Russia and Cuba have many touch points in the development of pharmaceutical industry. The General Director of the ARPM, Viktor Dmitriev, who participated in the 14th International Fair «Health for All» in Havana as a part of the international forum «Cuba – Health», spoke about that.
The event is held with support of the Healthcare Ministries of the Russian Federation and Cuba, the Embassies of Cuba in Russia and Russian one in Cuba, as well as the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation and Cuba. The main goal of the forum is the development of Russian-Cuban collaboration in medicine, pharmaceutical industry and biotechnology, the presentation of opportunities for industry companies and the establishment of interaction between universities, research institutes and technology parks in Russia and Cuba.
Viktor Dmitriev noted that Cuban developments in the pharmaceutical field are used in Russia. «Russia can benefit from the Cuban experience of integrating biotechnological enterprises into a single structure of healthcare system. At the same time, the Cuban side takes an interest in the cooperative development and production of medicines, the purchase of Russian medicines, as well as sending of medical specialists to the Russian Federation to upgrade qualifications». Presenting the achievements and opportunities of the Russian pharmaceutical industry, the General Director of the ARPM, Viktor Dmitriev spoke about the activities of the Association aimed at increasing the competitiveness of the industry and integrating the domestic pharmaceutical industry into the global market while increasing the production and financial potentials of enterprises.
It should be mentioned that in the 1960s and 1980s Soviet-Cuban relations were developing at a swift rate. With the help of the USSR over 180 enterprises and industrial infrastructure were built on the island, the development of economic basis, the sugar and chemical industry, the production of nickel and railway transport were established. Last year we managed to overcome the decline in bilateral trade over the last six years. The volume of trade has increased by 82% up to $248 million.
During the visit to Havana the delegation of the Russian Healthcare Ministry held talks with the Deputy Healthcare Minister of Cuba, Marcia Kobas, and visited several medical scientific institutions, including the Center of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology and the Center of Molecular Immunology.