Cuba reiterates commitment to universal health coverage throughout the world

Cuba ratified this Thursday at the 78th United Nations General Assembly its willingness to do everything in its power to achieve universal health coverage in the world.

When speaking at the high-level meeting on the subject, the Cuban Minister of Health, José Ángel Portal, stated that his country's commitment is to help the nations that need it most.

The minister expressed that achieving health coverage for all is still a utopia in many parts of the world, and referred to the urgency of a new approach to solve these realities and achieve a truly just and equitable world order.

Portal noted that for a significant group of developing countries, the main components of universal health coverage are still unattainable, while the privatization of public health care services constitutes a highly worrying approach. Even more after the Covid-19 pandemic.

He urged defending universal health coverage as one of the central objectives of public policies, and recalled that this coverage is guaranteed in his country, based on the right of all citizens endorsed in the constitution of the Republic and based on a strategy that prioritizes primary care.

The Cuban minister added that not even the negative effects of the US economic, commercial and financial blockade have prevented the availability of a public, universal and free model with a strong community base.

He also highlighted the experience of more than 60 years of international collaboration in the health sphere. Minister Portal emphasized the urgent need for all people to have access to health services.

Within his agenda in the United Nations, Portal held meetings with his counterparts from Timor Leste, Rwanda and Algeria, Elia A. A. dos Reis Amaral, Sabin Nsanzimana, and Abdelhak Saihi, respectively.