La OPS contribuye con suministros médicos esenciales en la respuesta y recuperación tras huracán Oscar en Cuba – OPS/OMS

Havana, November 13, 2024 (PAHO) – In collaboration with other United Nations agencies, funds and programs, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) has joined the response and recovery efforts after the serious effects caused by Hurricane Oscar in Guantánamo, Cuba.

On two of four flights funded by the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Office (ECHO), more than four tonnes of supplies will arrive to provide basic medical and trauma care, as well as personal protective equipment, for the most vulnerable areas. . affected.

The first flight arrived on November 10 in Santiago de Cuba, transporting emergency health kits (IEHK 2017) that will serve approximately 20,000 people for a period of three months. These kits include essential medications, disposable supplies and personal protective equipment such as face shields and surgical gloves. Among the drugs are anesthetics, analgesics, anti-allergy, anticonvulsants, antiseptics, medications for respiratory conditions and vitamins, among others.

Additionally, in the first shipment, 28 backpacks equipped for the treatment of trauma patients will be sent, along with 32 rolls of resistant and waterproof tarps, useful for field work and to protect supplies in warehouses.

On Wednesday, November 13, the fourth and final flight is expected to arrive, which will carry a kit (NCDK 2016) with medications to treat non-communicable diseases, such as hypertension, heart conditions and type 2 diabetes. Other essential drugs, disposable materials are also included. . and equipment to offer primary care to around 10,000 people for three months.

These shipments are part of the Action Plan of the United Nations System in Cuba and the health supplies come from the Jerónimo Venegas Regional Strategic Reserve of PAHO, located in one of the warehouses of the United Nations Depot Network for Humanitarian Responses . in Panama. This reserve is a key mechanism, which facilitates the rapid and efficient delivery of medical supplies and other items necessary for responses to health emergencies or disasters in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Hurricane Oscar left eight dead and several injured. More than 40 health institutions were damaged and damage to infrastructure, such as water supply systems, has increased the risks of disease outbreaks. The situation has become more complex due to the recent impacts of Hurricane Rafael in the western part of the country, as well as the earthquakes in the east and the ongoing energy crisis.

PAHO/WHO is part of a broader effort by the United Nations System and the European Union to support the recovery in Cuba after Oscar. In addition to medical supplies, the shipments include a wide range of essential materials, such as water storage tanks, hygiene kits, tools and protective equipment, which will contribute to improving living conditions, water, sanitation and hygiene in the areas . most affected. These joint efforts, involving agencies such as UNHCR, UNDP, UNICEF and the European Union, are intended to address the urgent needs of approximately half a million people in Guantánamo province.

PAHO/WHO continues to work jointly with national authorities and the Cuban Ministry of Public Health to guarantee timely and coordinated technical cooperation, in line with the priorities established by the Cuban government.