Havana, August 4 (RHC)-- Cuban health authorities announced that the Caribbean nation would produce some injectable antibiotics in high demand at Intensive Care Units (ICUs) to save on their high price.

The list includes drugs such as Meropenem, Rocephin, and Cefotaxime, essential antibiotics for hospital use "with a broad spectrum of treatment for bacterial infections, pneumonia, and meningitis," according to the state-owned Empresa Farmacéutica 8 de Marzo.

Several drugs will be produced in Cuba "once the injectable cephalosporins plant, scheduled to be completed by the end of this year, is put into operation."

The facility will be "the only producer of this type of antibiotic in the country, and 90% of the equipment to be used is already in Cuba," said to local authorities.

Importing these drugs means a yearly disbursement of between US$ 7 and 8 million. Empresa Farmacéutica 8 de Marzo already has two plants nationwide that can handle the new line of products, it was reported.

BioCubafarma Group CEO Eduardo Martínez told a national parliamentary committee that they were working "intensively to solve the numerous drug shortages" in the country.

Among the leading causes for shortages of this kind of medication is the unavailability of raw materials resulting from the US blockade,  coupled with plant stoppages due to maintenance work.