Participants at the signing ceremony between Cuba and Japan. Japan Embassy Photo

Havana, September 17 (RHC)-- Cuba and Japan signed on Wednesday in this capital a humanitarian financial assistance treaty that will allow this Caribbean island to acquire medical equipment to face the Covid-19.

The aid of 500 million Japanese yens (approximately 4.7 million US dollars), non-refundable, is destined to the purchase of ultrasound, X-ray, and suction devices, which will be distributed in emergency services of hospitals and polyclinics throughout the Cuban territory.

This is the first international agreement that this Asian country has signed under the new government of Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide, and it shows the interest of both nations in maintaining and strengthening bilateral ties.

According to Japan's ambassador to Cuba, Fujimura Kazuhiro, this Program for Strengthening the Cuban Health System is a step forward in the bilateral ties, and demonstrates his nation n's interest in contributing to international actions to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.

He noted that his country's government will continue to collaborate with Cuba and other members of the international community in efforts to overcome the global health crisis caused by this pandemic as soon as possible.

Deborah Rivas, Vice Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, informed that the medical equipment will arrive to Cuba in the first quarter of next year and will strengthen the health system and the control measures of infectious diseases in the country.