HAVANA, June 16, 2023 — The Juan Manuel Márquez Pediatric Hospital in Havana uses a specialized cabinet to sterilize medicines for its Oncology ward. But the cabinet’s ultraviolet light burned out. The unjust “State Sponsor of Terrorism (SSoT)” designation, which puts severe restrictions on Cuba’s ability to conduct financial transactions abroad, prevents them from obtaining necessary replacement parts.
The Hatuey Project was happy to be able to step in and meet this vital need. After the new UV lights were procured, Gloria La Riva, coordinator of The Hatuey Project, delivered them to the hospital in June, and was able to meet with the doctors and nurses as their equipment was restored to functionality. The beautiful glow of the UV put a smile on everyone’s faces. This was possible with the donations of supporters to Hatuey.
The U.S. blockade, together with the SSoT designation, is devastating the Cuban economy. It hurts all Cubans indiscriminately — children with leukemia and other cancers are not spared. We demand that the U.S. eliminate this completely unwarranted designation. In the meantime, we will do our best to mitigate the effects of U.S. policies. Join our Hatuey Project!