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The Cuban regime announced the start of natural repellent production in Granma province in response to the health crisis caused by the rise in cases of dengue, chikungunya, and other arboviral diseases in the country.
According to the official newspaper Granma, the Pharmaceutical Laboratory for Oral Liquids Company (Medilip), in coordination with the Provincial Pharmaceutical Company, has begun producing a repellent made from extracts of neem and holy cane, of which approximately 1,500 one-liter units have already been packaged.
Roider Elías Carasaña, head of Operations at Medilip, explained that they plan to produce versions of two liters and 120 and 250 milliliters, with the goal of meeting demand in the provinces of Holguín, Santiago de Cuba, and Havana.
Local authorities indicated that repellents and disinfectants will be distributed through pharmacies and state sales points in Bayamo, as well as in the marketing networks of Holguín, Santiago de Cuba, and Havana, “depending on the availability of supplies.”
However, the note does not clarify whether other companies in the country will produce this type of repellent to distribute it in the remaining provinces, leaving open the question of what will happen in the territories equally affected by the epidemic.
According to Granma, the product, registered in the National Drug and Apidrug Form, should be applied topically every three to four hours for individuals over three years old.
Natural extracts are obtained from Farma Habana and local producers in Guisa and Bayamo.
The authorities assure that the process adheres to "good manufacturing practices," although they acknowledge that resources are very limited and that some of the containers and caps used come from recycled materials or are sourced from private individuals.
Carasaña specified that the company had to establish partnerships with a self-employed worker from Holguín to obtain the caps for the new batch, due to the difficulties with the official supply mechanism of Farmacuba, its state importer.
In parallel, Medilip has produced nearly 80,000 bottles of 1% sodium hypochlorite, also packaged in recycled containers, to combat the spread of disease-carrying mosquitoes.
Although the product does not cure the infection, it is used as a disinfectant in water storage facilities and high-risk areas.
According to the official, the project has been made possible thanks to the "dedication of the workers" despite the lack of resources and funding.
However, the limited production and the use of recycled materials reflect the serious shortcomings of the Cuban pharmaceutical system amid the current health and economic crisis.
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