The human right to health and Cuba´s example

In 2019, before the pandemic, the 32% of the world´s population lacked access to basic health services aacording to two complementary reports published by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank on December 12, 2021, on the occasion of the Universal Health Coverage Day.

Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, the world was far of metting the goal 3.8 of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, aimed at reaching the universal health coverage, the reasearch pointed out, and the additional goal of incorporating one billion people more into that category by 2023, the reasearch explained.

The health emergency, the report indicated, caused significant interruptions in the main health services´ supply, while the growing poverty and the reduction of incomes surely increase the financial barriers to have access to the paid care.

In this gloomy view, Cuba stands out with its free,national, universal health system, with quality and efficiency demonstrated for years and more recently while facing the Covid-19 pandemic with its drugs, national-made vaccines and the solidarity given to other countries.

The level reached by Cuba in these fields is even more worthy taking into account its condition of being a small country subjected for more than 60 years to the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the US.

Inspired by its example, the Cultural Association Confraternity of St. Ambrose, organization with headquarters in the Italian city of Milan, awarded the gold medal of merit to the Henry Reeve International Contingent of Physicians Specialized in Disaster Situations and Serious Epidemics.

In statements given to Prensa Latina, this organization´s president Guido Broic, praised the achievements of the Cuban health system.

Here in Italy, he said, we had the pleasure and the benifit of counting, immediately, at the beginning of the serious Covid-19 pandemic with the direct, selfless and free help of the Henry Reeve Contingent.

There is always talk about the fact that health costs and that there are economic reasons in health, but I would like to stress that Cuba, a country hit by a blockade for decades, has indicators on a par with those of European countries, Boich pointed out.