Life-saving medical aid arrives in Cuba
Cuba Vive | Thursday, 24 April 2025 | Click here for original article
Pic captions SNTS General Secretary Santiago Badía with colleague in the MEDICUBA warehouse with the latest consignment of aid
Rob Miller, CSC director, reports on the latest delivery of Cuba Vive medical aid, and plans for future shipments
Two consignments of Cuba Vive medical aid have now arrived in Cuba. An emergency delivery of urgent paediatric supplies, which was sent by plane in January, is already in use in hospitals across the island. A 40ft shipping container which docked at the port of Mariel in March has also been unloaded and is being logged and distributed to healthcare facilities.
Dr Armando Garrido Beracierto, Director of MEDICUBA, the group from the Cuban Ministry of Health (MINSAP) with responsibility for the overseeing the distribution of donations, expressed his joy at the high quality and range of the items sent: “We are very grateful for these much-needed items which will be very helpful for our medical staff and patients at this difficult time.”
Trade union leaders including Ulises Guilarte de Nacimiento, General Secretary of the Cuban Workers’ Central, and Santiago Badía, General Secretary of the National Union of Health Workers (SNTS), attended a special event to receive the container and thanked all those who have supported the Cuba Vive appeal so far.
Santiago Badía sent a message of thanks to CSC to pass on to supporters. “On behalf of all the health workers of Cuba I would like to express our gratitude to all the friends from across the UK who have worked so hard to collect the money and materials to fill this wonderful container of solidarity and love. In particular I want to thank our colleagues in UNISON and the other trade unions that have given so generously to the Cuba Vive appeal,” he said.
“We know that the high-grade surgical instruments included in the donations will be life-saving as we struggle to renew and upgrade worn out stocks”
Dr Omar, Cuban Ministry of Health
Among the key supplies received was a stock of Iodopovidone, an essential antiseptic used in surgical procedures. Additionally, two sterilising machines included in the shipment have been earmarked for critical healthcare institutions, with one already destined for the Institute of Hematology.
Dr Omar, responsible for overseeing resource distribution within MINSAP, confirmed that colostomy bags would be allocated to hospitals in every province offering oncology services, ensuring that cancer patients across the country benefit from this act of solidarity. Other supplies, including surgical tools and orthopedic equipment, will be distributed based on an ongoing assessment of medical needs.
“We are very pleased to receive the large consignment of colostomy supplies which are in very short supply here at the moment. We also know that the high-grade surgical instruments included in the donations will be life-saving as we struggle to renew and upgrade worn out stocks,” he said.
Ulises Guilarte de Nacimiento said: “In the coming weeks, as these materials reach hospitals, clinics, and specialised institutions across the island, their life-saving significance will be felt by countless patients and medical professionals. This extraordinary show of solidarity is a testament to the enduring friendship between the British and Cuban peoples, demonstrating that even in the face of adversity, international solidarity can provide a beacon of hope and support.”
The Cuba Solidarity Campaign is working with UK charity Jacob’s Well Appeal who organised the logistics, sorting, storage, packing and shipping of donated items, and additional aid bought with appeal funds.
Fundraising total over £170,000
The Cuba Vive appeal has already raised over £170,000 thanks to the magnificent and generous support of CSC members and affiliates and other friends of Cuba. We are currently organising the next consignment of life-saving medical equipment, as well as sending a second container of aid in the summer.
CSC extends its heartfelt thanks to everyone who has contributed to this vital effort, which helps to break the US blockade and to ensure that Cuba’s health system remains strong and resilient.
For the latest updates on the Cuba Vive appeal and to donate, visit www.cubavive.org.uk
Medical aid, unloaded and ready for distribution
