The Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel inaugurated a state-of-the-art pharmaceutical plant in Vietnam this Sunday, as part of his agenda during the first day of his official visit to the Asian country.
The installation is part of the joint venture Genfarma, established in May 2025 between the Cuban state company BioCubaFarma and the Vietnamese firm Genfarma Holdings.
“This is the fastest joint venture we have managed to create. We are envisioning the entire future perspective, with the unity of research, innovation, and productive capacities of this institution,” declared Díaz-Canel during the inauguration ceremony.
In his official account on X, Díaz-Canel wrote: “It is inspiring to see our collective work: In less than a year, the high-tech pharmaceuticals plant from the Cuban-Vietnamese joint venture Genfarma is ready, aimed at serving both peoples and seeking to position medicines from the Island in the competitive Asian market.”
International aspirations and mutual promises
The Presidency of Cuba assures that the project aims to benefit both countries and expand the reach of their pharmaceutical products to other markets in Asia.
The Minister of Health, Dao Hong Lan, reiterated that the project is supported by the "highest level of attention and interest" from the Vietnamese government.
Díaz-Canel stated: "We aspire for Genfarma to become a milestone in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry, as an expression of the cooperative relations between Cuba and Vietnam, two brother countries that uphold socialist construction."
In May, when the agreements were signed in Havana, the president of BioCubaFarma, Mayda Mauri Pérez, stated that the new plant will promote technology transfer, the production of medications and biological products, as well as the development of research activities. However, she warned that the company will have an export-oriented approach.
“The alliance will allow for the export of products manufactured in our country, with the aim of generating income that will be used for the development and production of medications for the Cuban population,” he said.
In just a few months, Genfarma went from being a formal agreement to an operational plant, but the facilities are not in Cuba and will not be managed according to Cuban production standards. Apparently, the Vietnamese partners are clear that if they want to see this project succeed, the plant must be located and controlled in Hanoi.
Contrasts with Cuban reality: Scarcity and health crisis
The official enthusiasm contrasts sharply with the deep crisis facing the Cuban healthcare system. In July, Minister José Ángel Portal Miranda acknowledged that over 70% of essential medications from the basic list were either unavailable or poorly stocked.
The head of Public Health described a bleak situation to the delegates of the National Assembly, marked by chronic shortages of medical supplies, an exodus of professionals, illegal sale of services in hospitals, and an increase in maternal and infant mortality in Cuba.
Of the 651 products officially registered, 461 faced total or partial shortages. Despite this, officials have reiterated that the primary focus of the new plant in Vietnam will be exportation, to generate foreign currency that will sustain medicine production on the island.
The logic recalls the controversial currency stores, which exclude a large part of the population amid a deep economic and social crisis.
Unequal cooperation in a impoverished country
The launch of Genfarma occurs alongside another joint project with Vietnam, this time in the agricultural sector, where Vietnamese companies have received land for rice cultivation in western Cuba. Meanwhile, thousands of hectares remain unproductive due to a lack of resources.
This strategy for attracting foreign investment, focused on strategic sectors such as biotechnology, reflects the Cuban regime's reliance on bilateral agreements, without providing concrete solutions to the urgent problems faced by most citizens.
This has not gone unnoticed by Cubans. In the comments on social media for Canal Caribe, a user pointed out:
"Please, enough with the speeches. We need results, and the best way to see them would be in our pharmacies. Antipyretics, antihistamines, antiemetics, antibiotics… in short, the medications that the people need should no longer be lacking, because when they do appear, they must be purchased at exorbitant prices in the informal market. Stop publishing news that creates expectations that are not then fulfilled. This country doesn't need more empty promises."
Frequently Asked Questions about the inauguration of the Genfarma pharmaceutical plant in Vietnam
What is the mixed company Genfarma and what is its main objective?
Genfarma is a joint venture established between BioCubaFarma of Cuba and Genfarma Holdings of Vietnam, whose main goal is to produce and export high-tech medications in the Asian market. This collaboration aims to position Cuban pharmaceutical products in international markets, generating revenue for the development and production of medicines for the Cuban population.
Why was the Genfarma plant built in Vietnam and not in Cuba?
The decision to build the plant in Vietnam, rather than in Cuba, is driven by the need to ensure a more efficient and controlled productive environment. The Vietnamese partners prefer to manage the plant in Hanoi to guarantee the success of the project, given that the conditions in Cuba are not the most suitable due to the economic crisis and the lack of supplies facing the island.
How does the inauguration of Genfarma contrast with the current health situation in Cuba?
The inauguration of Genfarma in Vietnam stands out against the backdrop of a health crisis in Cuba, where over 70% of essential medicines are either in short supply or poorly covered. While export-focused projects are being launched, the Cuban health system is facing a critical shortage and deteriorating infrastructure. This reflects a strategy for attracting foreign currency that does not address the urgent needs of Cuban citizens.
Filed under:
