CUBA, November 22, 2010.- Nila Heredia, Bolivia’s Minister of Health and Sports, took an interest on Monday in Cuban biotechnology products, in order to increase health indicators in that Andean nation. After concluding her visit to Havana’s Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB), Heredia told ACN about her country’s need to obtain vaccines and medicaments to counteract transmissible diseases like Hepatitis B, influenza, leptospirosis and dengue. The Minister highlighted the island’s results in this field, which contribute to eliminate diseases that are still present in her country and that above all decimate the poorest sectors of the society. In the presence of Jose Miyar Barrueco, Cuba’s Minister of Science, Technology and the Environment, Heredia expressed her intention of purchasing Heberprot-P as well, a medicament to treat diabetic foot ulcers, which have high risk of amputation. Manuel Raices, deputy director for research of the CIGB, pointed out that this scientific institution has 171 registrations of 14 products in 57 nations and has established technological cooperation with Brazil, Venezuela, Algeria, South Africa, China, Viet Nam, Iran and India, among others. He added that although no Cuban product is so far registered in Bolivia, the CIGB is working on the proposal of a comprehensive program in that South American nation to treat diabetic foot ulcers, as well as on the certification of Heberprot-P and a vaccine against five diseases. Dr. Raices mentioned other projects now being developed, like therapeutic vaccines against different types of cancer, Hepatitis B, the Human Papilloma virus and a preventive inoculation against Hepatitis C. (Cubaminrex-Cuban News Agency)
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