Jamaica sends donations to Cuba to fight COVID-19

HAVANA, Cuba, Aug 2 (ACN) Health collaborators, solidarity friends from Jamaica and Cuban residents in that country sent on Sunday the first batch of donations with syringes, needles, masks, cannulas and disinfectants necessary for the fight against the COVID-19 in Santiago de Cuba.

The cargo of more than 200 kilograms transported by Cubana de Aviación arrived at the Antonio Maceo airport in this city, and for its crew it was a source of pride and commitment, for the possibility of contributing to the fight against the pandemic in a scenario of constant siege to the Revolution, said Reynaldo Echevarría, the aircraft's technician.

Héctor Mustelier, head of International Health Relations in the province, assured that they are aware of the epidemiological complexity in Cuba and in a gesture of solidarity and good will they decided to group together to acquire the supplies and send them as humanitarian aid.

The products and materials will be distributed to the hospitals and centers authorized to attend patients confirmed with SARS-Cov-2 in view of the difficult situation in Santiago de Cuba, where the Beta and Delta strains, the most infectious and contagious, are circulating, he explained.

He detailed that the distribution will include other municipalities, particularly Contramaestre, Palma Soriano and San Luis, with assistance units of importance for the vitality of medical services in other demarcations of the southeastern territory.

In statements to ACN, he considered this action -the first one- as a response to the solidarity shown by Cuba with the Jamaican government and people for years in health matters, and strengthened in the fight against the systemic disease with the presence of the Henry Reeve contingent.

He expressed the gratitude of the health professionals who remain in the red zone for their contribution, because in it also goes the possibility of saving thousands of lives and protecting themselves from an invisible enemy such as the new coronavirus.

He also informed that the collaborators are preparing new shipments with the cooperation of the Caribbean Latin Travel agency of Jamaica and the Aero Gaviota airline, which confirmed their willingness to transport the aid to Santiago de Cuba and other parts of the national territory.

Finally, he acknowledged those who, from any latitude, care and worry about Cubans, without impositions or political conditioning, only for the humanism and solidarity that this nation instills and provides.

In recent weeks, the governments of Venezuela, Russia, Mexico, Bolivia, Nicaragua, China and Vietnam have also sent food, medicines and other essential supplies to Cuba to overcome the health crisis.

Likewise, institutions, associations and civil society groups in Canada, the United States and Spain made decisive contributions to continue the anti-COVID-19 vaccination campaign carried out by the island.