Edem Wosornu (OCHA) and Altaf Musani (WHO) on their mission to Cuba - Press Conference

Thanks.
With that, let's go to the screens where I believe we will be able to see our two guests.
there they are.
Edem Wosornu who is the Director of OCHA Crisis Response Division, and seated next to, you'll see Altaf Musani, Director of emergency Health interventions at WHO.
Welcome.
It's good to hear from you.
Please, the floor is yours.
Thank you, Farhan.
I hope you can hear me.
Can you hear me? Yes.
Yes, we can hear you.
Okay.
So greetings, we are actually not in Havana.
We are in Panama and coming back from an intense three day visit to Cuba with Altaf Musani Farhan, as you said, the Global Director of the World Health Organization, who worked together with the emergency regional director, Ciro Ugarte also from the Pan American Health Organization.
We spent 3, 4 days in Havana and other locations in the country.
Let me start by first thanking the UN resident coordinator, Francisco Pichon, the UN agencies funds and programs, the UN agency setup, and the NGOs on the ground for the work they're doing in support of the government in the country.
Cuba faces an increasingly complex situation with a humanitarian impact, and that is why we were there well beyond the traditional natural disaster response, which, again, we are familiar with.
We've heard us talk about Hurricane Melissa, Hurricane Rafael, Oscar, etc.
But this cumulative impacts of climate shocks, hurricane drought, economic contraction, and prolonged energy shortages due to measures placed on the country is turning in slow burner mode, what we once what we're once short term needs into a sustained multifaceted emergency undermining essential services.
In Cuba, I was inspired by the resilience of the people.
I always say this to you press that it's the people who are determined to survive no matter what.
And I saw it in Central Africa republic, as I told you last week and I also saw it in Havana, Eisma and other locations.
I They have had challenges before, but what I was struck by the current mountain struggle they face to meet As to basic services, right? This is a struggle, sharply accelerated by external pressures.
The action plan, the UN action plan highlights some of these issues.
The energy crisis has become an undeliable multiplier of needs access to water, access to food, essential services, including health, and my colleague, Alta, will go into those details is being disrupted.
We saw this firsthand.
Nowhere is a strain more visible than on the health system.
The acute fuel shortages is affecting and restricting the delivery of humanitarian assistance at the same time as needs are rapidly rising.
Predictable efficient and principled access of humanitarian aid is urgent.
That is our priority.
In engagement with the authorities at the highest levels at all levels across ministries, I stressed the need to ensure that our aid operation upholds the principles of humanity neutrality, impartiality and independence.
This is absolutely critical.
We also need logistics support, expedited port clearance, increased internal transport capacity, more data, continuous power supply, to be able to run operations, to be able to do basic monitoring, you need to move across the country.
This is what we do everywhere we go, and this is how the humanitarian response is monitored and tracked.
Only then will we be able to sustain critical services and to prevent further deterioration in the humanitarian situation.
Of course, you know, the hurricane season is upon us, starts in June.
Last year, OCHA supported what we've talked about, Under Secretary-General Tom Fletcher has talked about it anticipatory action here.
He issued $7.5 million so far for Cuba for Hurricane Melissa alone ahead of time he signed $4 million.
What does that do? It helps us to pre position supplies ahead of the crisis, and this was significant in Cuba.
The government has acknowledged this approach, helped save lives, and will continue to advocate for more funding to be able to do so.
We need to strengthen preparedness and secure resources or Cuba will enter seas this season with severely diminished response capacity.
Again, you remember I mentioned before Hurricane Melissa, before the Rafael, before that Oscar, and everything else in between.
The UN's revised plan of action issued in March, initially launched last year to respond to the devastation of Melissa, now adjusted to respond to the impact of the energy crisis.
$94 million is what we're asking for for 2 million people or basically one in every five Cubans.
So far, we have less than 30% of the funds received, 30 million, of which a lot of that is also from the central emergency response funds.
Per Media, Members of the media, I want to share, as always, what I heard from the Cuban people.
I was we were at a maternity clinic in at the Misa.
It's about central west of the country.
We were able to move I've been in a, you know, consolidated transport situation because of the fuel crisis.
I was with the human the resident coordinator and my mission counterparts with other members of the humanitarian community.
Alina was there with her in a maternity clinic there with her daughter, 37 weeks pregnant.
She described how staff have to carry water up the stairs to the rooms on the second floor, given that the water pumps don't work.
I always like to engage the community to get a sense of what it is that they're asking for, what it is that they need.
I also met Damiela whose pregnant granddaughter, gets to eat only rice and beans instead of the nutritious diet she needs to sustain.
This pregnancy, why? Because no transport or vegetables, fruits, meat, And Miriam told me her daughter cannot access simple medicine to treat her anemia.
