tl;dr highlights (516 words):
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Last week, the Cuban Center for Molecular Immunology (CIM) announced a major health breakthrough with VAXIRA, a vaccine treatment for lung cancer. This is a remarkable achievement, made only more impressive by the fact this is Cuba’s second lung cancer vaccine.
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In 1962, the polio campaign launched through mobilizing 100,000 members of newly founded revolutionary committees to conduct a population census and vaccinate all children. Within months, polio was eradicated in Cuba making it one of the first countries in the world to do so.
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Its vaccination programs have eradicated diseases that continue to cause death and suffering around the world including diphtheria in 1979, measles in 1993, whooping cough in 1994, and rubella in 1995.
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In 1981, Cuba opened the Biological Research Center, despite the blockade stopping entry of equipment, materials, access to research journals, and medicines. [...] Cuba produced the world’s first human vaccine to contain a synthetic antigen, for Haemophilus influenzae type B.
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In 1989, Cuba produced the world’s first Meningitis B vaccine during a severe breakout of the disease in the country. This was the first ever vaccine produced to protect against Meningitis B and was exported to protect people in countries across Latin America.
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As the US blockade made it virtually impossible and far too expensive to import the [Hepatitis B] vaccine [in 1990], Cuba produced their own and eliminated Hepatitis B under 15.
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In 2006, Cuba developed Heberprot-P, the only medicine in the world to reduce the amputation rate of patients with diabetic foot ulcers by 75%. Within 10 years, it was used in 23 countries. It has treated more than 400,000 people with foot ulcers.
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In 2011, Cuba developed CIMAvax, which remains the world’s only approved lung cancer vaccine. This vaccine works to induce the immune system to stop the growth of cancer cells to slow the progression of a tumors. This vaccine has already treated more than 5,000 people across the world and many more thousands in Cuba itself.
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By 2015, Cuba became the first country in the world to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis. [...] This world historical achievement came as a result of Cuba’s universal health system that integrated maternal and child health programs with HIV and STI treatment.
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During the COVID-19 pandemic, Cuba produced five vaccines: Ablada, Soberana 01, Soberana 02, Soberana Plus, and Mambisa. Cuba had one of the lowest COVID deaths in the Western Hemisphere - and by 2021, Cuba’s fatality rate was just 0.59% compared to the 2.2% worldwide average. [...] By 2023, Cuba had the third highest rate of vaccinations per 100,000 people.
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Cuba has restored the eyesight for more than four million people with its joint program with Venezuela, Operation Miracle.
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They have sent more than 600,000 health workers on medical missions to 160 countries in response to pandemics, epidemics, natural disasters, and other crises where no other country would act.
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They have and continue to train doctors from the Global South for free so they go back to their home countries to practice medicine.