José Ángel Portal Miranda is a Cuban doctor born in Cuba in 1968 who has served as Minister of Public Health since July 21, 2018. Portal Miranda is a First and Second Degree specialist in General Comprehensive Medicine, a Second Degree specialist in Health Organization and Administration, and holds a Master's degree in Satisfactory Longevity.
He is also a Deputy to the National Assembly of People's Power.
Before his position as Minister of Health, he served as deputy director and provincial director of Health in Pinar del Río (since 1996), national director of Hospital Services, and deputy minister of Medical and Social Assistance of the Ministry of Public Health. He is a member of the Central Committee of the PCC.
Portal Miranda oversees one of the most affected sectors in the country due to the ongoing shortage of medications that the island has been facing for years. This scarcity has reached critical levels in the past year (2019-2020), impacting the distribution of medicines for chronic patients and the elderly, who endure, without any assurances, endless lines starting at dawn to obtain their medications.
On the other hand, there is significant popular discontent with the management of the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP) led by Portal, due to the noticeable deterioration of the Cuban Public Health System. The population constantly reports through social media the deplorable condition of hospitals, polyclinics, and health centers, as well as the numerous instances of medical negligence that have risen in recent years due to a lack of resources and organization.
As Minister, Portal Miranda has also been responsible for managing the return of two Cuban doctors who were kidnapped on April 12, 2019, in Kenya, with no results so far.
