Donation from India to help production of antibiotics in Cuba

 

HAVANA, Cuba, Aug 9 (ACN) The Biocubafarma Business Group received a donation of 10 million euros from the government of the Republic of India, destined for the purchase of active pharmaceutical ingredients for the production of oral and injectable antibiotics for hospital and community use.

The aid will contribute to the manufacture of medicines demanded by the Cuban population such as amoxicillin, cephalexin, cefixime in capsules and suspension, injectable drugs such as ceftriaxone, cefuroxime and ceftazidime, with a coverage period of six to 12 months.

At the delivery ceremony held at the Pharmaceutical Company 8 de Marzo, Amstrong Chang, Ambassador of India to Cuba, expressed to those present that this occasion constitutes an example of brotherhood between both countries for six decades, based on respect and shared points of view in economic and political matters.

Although India is known as the pharmacy of the world for its high production and supply of medicines, for the first time this type of basic material is donated to make antibiotics, at the request of the Cuban government due to its high need, he stressed.

He praised Cuba's contribution in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic with the creation of vaccines and the sending of doctors to different parts of the world.

Deborah Rivas Saavedra, vice minister of foreign trade, thanked on behalf of the State, the government and the people of Cuba for this solidarity gesture, in the midst of the difficult economic situation of the country due to the international crisis and the tightening of the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States on the Caribbean island.

She highlighted the work of the Biocubafarma Group as supplier of more than 60 % of the drugs that make up the portfolio of products for Cubans.

For her part, Dr. Mayda Mauri Perez, president of Biocubafarma, highlighted that this gesture of solidarity will have a considerable impact for the industry in the production of antibiotics in a period of 6 to 12 months.

She expressed the willingness of the biopharmaceutical sector to strengthen working relations with India, due to its potential in this field as a supplier of raw materials and specialized equipment.

Zenia Madrazo Sagre, director of Pharmaceutical Company 8 de Marzo, told the Cuban News Agency that this donation of approximately 80,000 tons of active ingredients will allow increasing the productive capacity of the entity, whose capsule plant was paralyzed a year ago due to lack of raw materials.