Japan and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) will materialize this initiative aligned with Cuba´s national response plan to control and halt Covid-19, as a long-term investment aimed at improving health services to its population.

Japanese Ambassador to Cuba Kenji Hirata and the UNICEF Representative in Cuba Brandao Gomes signed the document that certifies the donation. Both high-ranking officials stressed this joint cooperation will also support Cuba´s vaccination campaign to fight Covid-19.

The ¨Strengthening Health Capacity for Covid-19 Crisis¨ project responds to UNICEF´s emergency response plan for health, in line with the Cuban government´s priorities to fight the pandemic. It also seeks to reinforce the cold chain for the quality delivery of vaccines and their future use, in addition to the distribution of syringes.

The donation includes medical equipment and supplies for immunization, diagnosis and timely care of complications caused by the disease, expansion of technical capacities of health professionals in vaccination, maternal and child health and hygiene-sanitary measures.

To the Japanese diplomat, it is a clear message of solidarity with the Cuban people in their heroic confrontation with the pandemic, and also a sign of continuing to cooperate with Japan with Cuba´s health system.

Likewise, UNICEF´s representative said this project will benefit vaccination centers in seven provinces in Cuba, so it will help over six and a half million people, while benefiting the maternal and child services in 13 hospitals including more than 375,000 girls and boys and about 19,000 pregnant women.

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