The MoU was signed for the Nigerian delegation by Bayelsa’s Commissioner of Health, Pabara Newton Igwele, and for the Cuban biopharmaceutical conglomerate by its First Vice President Mayda Mauri Perez.
The signing was witnessed by the Executive Secretary of Bayelsa’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Investment, Patience O. E. Abah; the governor of that state, Douye Diri, who heads the visiting delegation, and Nigeria’s ambassador to Cuba, Benaoyagha B. M. Okoyen.
The ceremony was also attended by BioCubaFarma’s Commercial and Business Director, David Curbelo, and other executives of the pharmaceutical holding.
Seen as an example of South-South cooperation, the MoU provides the framework for collaboration in the supply by Cuba of pharmaceutical and biotechnological products, as well as technology transfer for the joint production in Bayelsa of these medicines, particularly vaccines, and their marketing in Nigeria and other West African states.
The Memorandum also contemplates research in this important field and the exchange of specialized personnel, as well as training.
BioCubaFarma, which groups 31 companies on the island and others abroad on a partnership basis, exports medicines and bioproducts to 51 countries.
In total, it manufactures 996 products for the Cuban market, 757 of them for the public health system, Curbelo told the delegation and explained that Cuban laboratories produce eight of the 12 vaccines included in the national immunization program.
Among them is Heberpenta, designed to prevent diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, hepatitis B and haemophilus influenza type B.
As part of the visit agenda, the Bayelsa government delegation plans to tour a plant of AICA Laboratories.
On their first day of work on Monday, Governor Diri and his delegation held meetings at the Comercializadora de Servicios Médicos de Cuba, with which they are assessing the signing of a cooperation agreement for academic training on the island of young people in medicine, infirmary, pharmacy and electromedical engineering.
They also exchanged views and assess the potential for business with specialists of the AZCuba group of Matanzas, as well as with executives of the Scientific-Technological Park, academics of the University and government officials of that western province of Cuba.
mh
