Cuban PM urges to seek alternatives to guarantee availability of medicines

HAVANA, Cuba, Sep 23 (ACN) Manuel Marrero, Prime Minister of Cuba, urged today to look for alternatives to the blockade of the United States, which even in times of COVID-19 prevents the acquisition of essential raw materials for the National Drug Program.

Marrero said on Twitter that in midst of the fight against the pandemic, the National Drug Program acquires vital importance.
He denounced that even in the current epidemiological situation the US economic, commercial and financial blockade, imposed on Cuba almost six decades ago, makes it impossible to acquire raw materials.
The will in the search for alternative solutions has to prevail in the face of these adversities, noted the Cuban PM.
Due to the American siege, Cuba has to buy in distant markets and deal with the increase in import prices not only of medicines, but also of reagents, medical instruments, expendable material, equipment and spare parts.
This US policy includes sanctions or severe fines to entities of other nations that carry out commercial operations with Cuba, so that every time the Caribbean island receives refusals, not only from trading companies and factories, but also from banks, shipping companies and even airlines.