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A shipment of essential medical supplies acquired by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) arrived in Cuba this Saturday to support healthcare in the eastern provinces of the country most affected by Hurricane Melissa, as reported by the United Nations agency on its official website.
The aid is aimed at strengthening the capabilities of the national health system and ensuring care for about 90,000 people, with special priority given to girls, boys, adolescents, and pregnant women from the provinces of Guantánamo, Santiago de Cuba, Granma, and Holguín, where the cyclone left a picture of severe damage to infrastructure, medical centers, and entire communities.
The shipment includes 69 medical care kits with critical medications, such as antibiotics and antihypertensives, basic equipment, and disposable materials, as well as 8,220 mosquito nets and oral rehydration salts, which are essential for preventing vector-borne diseases and treating childhood dehydration.
"The continuity of health services is essential for reducing risks after an emergency. This shipment contributes to disease prevention and ensures that hospitals and polyclinics have the necessary resources to protect the life and well-being of families," emphasized Alejandra Trossero, UNICEF representative in Cuba.
The international organization, which has worked alongside national and local authorities since the hurricane alert phase, also mobilized pre-positioned supplies in the country: 1,300 family hygiene kits, 213 children's recreation kits, school and early childhood materials, as well as roofing sheets, waterproof blankets, and portable water purification plants for affected communities.
The transportation and distribution of supplies will be carried out in coordination with the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP), which will ensure their delivery to health centers with the greatest needs.
The support from UNICEF arrives at a critical moment for eastern Cuba, marked by the devastation of Hurricane Melissa, which struck the country with winds reaching up to 195 km/h and left behind destroyed homes, isolated communities, and a collapsed healthcare system in several localities, according to previous reports.
This new humanitarian operation reaffirms, according to UNICEF, the agency's commitment to the early recovery and resilience of the Cuban health system, particularly to ensure that every girl, boy, and adolescent grows up healthy and protected, even in emergency situations.
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