First two consignments of Cuba Vive medical aid ready to ship
Campaign News | Wednesday, 18 December 2024
50,000 blood transfusion and infusion sets, 14,000 paediatric catheters, and 19,450 endotracheal intubation tubes ready to be shipped to Cuba from Spain
The Cuba Solidarity Campaign is delighted to announce that the first two consignments of life-saving medical aid are ready to ship, and are due to arrive in Cuba in just a few weeks’ time. Thanks to the generous and ongoing support of Cuba Vive appeal donors, these are the first of several consignments planned for 2025.
CSC supporters know that as a result of the US blockade, the purchase and delivery of any items destined for Cuba is not straightforward. However, working with a medical supplies company in Spain, we have managed to buy more than €62,000 euros worth of urgently needed equipment specifically requested by the Cuban Health Workers Union (SNTS) and Ministry of Health (MINSAP). This first consignment includes 30,000 blood transfusion sets, 20,000 blood infusion sets,14,000 paediatric catheters, and 19,450 endotracheal intubation tubes, which are used to give oxygen, medicine, or anaesthesia and support breathing in serious illness and severe trauma. These items will be on their way to Cuba in the next few days, and will be saving lives in the country in a matter of weeks.
In addition, a 40ft shipping container of aid was loaded on 12 December and is due to depart from Hull in the next few days. It will arrive at Cuba’s Mariel port in January. CSC has partnered with UK charity Jacob’s Well Appeal who helped organise the logistics, including sorting, storage, packing and shipping.
It contains much needed supplies donated from across the country worth around £485,000. Items include PPE facemasks, eye protectors and gloves, 1,888 litres of surgical scrub, thousands of medicines and creams, colostomy bags, crutches, wheelchairs, trolleys, hospital beds, nebulisers, surgical instruments, sterilisation equipment, bandages, dressings, syringes and needles.
Santiago Badia, General Secretary of SNTS sent a message expressing his “deepest gratitude for the valuable contribution” on behalf of the Cuban people. “The aid received will be used to strengthen the work in our health institutions, especially those that serve vulnerable sectors, ensuring that they reach those who need it most. We are confident that this contribution will have a significant impact on the lives of many people,” he said.
The Cuba Solidarity Campaign is incredibly grateful to all our members, local groups, trade union affiliates and supporters who have already contributed to the Cuba Vive appeal and helped raise awareness by sharing information. A special thank you goes to the four founding sponsors UNISON North West, Northern Ireland, Northern and Scotland Regions, UK charity the Music Fund for Cuba, and Cuba’s health union the SNTS who helped to launch the appeal in January 2024.
The Cuba Vive appeal will continue raising money and sending aid throughout 2025. The need is now greater than ever. Back-to-back hurricanes, nationwide power cuts, and the re-election of Donald Trump have caused, and will cause, unprecedented suffering and exacerbate existing shortages for the Cuban people.
If you are able to help raise awareness by sharing information about the appeal with someone who may be in a position to help we would be extremely grateful. And if you have not already donated, please consider doing so.
Information on how to DONATE and more about the appeal can be found at cubavive.org.uk.
For more information or any questions you have about the appeal please contact CSC at communications@cuba-solidarity.org.uk or call 0207 490 5715.
Digital and clinical thermometers, colostomy bags, and nebulisers are just a few of the items of medical aid in the container which leaves for Cuba this month
Aid being loaded onto the container, plus donated wheelchairs and sterilising unit heel chairs and a sterilising unit
