Every Thursday and Sunday at noon, dozens of Havana residents gather outside an apartment building in the Vedado neighborhood. Volunteer coordinator Laura Mendoza checks names against a list and hands out medicines requested through WhatsApp, charging nothing for the supplies.
Her effort, part of the “Medicine Is Not for Sale” initiative, provides antihistamines, diuretics, eye drops and antibiotics to people who can no longer rely on state pharmacies. Mendoza estimates that about 100 similar community projects operate throughout Havana, supported by five WhatsApp groups in the city and an additional group in nearby Guanabo.
Support from charitable groups
Working with the Catholic charity Caritas, the project receives more than 13 kilograms (29 pounds) of medicine each week from humanitarian groups in Canada and the United States, as well as from travelers and local donors. Volunteers sometimes deliver medicines to patients who cannot collect them themselves.
Why shortages are severe
Cuba’s Health Ministry lists 603 medicines in its basic drug program, but only a little over one‑third are currently available. BioCubaFarma, the state pharmaceutical company, reported that about 300 of the 395 medicines it was expected to produce in June were not made because of shortages of imported raw materials.
In the central province of Ciego de Ávila, officials said state pharmacies had only about 10% of the medicines on the basic list, blaming supply and logistical problems, including fuel shortages. The government also struggles to obtain packaging such as blister packs and bottles, and says U.S. financial sanctions complicate payments for imports.
Government response
In July, Cuban authorities issued regulations allowing private pharmacies to operate – a historic shift in the country’s state‑run health system. The move is part of a package of 176 economic measures approved by Cuba’s Parliament in June to expand private enterprise and address the economic crisis.
Authorities are reviewing about 36 proposals to open private pharmacies. These pharmacies will be regulated, barred from selling hospital‑only drugs and certain controlled substances, and will have to import medicines through state companies and obtain regulatory approval.
Affordability concerns
For many Cubans, the question remains whether they can afford the medicines. Sara Márquez, 69, said a blister pack that once cost 0.30 Cuban pesos at state pharmacies now sells for as much as 1,000 pesos (about $1.50) on the informal market – more than 30% of her monthly pension.
“At what price will they sell the medicine? … It will depend on people’s purchasing power. I can’t afford it,” Márquez said.
The Cuban government did not respond to a request for comment.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
