In a message marking two years that Cuba announced its first positive case of SARS-CoV-2, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel emphasised that the Caribbean island nation is pioneering its position in dealing with and controlling COVID-19. The death rate among COVID-19 infections in Cuba is 0.79%, much lower than the world average of 1.34% and that of the Americas at 1.78%.
President Miguel Diaz-Canel affirmed that the results achieved by the country are “indisputable achievements” of the health system and the science sector. Since the appearance of the first cases, the Cuban healthcare system has responded quickly, creating a comprehensive prevention and response strategy, with synchronous and effective coordination of sectors and fields across the country. With pioneering and strong steps, Cuba has emerged as a bright spot in pandemic prevention for Latin America, an area considered a “COVID-19 hotspot” in the world.
The biggest contributor to Cuba's success in disease control, has been its homemade vaccines. Cuba is the only Latin American country that has developed its own COVID-19 vaccine. The Cuban biotech and pharmaceutical sectors have once again demonstrated their high competence, with the development of five “vaccine candidates”, of which three types of vaccines are highly effective and safe.
Director of Research at Cuba's Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB) Gerardo Guillen, said that Cuba's achievements in the field of vaccine development are due to the stability and determination of the political system, the unity among research institutions and scientific experience, accumulated over the years.
The universal and free vaccine continues to confirm the superiority of the Cuban healthcare sector, through the most widespread vaccination campaign in the island's history.
According to statistics from Oxford University (UK), since January 2022, Cuba has continuously ranked first in the world, in terms of the number of doses of vaccines administered per capita and ranked third in the world, in terms of the percentage of the population who have been vaccinated with at least one dose and the proportion of the population who have completed a full course of vaccination.
As of early March, more than 35 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in Cuba. Out of a total population of 11.2 million, more than 9.8 million have completed the course of vaccinations and more than 5 million have received the booster dose. Cuba is also a pioneer in universal vaccination coverage for children, from two years old.
Despite fighting the pandemic and facing negative impacts from the unfavourable regional environment, Cuba still maintains its tradition of providing medical assistance to many countries around the world, upholding the lofty international spirit. Cuba has sent 57 medical cooperation delegations, to 41 countries and territories in Latin America, Africa and Europe, to support the fight against the pandemic.
On the basis of a health care system, that can effectively respond to the pandemic, Cuba has a solid basis to believe in its recovery, creating momentum for economic development. According to the Cuban Ministry of Economy and Planning, Cuba's GDP is forecasted to grow by 4% in 2022. The expansion and improvement of the non-state economic sector is proving effective. Thousands of small, micro and medium-sized companies have been licensed, which promises to have a more positive impact on the Cuban economy.
Cuba resiliently overcomes challenges from the pandemic, like the way it steadfastly overcame all difficulties to pursue its chosen development path. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel honoured the country's medical and scientific workers, for “writing history” of the heroic island nation, with a spirit of socialism, self-reliance and compassion.
