Castro’s propaganda does not stop, not even when it exposes the disconnection of Cuban officials with the reality of the Island.
LIMA, Peru – The Minister of Public Health in Cuba, José Ángel Portal Miranda, celebrated this Saturday on social networks the Day of the Pharmaceutical Worker, a fact that contrasts with the serious shortage of medicines that exists on the Island.
“On the Day of the Pharmaceutical Worker in Cuba, from the MINSAP, we honor those who, even amid daily challenges, maintain essential work for the National Health System. Thank you for the commitment with which you assume every day,” highlighted the owner. on X (formerly Twitter).
Castro’s propaganda does not stop, not even when it exposes the disconnection of Cuban officials with the reality of the Island. Portal Miranda’s official speech becomes even more unfortunate in the midst of the worst epidemiological crisis that has affected the Island since COVID-19.
In Cuba, although the sale of medicines outside official channels is not regulated or certified, and carries health risks due to lack of health control, the population perceives them as a “lifesaver” in the face of the collapse of the public system.
The shortage is recognized by the authorities themselves. In 2024, the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP) admitted that more than 70% of the basic list of medicines was missing. Of the 651 products that make up it, around 400 should be produced in the country and the rest imported, but only about 300 were available in the pharmacy network, with coverage of less than 30% of demand.
During the last months, the main health emergency on the Island it has been related to the proliferation of arboviruses such as dengue, Zika and chikungunya. Due to the lack of diagnostic methods and medications, thousands of Cubans have been forced to isolate themselves in their homes without even knowing which of the viruses makes them sick.
Cuba has become the country in the Americas with the highest incidence of chikungunya so far this year, with an average of 700 new cases daily in October and an accumulated rate of 183.43 infections per 100,000 inhabitants, according to data from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). sent in writing to the EFE agency.
According to this information, the Island identified 15,590 cases of chikungunya between October 11 and November 1 and accumulated 20,062 in the first ten months of the year. The majority of the sick are concentrated in Havana and the province of Matanzas.
