Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment of Cuba Minister Armando Rodríguez Batista highlighted on Facebook the significance of Cuba’s first nationally manufactured hip prosthesis, the result of a project launched in 2023 to replace imported orthopedic implants.

Dr. Roberto Balmaseda Manent, director general of the Fructuoso Rodríguez Teaching Orthopedic Hospital, explained that the initiative emerged from the urgent need to provide faster treatment for patients suffering hip fractures, one of the most common conditions treated in the country’s operating rooms.

The project was promoted by Cuba’s Ministries of the Revolutionary Armed Forces and Public Health, with initial support from engineers at the Union of Military Industries, who undertook the challenge of producing the nation’s first orthopedic prosthesis prototype.

By 2024, production was operating under temporary conditions, while in 2025 certified clean rooms were established with temperature, humidity, and particle controls, along with protocols equivalent to those used in surgical operating rooms.

The partial hip endoprosthesis was designed following extensive studies of the anatomical structure of the Cuban femur, aiming to achieve an optimal fit for local patients and ensure independence from foreign imports.

The initiative involves the University of Havana, the Havana Scientific and Technological Park, the Matanzas Technological Park, the Center of Molecular Immunology, institutions from Belarus, and private-sector actors in a collaborative effort that integrates state, academic, and non-state sectors.

The prosthesis successfully passed the certification process of the Center for State Control of Medicines, Medical Equipment and Devices and complies with international standards, opening the possibility for Cuba to export implants and specialized medical services.

Balmaseda stated that the team is currently working on the country’s first elbow prosthesis prototype, with its three-dimensional design already completed and initial production underway as part of efforts to expand the catalog of domestically manufactured implants.

“The initiative represents an example of scientific and industrial innovation applied to public healthcare, with significant economic and social impact prospects for the country.”