Havana: Cuba today presents a complex epidemiological scenario due to Covid-19, with unprecedented figures; but it advances in the immunization of all the people and implements actions to reinforce the confrontation with the pandemic, Prensa Latina publishes.
Recently the president of the United States, Joe Biden, referred to the largest of the Antilles as a ‘failed state’ in his response to the current global epidemiological situation due to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes Covid-19; a statement rejected by scientists, health personnel, academics and the population, both in Cuba and worldwide, Prensa Latina reports.
These statements surprised many, including Americans who have had direct contact with the Cuban health system (totally free and universal), and outraged the workers of this sector in the Caribbean nation, mainly those who risk their lives every day in the called red zone or front line to ensure the well-being of the majority.
Since the beginning of the pandemic last year, Cuban health personnel, scientists and professionals from several sectors turned all their efforts to the fight against this microscopic, but deadly enemy; and as is customary, they also offered their helping hand to other needy peoples.
For this reason, they will address a letter to President Biden (available at the link https://www.cienciacubana.cu/es) that demonstrates Cuba’s achievements in health matters and specifically in the fight against Covid-19. More than 4,400 signatures support the letter so far.
In recent months, an increase in infections has been registered in this country as a result of the spread of more dangerous variants of the virus, including those of greatest concern worldwide, and mutational patterns (variants not yet reported internationally).
In this context, surveillance and prevention from the community has been reinforced, through active investigations, the work of family doctors and nurses, in polyclinics, the follow-up of patients admitted to the home and those who must go to hospital institutions for being cases of medium or high risk.
The Caribbean nation accumulates 517 thousand 668 people diagnosed with the infection, of which four thousand 23 lost their lives and 473 thousand 116 have recovered (91.4 percent).
At the same time, immunization is advancing throughout the national territory, including vulnerable groups, with its own vaccine proposals.
Until this August 13, a total of 11 million 409 thousand 451 doses of the candidates Soberana 02 and Soberana PLUS have been administered, as well as the Abdala vaccine (first in Latin America and the Caribbean).
Several studies and investigations are also being carried out on other vaccine projects and medicines to treat the infection, guarantee the satisfactory evolution of the patients and reinforce the immunity of the convalescent.
All this under the pressure of the economic, commercial and financial blockade of the United States against Cuba for almost 60 years, with 243 additional restrictions imposed by the administration of former President Donald Trump, many of them in this time of pandemic, and which are still they are current.
This limits the right of the Cuban people to acquire technologies, medical supplies and raw materials necessary for care; as well as the purchase of food.
The letter to President Biden calls for lifting the blockade and reversing those measures as the best way in which the United States government could help Cubans, if it really wanted to.
The text highlights that in the midst of this pandemic “the health systems of all countries must be supported, not undermined, and collaboration must be the order of the day.?