José Ángel Portal Miranda is a Cuban doctor born in Cuba in 1968 who has served as the Minister of Public Health since July 21, 2018. Portal Miranda is a specialist in General Integral Medicine at both the First and Second Degree levels, 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 the 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 in the Ministry of Public Health. He is a member of the Central Committee of the PCC.
Portal Miranda directs one of the most affected sectors of the country due to the medication shortages that the island has been facing for years. This scarcity reached critical levels in the last year (2019-2020), impacting the distribution for chronic patients and the elderly, who endure, without any guarantees, endless lines starting from dawn to obtain their medicines.
On the other hand, there is widespread public discontent with the management of the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP) led by Portal, due to the significant deterioration of the Cuban Public Health System. The population constantly voices their concerns on social media about the deplorable condition of hospitals, polyclinics, and health centers, as well as the increasing number of medical negligence cases in recent years due to a lack of resources and organization.
As Minister, Portal Miranda has also been responsible for the management of the return of two Cuban doctors who were kidnapped on April 12, 2019, in Kenya, with no results yet.
