UNICEF maintains support to Cuba in response to health emergency

HAVANA, Cuba, Mar 31 (ACN) Ever since the first COVID-19 cases were diagnosed in Cuba, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has helped the country’s efforts to keep in place services deemed essential to children, teenagers and pregnant women with foods, syringes, means of protection, refrigerators and vital equipment such as an ambulance, an oxygen plant and high precision ultrasound equipment.

Alejandra Trossero, UNICEF Representative in Cuba, mentioned the donation this week of 19 tons of powdered milk for the benefit of some 6,000 children currently in western Cuba’s hospitals as an example of the organization’s support for the health emergency in the country.
She remarked that this important donation is part of UNICEF’s actions in the context of the United Nations Plan in response to the socio-economic situation of the country as a result of the pandemic.

Together with the Ministry of Public Health, UNICEF has contributed to the development of institutional and technical capacities for the COVID-19 vaccination program and prevention in general.

"UNICEF has a framework of cooperation with Cuba for the 2020-2024 period and will continue to cooperate as much as possible with the government, especially to protect the health of children and teenagers as a major pillar of our work,” Ms. Trossero pointed out.

Deborah Rivas, Cuban Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment, stated her gratitude to UNICEF for its permanent and commendable effort in favor of the health system in the midst of the complex scenario caused by COVID-19 and the tightening of the US blockade and highlighted the fact that this entity provided Cuba with more than 5,300,000 dollars’ worth of assistance in 2020 and 2021.