CUBA TO BUILD MORE MOLECULAR BIOLOGY LABS

The Cuban Ministry of Public Health is currently expanding the molecular biology laboratory network with the construction of facilities in Matanzas, Ciego de Avila and Holguin provinces and Isla de la Juventud special municipality.

Dr. Katia Ochoa, health director in Holguin, Cuba told Prensa Latina on August 21, 2020 (August 22, 2020 in Manila) that the province will have independence in performing PCR tests in real-time to detect the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. Currently, the analysis of such tests has to be undertaken in Santiago de Cuba and Havana's Pedro Kouri Tropical Medicine Institute.

Ochoa highlighted Cuba's efforts in the construction of these facilities in a context characterized by an aggressive blockad

e imposed by the US government, which hinders and prevents access to medicines, medical resources and technologies.

Cuba currently has Molecular Biology Laboratories in Havana, Villa Clara in Central Cuba and and Santiago de Cuba in Eastern Cuba.