Support The Hatuey Project’s new campaign to provide medicines for Cuban children with leukemia and lymphoma
Conditions in Cuba have become increasingly difficult over the past few months. Sixty years of an inhumane blockade and an additional two years of being falsely listed as a State Sponsor of Terror by the US State Department has resulted in recent shortages of food, fuel, and essential medicines.
Did you know that the 5-year survival rate of childhood leukemia is over 90% with the right medications? Organizers of the Hatuey Project met with Cuban doctors and nurses at Juan Manuel Márquez Pediatric Hospital in Havana, at the José Luis Miranda Pediatric Hospital in Santa Clara, and with the Institute of Hematology and Immunology in Havana, where they learned that doctors have been unable to purchase much-needed medications and materials.
Despite the incredible medical advances made by the Cuban medical system, the United States Blockade prevents doctors from accessing basic, life-saving medications for children.
Dr. José Valdez, the director of the oncology department at Juan Manuel Márquez Pediatric Hospital said, “In Cuba, there are medications we have to buy from third countries because of the blockade restrictions… we have to seek another country often far away. It is cumbersome and costs much more with shipping and time.”
“This means that sometimes we do not have the ideal or indicated medications for the specific illness of the child. We use an alternative, which does not give the same result. It is the children that pay the price for this needless policy.”
While we continue to fight to end the US Blockade against Cuba and to remove Cuba from the State Sponsors of Terrorism List, the people of the United States can stand in solidarity with the Cuban people through material support.
Please click here to make a donation to The Hatuey Project. All proceeds go to the material aid. Every donation to Hatuey is tax-deductible, through our fiscal sponsor, The Alliance for Global Justice.
On behalf of The Hatuey Project, we thank you.
Gloria La Riva, coordinator, Hatuey Project
Nadia Marsh, MD, Assoc. Prof. of Clinical Medicine
Simon Ma, MD, MPH, Family Medicine
Rachel Viqueira, MHS, Epidemiologist
Brian Becker, Executive Director, ANSWER Coalition
About the Hatuey Project
We are health providers and social justice activists concerned about the harmful effects of the U.S. economic blockade of Cuba. We have inaugurated this medical aid project to extend solidarity to the Cuban people, with the procurement of vital medicines and medical equipment.
Cuba has already shown that its remarkable health care and scientific/biotech systems are fully capable of serving the 11+ million people on the island, providing excellent quality, universal and free care to everyone. But more than 240 measures by the Trump administration that turned the screws even further on Cuba’s people — in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic — have created a truly difficult situation for the people. We have already taken part in direct delivery of vital medicines over the last year, and we aim to do much more.
We invite you to join in our project in any way you can: With your monetary contribution, as well as helping procure major donations from pharmaceuticals and other medical providers. We are fully volunteer; all of the donations we receive will go strictly to acquire medical aid. Shipping costs will be held to the utmost minimum. The Hatuey Project is fiscally sponsored by the Alliance For Global Justice, so all donations are tax-deductible. Join our effort today!
In July, our project delivered much-needed vitamins & medicines to 133 homes in Cuba for pregnant women who are at risk.
In August, we delivered almost $20,000 worth of medical supplies to aid the burn victims of the tragic fire at the oil depot in Matanzas. Click here to read more.
The U.S. Blockade has created many challenges for the people of Cuba. Read the UN Report