Despite Havana’s pact with Kampala, the population on the Island suffers from a serious shortage of essential drugs and specialized treatments.
Despite the health crisis that is shaking the Island, the Cuban Government agreed to supply medicines and medical supplies to Uganda in exchange for basic agricultural products. The pact, which rescues barter as an economic alternative, seeks to overcome financial restrictions and relaunch historic political alliances between both countries.
The announcement, broadcast by the Ugandan media PML Dailywas announced last Wednesday, October 15, during a meeting between the Ugandan president, Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, and a Cuban delegation led by the Foreign Minister of the Cuban regime, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, within the framework of the 19th Ministerial Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) at the Speke resort in Munyonyo, Kampala.
“We are ready. We are going to start planning and budgeting to start in the next fiscal year,” declared Museveni, who assured that the exchange will strengthen bilateral relations and generate benefits for both economies. Rodríguez Parrilla, for his part, extended an official invitation to Museveni to visit Havana.
Among the foods that Kampala will export to Havana are corn and beans, two famous Cuban crops whose agricultural production showed a general downward trend in the period 2019-2023. In general, the Island is going through its worst food crisis since the 90s, when the so-called Special Period began.
According to the digital media, the exchange scheme will be managed by the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC), commercial arm of the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF), which will supervise food exports.
The executive director of the NEC, Lieutenant General James Mugira, reported that preliminary conversations have already been held with Cuban officials to identify the food needs on the Island and the types of medicines and medical supplies that would be sent to Uganda.
“These supplies will be channeled to the Ministry of Health to improve healthcare and quality of life for Ugandans,” Mugira explained.
Despite Havana’s pact with Kampala, the population on the Island suffers from a serious shortage of essential drugs and specialized treatments, a situation that has reached critical levels in recent years.
According to official dataAt the end of 2024, 70% of the basic medication package was missing or had low coverage, made up of 651 products. This means that 461 drugs were not available or insufficient in the country’s pharmacies. The figure constitutes a dramatic drop compared to five years earlier when only 47 drugsof 626 (7.8%), were missing in the country.
During the meeting in Kampala, both governments explored new areas of cooperation in trade, science and manufacturing. The note does not specify whether the talks included the hiring of Cuban medical brigades, a pending wish that has met resistance in key sectors of Uganda.
