Holguín: BioCubaFarma scientists review development prospects
- Written by Lourdes Pichs Rodríguez
- Published in Health
- Hits: 919
The main results achieved and the development prospects of the Cuban Biotechnological and Pharmaceutical Industries Group (BioCubaFarma), was the topic addressed by its president, Dr. Eduardo Martínez, who heads a representation of the creators of the Cuban anti-COVID-19 vaccines, in visit to Holguín.
Martínez explained that today this entity is in more than 50 countries, has joint ventures outside of Cuba, has achieved technology transfer to various nations and has 110 production lines.
He referred to the plants located in countries like China, with mixed administration, which completed 100 million dollars of profits, thus contributing to the Cuban economy.
According to the scientist, this Group has 996 products including medical equipment, diagnostic means, vaccines and medicines, of which 757 are intended for the health system. He added that 60 percent of the basic medicines are produced in the country.
However, he acknowledged that today a very complex situation is being faced in the manufacture of drugs due to a shortage of raw materials, which is difficult due to the US blockade and the inclusion of Cuba in the US State Department's list of countries that sponsor terrorism.
For example, he cited that for vaccines, Cuba has not been able to collect more than 200 million dollars due to the blockade and highlighted how the country, faced with the shortage of raw materials to produce Salbutamol, has had to buy the finished product, which has reported an expense of more than three million dollars.
Regarding the perspectives, he spoke of innovative products with different mechanisms of action, on which work is being done, always thinking of improving the quality of life of the patient, and in this sense he recalled Commander in Chief Fidel Castro, who thought of biotechnological development of the country and was the maximum inspirer of the creation of the infrastructure.
Martínez said that on this occasion the visit is aimed at inaugurating the three works which have been built in record time in La Granja community, where a multigrade school with an enrollment of more than 40 students was rebuilt and equipped with new furniture and other facilities, the store and a playground.
This community is 1.6 kilometers from the Historic Complex of Birán and about 200 people live there.
