November 10, 2020
The Minister of Public Health of Cuba, José Angel Portal, today ratified his country’s willingness to cooperate with international health emergencies, during his speech at the resumed 73rd World Health Assembly, dedicated to the topic.
In the session, which was held virtually, the head of the Cuban delegation recognized the role of the World Health Organization (WHO) in the confrontation with COVID-19 and presented elements of the island’s experience, which so far has shown favorable results.
The Caribbean nation has managed to recover 91.3 percent of those infected with the new coronavirus, without services collapsing or deaths of children and adolescents being reported; neither have there been maternal deaths nor deaths of health personnel in Cuba linked to medical care, said Portal.
This is possible,” Portal said, “because of the existence of a National Plan of Confrontation of a cross-sectoral nature, which is adapted to each territory and allows the adoption of measures corresponding to the evolution of the epidemic, as well as incorporating the best experiences at the international and national levels.
The Minister highlighted that in this government strategy, the strength of having the infrastructure, organization and human capital of the national Public Health System, which is unique, free and accessible to the entire population.
Likewise, the Primary Health Care scheme has been fundamental, together with the use of products, equipment and innovative inputs from the medical-pharmaceutical and biotechnological industry of Cuba, he said.
In this sense, the Health Minister highlighted the four serological diagnostics provided by the national industry, the monoclonal antibody Itolizumab and the peptide Jusvinza, which have an impact on the treatment of patients; besides two vaccine candidates against COVID-19 approved and in a clinical trial stage.
These internal actions commented Portal, have been carried out under the worsening of the economic blockade imposed by the US government, and the constant attempts to discredit and hinder medical cooperation, in spite of that Cuba has not given up its solidarity.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, 53 brigades of the Henry Reeve Contingent have contributed to the confrontation of the disease in 39 countries and territories that requested it, whose professionals joined the more than 28,000 Cuban medical professionals that were already working in 58 nations.
Source: Resumen Latinoamericano – Cuba, translation North America bureau