Health and innovation stand out on Cuban Flag Day

On the anniversary, Dr. Elba Rosa Pérez Montoya, Minister of Science, Technology and Environment (Citma), highlighted the work of the sector over the past year to keep pace with the new administration of the government and the granting of the national workplace. for the province of Havana.

This decision responds to the fact that the territory has the largest number of CTI (science, technology and innovation) entities in the country with 86 research centers, 34 innovation development units, 15 scientific-technological service centers, six high-tech companies, five of which belong to BioCubaFarma.

It also has a qualified staff of 18,945 professionals, including 3,668 researchers, 1,301 Doctors of Science, 4,387 Masters of Science, and a scientific reserve of 774 experts.

Among its key findings in 2021, the Cuban capital hosted the development, expansion and production of sovereign immunosuppressants, designed by the Finlay Vaccine Institute, and the Mambesa vaccine candidate, from the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology.

A nanotechnology-based system for PCR diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 was implemented, which allowed the analysis of more than 20,000 daily tests in the Molecular Biology Laboratory network and the re-positioning of the humanized monoclonal antibody Nimotuzumab for patients with Covid-19. 19, among others.

As part of the celebrations of Cuban Science Day, a modern astronomical observatory was opened the day before, as a result of a cooperation agreement between the Institute of Geophysics and Astronomy (Iga) of Citma with the Institute of Applied Astronomy and the Institute of Astronomy of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

This facility, located at the headquarters of Iga, contains a Russian long-range robotic telescope with a diameter of 20 cm, equipped with computerized systems capable of taking high-quality images, detailed by the Caribbean State Corporation.

This tool will make it possible to perform a variety of observations of cosmic objects, track so-called space debris and enhance the outer space observation system.

The Cuban Flag Day was held on January 15, 1990 to mark the thirtieth anniversary of the historical leader of the revolution Fidel Castro, emphasizing: “The future of our country must necessarily be the future of men of science, the future of men of thought.”

msm / nmr