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Cuba UN Human Rights

Cuba elected to Human Rights Council by 88% of UN Members

Cuba elected to Human Rights Council by 88% of UN Members
This is the fifth time Cuba has been chosen to occupy a seat within this body, among the eight reserved for the Latin American and Caribbean group of member states

Milagros Pichardo Pérezoctober 14, 2020 09:10:20

Photo: Cubaminrex
U.S. manipulation and coercion have once again failed. Their desperate efforts to organize a boycott of the election of Cuba as a member of the UN Human Rights Council went nowhere and Cuba was elected, for the fifth time, yesterday, with the votes of 170 countries, to occupy a seat within this body, among the eight reserved for the Latin American and Caribbean group of member states.

“Despite imperialist lies and distortion, the world recognizes Cuba, admires and respects the country for the firmness of our convictions and example. A resounding victory,” tweeted President of the Republic Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, upholding the humanist work of the Revolution, which has promoted human rights on the basis of its very nature and principles.

Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla also took to Twitter to insist, “Cuba’s achievements cannot be overshadowed.”

The support of 88% of UN members states represents a tribute to the self-determination and resistance of the Cuban people in the face of the serious obstacles and threats caused by the unilateral policy of hostility, aggressions and economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States, a flagrant, massive and systematic violation of human rights.

The Foreign Ministry noted on its website that the vote is an expression of recognition by the international community of the significant advances the country has achieved in the enjoyment of human rights and the extensive record of worldwide cooperation, demonstrating, through concrete action, the unequivocal willingness to participate in respectful, frank and open dialogue. Cuba is party to 44 of 61 international human rights instruments, reporting regularly to the UN on our compliance.

Abducted Cuban Doctors

Cuba denies news of the alleged release of two abducted Cuban doctors

Cuba denies news of the alleged release of two abducted Cuban doctors
Efforts continue to guarantee the release and safe return to the homeland of our two internationalist health collaborators abducted in Kenya

Author: Digital news staff | informacion@granma.cu
october 7, 2020 14:10:58

Photo: Internet
Juan Antonio Fernández Palacios, general director of Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs department of Press, Communication and Image, denied information that was circulated this morning and been repeated by the press and on digital social media, regarding the alleged release of the two abducted Cuban doctors, Assel Herrera Correa and Landy Rodríguez Hernández.

Fernández stated that government authorities are closely following this issue, which is of great interest to our people, adding that the steps taken and significant efforts made continue, to guarantee the release and safe return to the homeland of our two internationalist health collaborators.

On October 5th, Cuban Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, communicated through his official Twitter account, that he had held a conversation with his Somali counterpart, Ahmed Isse Awad.

Rodríguez Parrilla thanked the Somali government for its support and work to guarantee the safe return of the two Cuban health professionals, abducted in Kenya on April 12, 2018, and later transported to that nation.

Assel Herrera Correa, a specialist in comprehensive general medicine from Las Tunas, and Landy Rodríguez Hernández, a surgeon from Villa Clara, were in Kenya providing health services as part of the Cuban medical brigade there.

Rodríguez Parrilla additionally emphasized the willingness to strengthen bilateral ties between Cuba and Somalia.

Cuban Pharmaceutical

Clinical trials with stem cells to treat effects of COVID-19 in the lungs

Clinical trials with stem cells to treat effects of COVID-19 in the lungs advance
Dr. Odalis María de la Guardia Peña, an expert immunologist, describes as “encouraging” preliminary findings obtained at the conclusion of the first phase of clinical trials evaluating the use of stem cells in patients facing lung damage caused by COVID-19

Author: Walkiria Juanes Sánchez | internet@granma.cu
october 8, 2020 12:10:54

Photo composition: Claudia García Martínez
Dr. Odalis María de la Guardia Peña, an expert immunologist, describes as “encouraging” preliminary findings obtained at the conclusion of the first phase of clinical trials evaluating the use of stem cells in patients facing lung damage caused by COVID-19.

The study, begun during the month of May at the Cuban Institute of Hematology and Immunology (IHI), was undertaken with a view toward eliminating or reducing interstitial inflammatory or fibrotic lung lesions following the infection.

The doctor, also an infectious disease specialist and head of External Services at the IHI, explains that the research will have significant impact “if, as we hope, stem cell therapy produces positive results in these patients with pulmonary alterations post-COVID-19.

“If the treatment is effective, it will be generalized across the entire country, improving the quality of life and respiratory capacity of these patients,” she stated with the enthusiasm of someone devoted to the most important mission in the world: saving lives.

THE LUNG, THE “TARGET” ORGAN

De la Guardia Peña commented that, although SARS-COV-2 has a variety of dissimilar effects (cardiovascular, renal, cerebral, vascular, in distal or lower limbs, and others); the “target” organ in the case of COVID-19 is the lung, in which patients experience the most serious impact, both during the disease and once they have recovered, a pattern being studied internationally.

“We have detected cases, specifically in Cuban patients, who have presented this kind of affectation, especially those who have suffered symptoms over a longer period. Among those visited for the study, there were cases of important pulmonary alterations, which is the most frequent, but perhaps not the most serious,” the specialist continued. Continue reading Clinical trials with stem cells to treat effects of COVID-19 in the lungs →

Brazil’s ‘More Doctors‘ program,”

U.S. government escalates campaign against Cuban international medical cooperation

U.S. government escalates campaign against Cuban international medical cooperation
Declaration from Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs denouncing the dishonest campaign the U.S. government has conducted since 2019 to discredit Cuba’s international medical cooperation; exert pressure on the governments that have requested it and deprive peoples of these health services

MINREXoctober 1, 2020 11:10:21

Photo: Ariel Cecilio Lemus
The Cuban people and the international community are aware of the dishonest campaign the United States government has conducted since 2019 to discredit Cuba’s international medical cooperation; exert pressure on the governments that have requested it and deprive peoples of these health services.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba denounces that, as part of this offensive, the U.S. government has exerted pressure and coercion on the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO).

Under the threat of cancelling its financial contribution, the United States, the principal contributor to the PAHO budget, has forced the Secretariat of the organization to accept what is called “an external audit of PAHO’s role in Brazil’s ‘More Doctors‘ program,” which involved the participation of thousands of Cuban professionals, at the express request of the Workers’ Party’s popular government. This program has been the target of to the most flagrant defamation campaign launched by the United States and the current Brazilian government.

The alleged concerns of the United States regarding Cuba’s cooperation, particularly in relation to the ‘More Doctors‘ program, are neither legitimate or worthy of further consideration by PAHO. The ‘More Doctors’ program, which has been evaluated several times previously with positive results, was established by virtue of a tripartite agreement between the Cuban government, the then Brazilian government and PAHO. Thanks to this program, from August 2013 through November 2018, Cuban doctors in Brazil assisted 113,000,359 patients in more than 3,600 municipalities and provided permanent health coverage to 60 million Brazilians. Thanks to this program, primary health care was expanded; access to health care and services increased; health indicators improved and hospital admissions decreased due to the preventive work carried out by Cuban doctors.

The level of satisfaction and acceptance among patients, doctors and the program’s managers was high. According to a survey made by the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), 95 per cent of patients reported that they were pleased or very pleased with the program. Continue reading U.S. government escalates campaign against Cuban international medical cooperation →