New York, October 24, 2017. The economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States against Cuba had a significant impact on Cuba´s foreign trade between April 2016 and April 2017, causing an estimate of 3,524,993,996.32 dollars in damage.
As in previous years, the most affected indicator was income from exports of goods and services, which accounted for 83.6% of total damages. During that period, there was also an increase of 42% in the cost of financing received due to country risk. Numerous examples show how this policy has a negative impact on the development of the Cuban economy.
The Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB) has developed product Heberprot-P, a unique medicine worldwide in the therapy of severe diabetic foot ulcer (DFU). This drug has benefited more than 230,000 patients worldwide and has obtained 21 health records and more than 30 patents have been granted.
Statistics show that the prevalence of diabetes in the United States is 9.3%, which is equivalent to about 29.2 million people. According to US sources, 3.5% of them develop DFUs, which represents more than one million people each year. Of these, 204 296 could develop complex DFUs. If Heberprot-P were exported to benefit only 5% of US citizens who develop a complex DFU per year, this would help to significantly reduce the over 70,000 amputations carried out annually in the United States in diabetic patients. The biotechnology industry in Cuba could also receive revenues of about 122 million dollars a year.
CIGB also developed the GAVAC Immunogen, an alternative for tick control, which is particularly intended for several species of the genus Rhipicephalus. In the year 2012, GAVAC was assessed by USDA ARS Center for Tick Research Laboratory, and the efficacy outcome for tick control was 99.9%. Using GAVAC, a completely ecological vaccine, would reduce the occurrence of diseases transmitted by this parasite. Without the blockade, Cuba would be able to supply this product to the United States, in particular to the cattle-raising areas of Texas and Baja California, where the damages caused by this parasite are calculated at around 100 million dollars every year. This would generate profits of 2.250 million dollars for Cuba and lead to improvements in this sector in the USA.
In like manner, American citizens have limited access to Cuban products of excellence that are highly effective for the treatment of vitiligo, psoriasis and alopecia, produced by the Placental Histotherapy Center, such as Melagenina Plus, Coriodermina and Lotion Piloactiva.
Another sensitive economic line in Cuba is agriculture, in which losses of around 228,680,000 dollars were registered between April 2016 and April 2017, caused by the impossibility to export Cuban goods and services to the US market. These millionaire resources could have been destined to develop this important sector.
Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations.