Cuban Health Minister Thanks NAM Support for Medical Collaboration

Cuba’s Minister of Public Health, Dr. José Angel Portal Miranda, expressed gratitude for the unanimous support of the 120 member countries of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) for Cuba’s international medical collaboration during his speech at the virtual meeting ahead of the 78th World Health Assembly.

"It is the voice of the Global South defending the dignity of our peoples and the right to health as a universal good, not a privilege for the few," the Cuban official stated, as reported by the Ministry of Public Health (Minsap) website.

Portal Miranda emphasized that Cuba shares what it has, not what it has left over, referencing the more than 605,000 healthcare professionals who have served in 165 nations.

The minister denounced the U.S. economic blockade and Cuba’s inclusion on the list of state sponsors of terrorism as direct attacks on global efforts to ensure health for all.

"These unilateral coercive measures not only affect our people but also limit Cuba’s ability to continue contributing to global health," he stated.

The Cuban health minister called for international unity to address health challenges, stressing that no country, no matter how powerful, can solve global health problems alone.

Portal Miranda’s speech followed the approval of a joint NAM declaration recognizing and supporting the work of Cuban medical professionals worldwide.

The meeting was attended by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and other international health authorities.