Mr. President,
First and foremost, I would like to thank you and the Director-General of WHO for holding this meeting, the relevance of which is shown by the fact that almost half of the world's population does not have access to basic health care services.
This reality is a consequence of the unjust international order, and of capitalism as a system, which considers health care as a commodity and not as a right. According to philosophy, capitalism is contrary to universal health coverage, because it would mean greater responsibilities and public expenditures for States, and therefore, less space and profit for those who get rich at the expense of the health of others.
In a world driven by selfish interests such as these, the current alarming situation of universal health coverage can only be reversed through the political will and concerted action of the international community; and if the right to health for all is promoted, protected and guaranteed. It is essential to strengthen national health care systems, especially primary health care.
The Cuban experience shows that, when there is sufficient political will, it is possible to build a single, public, free and accessible health care system for 100% of the population.
At the end of 2018, Cuba had a life expectancy of 78.45 years and an infant mortality rate of 4.0 per thousand live births. The immunization level was 98%, with 14 eradicated infectious diseases, nine that did not constitute a health issue and 29 controlled communicable diseases. The indicators that certified Cuba as the first country to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV and congenital syphilis were maintained.
In order to obtain these results, we have not only faced the challenges imposed on us by our status as a small developing country, but also the impact of the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States for almost 60 years, which is now being tightened.
The blockade is the main obstacle to our development and the only current limiting factor to achieve even more effective results in the field of health care. It is a flagrant, massive and systematic violation of the human rights of all our people. Health care is one of the sectors on which this genocidal American policy has the greatest impact.
And if that were not enough, the U.S. government is now attacking Cuban medical cooperation programs with developing countries, with the objective of discrediting and sabotaging them. These programs, based on ethical and humanist principles, are an example of South-South cooperation, and have helped many countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia to improve health coverage and provide quality health care in hard-to-reach areas.
By attacking these programs, the United States is not only attacking Cuba, it is undermining the real possibilities of many developing countries to achieve universal health coverage, fulfill the human right to health, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Access to health is a human right and the United States commits a crime by aiming to limit it.
The United States is wrong to think that it will be able to eliminate these programs, and with it, Cuba's solidarity. On the contrary, our country will continue to give its strong support, at the price of not a few sacrifices for our people, to those countries of the South that need it.
We will also continue to strengthen our long tradition of cooperation and exchange with WHO and PAHO, aware that quality health care services for all, everywhere, is a fundamental condition for achieving development.
Thank you very much.