Cuba's vaccine success story sails past mark set by rich world's Covid efforts

[malaise]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jan/05/cuba-coronavirus-covid-vaccines-success-story

General Máximo Gómez, a key figure in Cuba’s 19th-century wars of independence against Spain once said: “Cubans either don’t meet the mark – or go way past it.”

A century and a half later, the aphorism rings true. This downtrodden island struggles to keep the lights on, but has now vaccinated more of its citizens against Covid-19 than any of the world’s major nations.

More than 90% of the population has been vaccinated with at least one dose of Cuba’s homegrown vaccines, while 83% have been fully inoculated. Of countries with populations of over a million, only the United Arab Emirates has a stronger vaccination record.

“Cuba is a victim of magical realism,” said John Kirk, professor emeritus of Latin American studies at Dalhousie University, Canada. “The idea that Cuba, with only 11 million people, and limited income, could be a biotech power, might be incomprehensible for someone working at Pfizer, but for Cuba it is possible.”

[Deuxcents]

1. PBS had a documentary

I think on Frontline about Cuba’s medical researchers n how they have been sought out by hospitals here in the states for their knowledge on cancer treatments b/c of their success rate. Was very interesting

[malaise]

2. Cuba has the best medical system in our hemisphere

Cuba puts its people first and help their neighbors.

[lapfog_1]

5. I think you meant best medical system...

and I believe that to be true.

[malaise]

6. LOL

My iPad has a will of its own - thanks😀

[Dan]

12. Yes, yes, yes

[BeckyDem]

3. K&R

I will add this here, as it relates to others like Cuba that are trying to end the pandemic. Keywords, Patent-Free.

“A Vaccine for the World”: U.S. Scientists Develop Low-Cost Shot to Inoculate Global South

As COVID cases skyrocket, we speak to Dr. Peter Hotez at Texas Children’s Hospital about the Omicron surge, as well as his groundbreaking work developing an affordable patent-free coronavirus vaccine. Last week the Indian government gave emergency approval to the new low-cost, patent-free vaccine called Corbevax, which Hotez co-created. He says it could reach billions of people across the globe who have lacked access to the more expensive mRNA vaccines produced by Pfizer and Moderna. “We can really make a vaccine for the world,” says Hotez. Hotez also addresses problems stemming from ongoing vaccine hesitancy.
https://www.democracynow.org/2022/1/3/patent_free_vaccine_in_texas

[malaise]

4. Read that

Lovely development

[The Wizard]

7. See the Michael Moore film "Sicko."

[malaise]

8. I have my own copy

Cuba has the cheapest and most effective medical system- where there’s a will, there’s a way.

[BSdetect]

9. I recall that Cuba had some diabetes med that was banned here, of course.

Big pharma lobbyists keeping any actual cheap working meds at bay.

[malaise]

10. All our seriously ill diabetics head to Cubs

Including the anti-Cuba politicians

[Farmer-Rick]

11. I had to recommend this just for that magical realism quote

My favorite genre...the Twilight Zone.....

[malaise]

14. Great quote

And great show

[leftstreet]

13. DURec

[multigraincracker]

15. There are many that long for the days of

Batista and a country run by Big Sugar and the Mob. Go figure.

[YP_Yooper]

16. Appreciate the insight!

To be honest, this is why I take anything the FDA and CDC says with a grain of salt because of, let's say, arrogance and money? The HHS report in Dec about how disjointed the CDC is proves this out. There are so many other countries that have found ways to combat this epidemic that are completely dismissed because of those two problems.

Think the US Gov would ever endorse the Cuban vacc? Of course not. The Cubans don't simultaneously sit on the board of Big Pharm and the approving gov't agencies :/

Hell, I may as well add, if memory serves, that a board member of Pfizer also sits on the board of Reuters, so you have that as well.

[IbogaProject]

17. Pfizer killed over 80K w a toxic NAISD

Pfizer killed over 80K w a toxic NAISD in the early naughts. But I'm having trouble finding it within all the pharma propaganda.

Here is the settlement about the marketing money, the story about the tens of thousands if needless deaths is buried.

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-largest-health-care-fraud-settlement-its-history

[panader0]

18. I remember when Cuba sent a large group of doctors and nurses to Africa to fight Ebola.

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-29174923
Lifting the embargoes would help Cuba's economy immensely.

[malaise]

19. They also sent lots of medical folks to Haiti 10 years ago after that horrific earthquake

on Jan 12 2010