Supplies will benefit 90,000 people, with a focus on children, adolescents, and pregnant women
UNICEF
Havana, 31 October 2025. – As part of the immediate response following Hurricane Melissa’s passage through eastern Cuba, a shipment of essential medical supplies procured by UNICEF Cuba will arrive in the country by air this Saturday, 1 November. The supplies are intended to strengthen the capacity of the national health system and improve the quality of care for children, adolescents, and families affected by the emergency.
The supplies were procured in coordination with the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP), based on needs identified in the provinces of Guantánamo, Santiago de Cuba, Granma, and Holguín, with a priority focus on maternal and child health services at the primary and secondary levels of care. In total, the supplies are expected to reach approximately 90,000 people, with particular attention to children, adolescents, and pregnant women.
The shipment includes 69 medical care kits containing critical medicines (such as antibiotics, antihypertensives, and other essential drugs), medical equipment (stethoscopes, scales, sphygmomanometers, and other instruments), and consumable materials (syringes, needles, gloves, and cannulas, among others).
Additionally, the cargo includes 8,220 mosquito nets and oral rehydration salts, essential for preventing vector-borne diseases and treating childhood dehydration.
“Continuity of health services is essential to reduce post-emergency risks. This shipment contributes to disease prevention while ensuring that hospitals and polyclinics have the necessary resources to protect the lives and well-being of families,” said Alejandra Trossero, UNICEF Representative in Cuba.
Since Hurricane Melissa posed a threat to Cuba, UNICEF has worked alongside national and local authorities to channel a rapid and effective multisectoral response based on identified damages. This includes support to the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), education, health, nutrition, and child protection sectors.
As part of its support for the response to Hurricane Melissa’s impact, UNICEF has made available prepositioned supplies in the country, including 1,300 family hygiene kits stored in Las Tunas —with the capacity to benefit 6,500 people in evacuation centers—, 213 recreation kits for more than 21,000 children and adolescents, 80 school supply kits, 209 early childhood kits, 1,900 roofing sheets, and 5,000 m² of waterproofing roof blankets for the rehabilitation of educational spaces, as well as three portable water purification plants to ensure access to safe water in vulnerable communities.
The transportation and distribution of supplies to the eastern provinces will be carried out in coordination with the Ministry of Public Health, ensuring delivery to the institutions with the greatest needs.
This support reaffirms UNICEF’s commitment to immediate response, early recovery, and strengthening the resilience of Cuba’s health system, contributing to ensure that every child and adolescent grows up healthy and protected, even in emergency contexts.
