Cuba reiterates importance of equitable distribution of anti-Covid-19 vaccines

HAVANA, Cuba, Apr 17 (ACN) Cuba's Deputy Minister of Public Health, Carilda Peña García, reiterated the importance of Covid-19 vaccines being a global public good that reaches everyone in a fair, equitable and timely manner.

According to a note from the Cuban Foreign Ministry website, during a special ministerial meeting of the United Nations Economic and Social Council, the Cuban official stressed that the pandemic has provided an opportunity to understand that international solidarity and cooperation are vital in this type of situation.

In the virtual meeting entitled "A vaccine for all", Peña García regretted that some States do not recognize the efforts of others to protect humanity and with it life, and dictate unilateral coercive measures, trying to prevent effective responses in the fight against Covid-19.

Cuba's limited economic resources make it difficult to have access to any type of vaccine, which is why it had to opt for developing its own immunogens, said the deputy health minister.

At present, she added, the country has five approved vaccine candidates, two of them in phase III clinical trials and three others in phase I and II.

She also stressed that despite the difficulties faced by the Antillean nation, it has supported 40 countries in the fight against the pandemic, with 57 Henry Reeve brigades that have joined the more than 28,000 Cuban health professionals in 66 countries.