also specialized
centers such as a maternity hospital and a
children's hospital, both affiliated with the
University.
The principal collaborator, former dean
of the Health Sciences Division of the University
of Cartagena (site of the project)
and president of the Colombian Association
of Medical Schools, is at present the Director
of Health in the National Department
of Planning of Colombia.
Medellin Project
The city of Medellin, capital of Antioquia
Department, is situated at an altitude of
1,450-1,700 meters. It covers an area of 58
kn 2 on both sides of the Medellin River
in the Aburr. Valley, extending along the
river banks in terrain sloping toward the
mountains. Precipitation in 1966 was 1,261
mm and the average relative humidity 65
per cent.
The project area was the city's urban
zone, comprising 938,900 inhabitants or
93.5 per cent of total population of the
Municipio of Medellin;* 54 per cent were
women. Annual demographic growth aver­
* Estimate for July 19069, provided by DANE (National
Administrative Department of Statistics).