From 2 to 6 October 2017, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Copenhagen hosted the Vaccine Acquisition Professionals Exchange Forum and the UNICEF Annual Consultation with the Global Vaccine Industry, respectively. Cuba was present in both appointments, represented by MsC Danev Ricardo Pérez Valerino, Head of International Relations of the Finlay Institute of Vaccines, belonging to the BioCubaFarma Business Group.
In this highly complex scenario, Pérez Valerino transmitted the strategy of the Cuban vaccine industry, focused on the daily work for the continuous improvement of the Health System in the Island through the research, development, production and marketing of various products of high impact and quality, many of them exportable to several countries of the world. Cuba's invitation to participate in these important meetings is indeed an acknowledgement of the efforts made by the Cuban government for decades, which has allowed it to achieve high health indicators. These advances have contributed to the research and scientific results achieved by the Caribbean nation in this area, allowing the country to export medicines and vaccines through the marketing companies of the national biopharmaceutical industry.
Both events were convened by the UNICEF Supply Division, with the main objective of promoting the exchange between UNICEF, the Ministries of Health of the different countries which request vaccines for their Expanded Program of Immunization and in Emergency situations, with the producing companies and international organizations working on the global distribution and control of these products, in order to identify new mechanisms to increase the supply of vaccines to the largest number of inhabitants on the planet.