The Cuban regime expressed its willingness to expand health cooperation with Iran on various fronts, from joint projects and links with the pharmaceutical industry to the purchase of medications and medical supplies for the island. It also offered to send specialists to assist in the reconstruction of the Pasteur Institute in Tehran, which was damaged during military attacks by the United States and Israel.
The offer was made by the Cuban ambassador in Tehran, Nicolás Lefebre, during a meeting with Mohammad Hossein Ayati, special assistant to the Iranian Minister of Health, as reported by the state agency IRNA.
According to the Iranian Ministry of Health, Lefebre "expressed his willingness to send specialists to Iran to complete joint projects and collaborate on the reconstruction of the specialized areas of the Pasteur Institute that were damaged during the war with the United States and Israel."
The proposal is part of both governments' efforts to deepen over three decades of health cooperation, which includes technology transfer, joint vaccine production, and now Cuba's interest in acquiring medications, medical devices, and other supplies from Iran.
The offer from Havana contrasts with the serious situation of the Cuban healthcare system. In August, the leader Miguel Díaz-Canel acknowledged that only about 30% of the essential medicines were available in the country.
Months earlier, in April, there was a shortage of 461 out of 651 essential medicines. BioCubaFarma acknowledged in June that it could not guarantee around 300 of the 395 medications it was supposed to supply to the national health system and estimated the funding gap for acquiring raw materials to be over 250 million dollars.
During the meeting in Tehran, Lefebre also expressed the interest of the Cuban private sector in acquiring medications, medical devices, and other supplies from Iran intended for the island's healthcare system.
Cuba and Iran have maintained cooperation in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors for over three decades, including technology transfer and projects related to vaccines against hepatitis, COVID-19, and pneumococcus.
The meeting took place just a few days after the Cuban Foreign Minister, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, held a meeting with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi during the BRICS summit in India.
Havana has also maintained its political support for Tehran in international organizations. Last April, Cuba denounced before the UN the threats and aggressions against Iran.
According to IRNA, both parties also agreed to facilitate the presence of representatives from the Cuban healthcare sector at Iran Pharma, the country's main pharmaceutical fair, to explore new opportunities for commercial cooperation.
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