One of the main factors behind the shortage of medicines suffered by Cuba today is the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed and intensified by the U.S. government.
The president of the business group BioCubafarma, Eduardo Martínez explained that in the case of financing for raw materials, although we have the money, there are problems in the payment to suppliers, due to the refusal of the banks to work with Cuba.
This attitude is due to the blockade, a unilateral policy of the United States, said Martínez, quoted by Granma newspaper.
The unavailability of raw materials and supplies necessary for production accounts for 95 percent of the medicine shortages this year.
The remaining five percent is related to stoppages in production plants, due to breakage or maintenance, the executive said.
Washington does everything it can to prevent foreign currency from entering the country, and if we do not have that income, it is impossible to acquire raw materials and our factories cannot produce.
At present, of the more than 1,000 medicines produced by BioCubaFarma, some 795 are destined for the national health system, and 383 are included in the basic list of Cuban pharmacies.