MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina and Cuba to join forces against the coronavirus pandemic

“We wanted to see it first hand and support this historic health intervention,” Vizzotti said

Health authorities of Cuba and Argentina Friday ratified their mutual commitment to strengthening cooperative relations in biotechnology to improve the quality of life of people in both countries, it was announced.

Cuba's Health Minister José Ángel Portal and his Argentine counterpart Carla Vizzotti Friday signed a letter of intent to collaborate in anti-covid-19 vaccination in the two countries as well as in other parts of Latin America.

Cuba has five anti-Covid-19 vaccines in different stages of research, but two of them: Soberana 02 and Abdala are already in phase III of a clinical trial. Local scientists are confident that the results achieved to date are very encouraging and for August it is expected that 70 per cent of the Cuban population will be vaccinated.

Minister Portal recently reaffirmed that once the corresponding evaluations are completed, a greater number of vaccines will be available, “which will not only benefit Cuba but also other countries,” he said.

Argentina's Health Ministry will henceforth deal directly with Cuba's Group of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Industries.

Vizzoti and Presidential advisor Cecilia Nicolini visited several sites in Havana this Thursday and Friday to learn about the process of health intervention in risk groups and territories with the vaccine candidates Abdala and Soberana 02. On Friday morning they were at a Havana clinic where they interviewed volunteers and health personnel.

The Argentine minister praised Cuba's health system: “We know about their vaccines and the coverage they have, but we wanted to see it first hand and support this historic health intervention,” she said. Vizzotti also highlighted Cuba's willingness to support Latin America's access to vaccines.