Cuban Government Offers Medications to Latin America Amid Local Crisis

[ad_1]

A month after acknowledging that the shortage of medications in Cuba would continue indefinitely, the regime in Havana has offered vaccines, pharmaceuticals, and technological capacity to produce them to Latin American countries.

The Minister of Public Health, José Ángel Portal Miranda, made this offer to the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and to all countries in the region during his speech at the XI Pan American Conference for the Harmonization of Pharmaceutical Regulation (CPARF), which is being held in Mexico.

The state-run media outlet Cubadebate quoted the official as saying, "Cuba is willing to put its technical capacity and experience in the production of medications, biotechnological products, and vaccines at the service of the Pan American Health Organization and all countries in the region, as well as the advancements made by the Center for State Control of Medicines, Equipment, and Medical Devices (CECMED)."

The Health Minister added that the region's self-sufficiency in medications should "move beyond the technical sphere and reach public policies that promote regional cooperation and support everyone's right to health."

Portal Miranda made these statements a month after telling the deputies of the Health and Sports Commission of the Cuban Parliament that the medication shortage in the country's pharmacies would persist. "Saying that this situation will be resolved in the coming days would be irresponsible," the minister said in July, blaming the situation on the lack of financing and internal organizational problems.

The minister also attributed the crisis to the economic embargo, the rising cost of raw materials, and high freight costs, admitting that the problems span from production and importation to the dispensing of medications in community pharmacies and institutions. "Eighty percent of the drugs dispensed in pharmacies are produced by the national industry," but for several months now, Cuba has been able to supply only 30% of the basic medication list, as reported in July.

At the beginning of the year, the ruler Miguel Díaz-Canel acknowledged that the shortage of medications and medical supplies would continue on the island, where pharmacies are empty, and dozens of essential products are missing. This situation is evident in the desperate attempts of people to buy the few products that occasionally arrive at pharmacies, with some even sleeping overnight to secure a good spot in the long lines.

FAQs on Cuba's Medication Crisis and Regional Offer Given the ongoing medication crisis in Cuba and the recent offer to assist Latin American countries, here are some frequently asked questions and answers to provide more insights into the situation.

Why is there a medication shortage in Cuba? The shortage is attributed to a lack of financing, internal organizational problems, the economic embargo, rising raw material costs, and high freight charges.

What is Cuba offering to Latin American countries? Cuba is offering its vaccines, pharmaceuticals, and technological capacity to produce these medications, along with its technical expertise and experience.

How has the Cuban government responded to the local medication crisis? Government officials have acknowledged the crisis and attributed it to various factors, but have also stated that the situation is unlikely to improve in the near future.

What is the current situation in Cuban pharmacies? Pharmacies are severely understocked, with many essential medications unavailable. People are often forced to wait in long lines, sometimes overnight, to purchase what little stock arrives.

[ad_1]

Source link : http://www.bing.com/news/apiclick.aspx?ref=FexRss&aid=&tid=66c911f291894206bd93b59659b21900&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cubaheadlines.com%2Farticles%2F287372&c=4520938450999996796&mkt=en-us Author : Publish date : 2024-08-23 09:34:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source .