[News] Under the Radar and at Warp Speed Cuba Leads Latin America towards Affordable Covid-19 Vaccines

[Anti-Imperialist News]

https://www.resumen-english.org/2020/12/under-the-radar-and-at-warp-speed-cuba-leads-latin-america-towards-affordable-covid-19-vaccines/
Under
the Radar and at Warp Speed Cuba Leads Latin America towards Affordable
Covid-19 Vaccines
------------------------------

By Mike Ravage on December 15, 2020

<https://i0.wp.com/www.resumen-english.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/12-18-cuba-vac.jpg?ssl=1>Recently
Amy Goodman’s “Democracy Now” explored “The Case for People’s Vaccines.”

While those interviewed by Ms. Goodman called for early and affordable
access to inoculations in the Global South, no mention was made of perhaps
the most promising source of such therapies. The neglected source was not
only promising but implicitly revealed the swindle represented by Big
Pharma’s anticipated exorbitant prices for Covid-19 vaccines.

It may surprise readers to know that the source in question is Cuba.

Cuba’s Achievement

In fact, Cuba is the first nation in Latin America to receive authorization
from the World Health Organization (WHO) to perform officially sanctioned
tests of the four vaccines it now has under development. Those trials have
already completed their clinical stages. Promising results so far have
Cubans looking forward to completing the (cost free) inoculation of its
entire population of 12 million by the end of March 2021.

The vaccines under trial are named Soberana 01, Soberana 02, Abdala
(CIGB66) and Mambisa (CIGB669). None of them is dependent for its
preservation on super-cold temperatures.

Mambisa is worthy of special note, since as a nasal spray, it requires no
needles, but responds locally to the specifically respiratory nature of
Covid-19.

Failure to report such developments even on “Democracy Now” illustrates the
complicity of our mainstream media in shunning any news from socialist
nations like Cuba that might possibly illustrate the superior ability of
their economies to deliver high quality, no-cost healthcare to citizens
even during a worldwide pandemic. Moreover, absent the profit motive, Cuba
will predictably deliver its vaccines to its neighbors at vastly cheaper
prices than its capitalist counterparts.

Cuba’s Vaccine History

This prediction is based on the fact that Cuba has long been a supplier of
vaccines and doctors not only to the Global South, but to countries such as
Italy during the height of Covid-19’s first wave. Additionally, with its
unequaled ratio of doctors to citizens, the island nation’s response to the
pandemic has effectively limited documented coronavirus infections despite
supply problems caused by the continued U.S. embargo of the island.

All four developments (the superabundance of doctors, the relative control
of Covid-19, Cuba’s research capacities, and the export of medical care to
other countries) result from the foresight and vision of Fidel Castro, the
revered father of his country. In the early 1980s he sparked initiation of
a vigorous homegrown biotech sector – largely to cope with the U.S.
embargo’s persistent attempts to deprive the island of medical supplies.

The result was the emergence of 20 research centers and 32 companies
employing 20,000 people under the umbrella of the state-run BioCubaFarma
Corporation. Recently, spokespersons connected with the corporation
tweeted, “The #CubanVaccineCOVID19 is dedicated to the sower of dreams:
Fidel. Our tribute to the one who believed in the strength and future of
#CubanScience.”

BioCubaFarma produces 8 of the 12 vaccines Cuba uses to immunize its own
population against diseases such as measles and polio. Cuba has also
exported hundreds of millions of vaccine doses to more than 40 countries
(e.g. to deal with meningitis and hepatitis B).

All of this represents just one more illustration of socialism’s
comparative efficiency in the face of crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.
Even a poor blockaded country like Cuba can respond to an unprecedented
crisis such as the coronavirus without holding sick people hostage to the
confiscatory demands of privatized natural monopolies like Big Pharma. The
latter’s claims to mammoth profits based upon (largely government-funded)
costly research are simply ideological cover for overweening corporate
greed that none of us should stand for.

People’s vaccines can be produced at warp speed and at low cost – despite
news blackouts even on “Democracy Now.”

Source: Mike Rivage- Seul blog
<https://mikerivageseul.wordpress.com/2020/12/15/under-the-radar-and-at-warp-speed-cuba-leads-latin-america-towards-affordable-covid-19-vaccines/>
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