Havana, October 15 (RHC-PL) -- Cuba's Pharmaceutical and Biotechnological Industries Group (BioCubaFarma) is seeking for more evaluated suppliers, in order to acquire the necessary materials to produce medicines. Bárbara Olivera, head of BioCubaFarma operations department, explained that this is something complicated, since these elements must undergo a thorough verification process based on the current regulations.

She added that the Group -- which includes 15 production companies and others aimed at services imports and exports, as well as product marketing -- is carrying out a large investment process and intends to improve the equipment in the long term.

Olivera recalled that during the first semester of the year there had been a shortfall in the production of about 60 basic medicines due to the productions backlog from 2014 and the shortage of supplies at the beginning of the year. One of the most affected lines of production were cytostatic medicines, since we also faced the breakdown of the only plant in the country to produce these drugs and we had to urgently recur to the international market to procure the medicine, said Olivera, quoted by Cubadebate.

According to Cubadebate, drug distribution in the country will stabilize during the year's last quarters as the country has now the necessary supplies to provide medicines to the population.