Beyond the Blockade

Since the Cuban Revolution took its first breaths, the United States government has been trying to annihilate it by asphyxiation. This despicable plan has left the president of that country sleepless and obsessed ever since he entered the White House. But our social project remains unshakeable. The secret of radical power lies in the monolithic unity of a resurgent people to fight for their achievements.

One of “Yanquilandia’s” (the U.S.’s) preferred areas to bring about collapse is health. Let us remember that at the dawn of 1959, there were 6,000 doctors in Cuba, half of whom left the national territory shortly thereafter, enchanted by the siren songs of the mighty neighbor to the north, showing deaf ears to those who brought social justice standards with the triumph of bearded men.

The siege has cost this rebel island more than $2.5 billion over the course of 60 years in the field of health alone. What would we have achieved if the arrogant Goliath of the North did not insist on harassing the persevering example of David throughout the world? How many evils could we have alleviated if, with a minimum of decency, it gave up vetoing our contracts to access technologies or obstructing the acquisition of medicines? With what respect for human rights, therefore, can the tenant of the Oval Office speak?

According to Technical Youth magazine, during 2018, the Medicuba company, an entity that imports and exports medical products for the Ministry of Public Health, contacted more than 30 companies in the United States to buy supplies for its specialized programs. Only two answered, both excusing themselves for not being able to sell even an ampoule to it, because that’s what the regulations of the blockade called for.

Not even in highly sensitive cases does imperial stubbornness yield. Thus, Cuba has not been able to buy Temozolamide, a drug used in chemotherapy for the treatment of malignant brain tumors. “Therefore, the National Institute of Oncology and Radiobiology resorted to alternative treatments for patients under 15 years of age, diagnosed with a central nervous system tumor,” says the publication.

The pharmaceutical laboratories of the United States, located a stone’s throw from our coasts, also refused to supply us with nitric oxide, a product that treats conditions related to acute pulmonary hypertension, a disease that represents between eight and 10% of surgical interventions performed on children at the Cardiocentro Habanero William Soler. “Because of its propensity to explode, this chemical should not be transported over long distances, and could not be acquired in another market,” the report said.

The blockade’s regulations, of an extraterritorial nature, codified in the Helms-Burton Act, and in violation of international law, even prohibit companies from other nations, subsidiaries of U.S. companies, from marketing medical supplies and medicines to Cuba. Such hostility forces Cuban health authorities to look for options that can mitigate the drama as much as possible.

Today, despite these obstacles, our country exhibits indices that increasingly exceed those of a good number of developed nations in the field of public health. Among them are life expectancy—above 78 years of age—and infant mortality rate, a parameter where, for the last 11 years, the island has shown fewer than five infant deaths per 1,000 live births. A feat!

Currently, Cuba has about 100,000 active doctors, with an average of nine doctors per 1,000 inhabitants. Each year our medical sciences faculties graduate hundreds, not only to meet our needs, but also to help other nations. The results of our biotechnology—with 100% Cuban vaccines—elicit admiration throughout the world, and the family doctor program has not lost vitality, despite the difficulties.

Unity, principles and work are the antidotes to imperial resentment and impotence. For more than six decades, they have tried petty tricks, but none have worked for them. The answers have always been timely and accurate. And all beyond the blockade.