Friday, July 16, 2004

Looks like the BBC listened to my gripes the other day :)

BBC News - Havana, Cuba
Cuba to help Caribbean fight Aids
The Cuban government has offered to train nurses and doctors throughout the Caribbean as part of the region's fight against Aids.  Cuba also says it will provide anti-retroviral drugs to its neighbours at well below market prices. 
 
The offer has been enthusiastically accepted by representatives of Caricom - the Caribbean regional grouping that has been meeting in Havana.  Only sub-Saharan Africa has higher HIV infection rates than the Caribbean.  But Cuba, the region's largest island, has largely escaped the disease.  It has one of the world's very lowest infection rates. That is for a combination of reasons.... (click link above for the rest). 
 
By the way, Cuba has one of the most visible gay populaitons anywhere in the world.... if anyone is thinking about the great but misleading Before Night Falls situation (repression) going on. This was a hold-over from the machismo of the Batista days and something Castro never supported.
 
US Allows the Licensing of Promising Cuban Cancer Drugs
California biotechnology company has received U.S. government permission to complete the development of three experimental cancer drugs created in Cuba.

The CancerVax Corporation made the announcement Thursday, saying the U.S. Treasury Department has granted permission to licence the drugs and begin conducting tests.
The drugs are intended to block the growth of certain cancerous tumors by inhibiting a protein associated with their development. Patients with lung, breast and colon cancer could benefit from the treatment.

U.S. officials approved the arrangement despite a long-standing U.S. trade embargo against Cuba.
 
(Cuba has developed the cure for Menengitis B and its work on cancer and AIDS are some of the most promising in the world. If Cuba were to develop some sort of wonder drug before the US, this would be one of the best things for humanity the world has ever witnessed.... low prices.)
 

 

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