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Cuba joins two strategic health funds

Cuba salud eventoDr. Francisco Durán García, national director of Epidemiology, described the signing of the Regional Revolving Funds for Vaccine Procurement and Strategic Public Health Supplies, between the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Cuban Ministry of Public Health this Wednesday, April 25, as part of the 2018 Cuba-Health International Convention, taking place in Havana, as an opportunity for the island to maintain stability in the acquisition of medicines, essential resources for public health and its immunization program.

The documents were signed by PAHO Director Dr. Carissa Etienne, and Cuban Minister of Public Health Dr. Roberto Morales Ojeda, a vice president of the Council of State.

The Regional Revolving Fund for Strategic Public Health Supplies offers a mechanism for pooled procurement of essential medicines and supplies.

Today its purchasing volume today exceeds one hundred million, allowing for the procurement of more than 150 products to treat diseases such as malaria, HIV, tuberculosis and cardiovascular diseases. Nations can also access technical cooperation to strengthen their planning, procurement and management capacities.

Meanwhile, the Regional Revolving Fund for Vaccine Procurement is a cooperation mechanism for the joint procurement of vaccines, syringes and related supplies, helps to achieve 93% coverage for diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough in the region, PAHO representative to Cuba, Cristian Morales Fuhrimann, stated.

He explained that the purchasing power of the mechanism amounts to 800 million dollars, of which 120 are available for 60-day credits for member countries.

According to Morales, the next challenge for Cuba and other countries in the region in this regard is to join the 31 producers from whom the Fund purchases 46 vaccines and 29 cold chain products and syringes.

(Granma)

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