These women ask for the same things, always, electricity, food, medicine, water, and an end to the crisis to enable them to have to live their lives, to have their daughters deliver safely.
Members of the press force, simple message from my side without enough fuel and more funding, the most vulnerable people, the children, older people, pregnant women will suffer the most.
My call is simple.
Lifesaving aid must reach people quickly and without delays.
I want to emphasize that the longer it takes the weaker and the stronger the vulnerability gets, including fuel for hospitals, essential services.
And again, Alta will get into the health details.
Acting fast and working together is the only way to stop the situation from getting worse.
We can't afford another humanitarian crisis.
We already have a stretched humanitarian situation on the ground across all sectors from getting worse and to protect those most in need in the months ahead.
Farhan, I'll stop here and hand over to Altaf.
Thank you.
Thank you, Edem.
I'll further dive into the health situation.
The Cuban health system remains operational, but it is under severe and sustained pressure.
Shortages as outlined by my colleague of fuel, electricity, medicines, medical supplies are critically disrupting a hospital's ability to function.
This includes emergency care, blood banks, laboratory, immunization programs, maternal and child as well as surgical services.
The human cost as outlined, is already significant and continues to grow.
More than 100,000 patients, including over 11,000 children are waiting for surgeries that have been delayed due to power outages or supply shortages.
Around 5 million people are living with chronic conditions and are currently at risk of interrupting life sustaining treatments, including 16,000 patients requiring radiotherapy and more than 12,000 patients currently undergoing chemotherapy.
Maternal and child health services are particularly effective.
More than 32,000 pregnant women face increased risks due to reduced access to diagnostic services as well as limited transport for obstetric emergencies.
Neonatal care is highly vulnerable as lifesaving equipment depends on stable power supply, which is not currently sustained.
Routine immunization coverage remains high, but is increasingly under pressure to the stability of the cold chain, limitations in transport, and supply disruptions.
The epidemiological situation is also evolving.
There are increased risks of vector borne diseases such as dengue and chicken gunne as well as waterborne and food borne diseases driven by disruptions to power, sanitation, and hygiene systems.
We saw these challenges and the firsthand impact during our mission, particularly at the pediatric hospitals as mentioned by my colleague, which serves eight municipalities in the province.
Inspiring young doctors, nurses were caring for children under difficult conditions.
Children and medical staff often struggle to reach care due to fuel and transport constraints.
Local clinics lack the basic supplies, diagnostic equipment, and reagents which are forcing patients to seek hospital care.
Blackouts in a number of areas are now lasting up to 20 hours.
As a result, shutting down most hospital wards accept intensive care units and emergency services.
Power outages are forcing health facilities to reduce vital services, prioritize urgent care, limit diagnostic and surgery surgical operations.
Fuel shortages are also limiting ambulatory services, referral capacity, and further restricting access to care.
The impact extends well beyond health facilities.
Disruption to electricity and fuel supplies are affecting safe water, food production, disruption to the coal chain, which all require fuel to function.
Despite this, as mentioned by my colleague, healthcare workers continue to demonstrate resilience and commitment.
This was most evident amongst the workforce that we visited in the hospital where health care workers who are also parents are having to make impossible choices.
Our priority is clear, sustain life and essential health services, protect the vulnerable populations, ensure access to energy, and ensure the provision of medicines and medical equipment.
Thank you.
To the press for questions? Yes, Edi.
Thank you very much on behalf of the United Nations Correspondence Association for doing this briefing.
My name is Edith Lettera from the Associated Press.
First, your visit to Havana coincided with the visit of the head of the US Central Intelligence Agency, John Ratcliffe, who met with Raul Castro's grandson, did you have any contact with either of them or know anything about that visit? And secondly, if the failure to allow oil and gas deliveries continues into June and July, what are the implications for Cuba's humanitarian situation and health situation? Thank you.
Thanks a lot.
Edith.
And good to see you from the screen.
My visit did not visit did not coincide with the CI director's visit.
We flew out as they flew in, and our visit was, of course, purely humanitarian.
We did get to engage with the members of the diplomatic community, about 24 ambassadors, including the Chargé d’affaires of the US.
And we did get into the details on response capacity, all member states assuring that the humanitarian situation and to facilitate humanitarian goods flow in the country was of top priority.
The good news is there's clear data or at least assessments or not assessments, but clear analysis is how we came up with our plan of action.
I stressed the importance of our The independence of humanitarian action.
I engaged with the authorities on the need to do data, analytics, needs assessments on the ground, and we have assurances there.
The good news is we did engage, indeed, as I said, with the US Ambassador Hammer and discussed issues around the humanitarian needs on the ground.
Altaf has more details on the fuel and power situation, what he said before.
Thanks, Edem.
Just to stress that the fuel having a direct impact on the public health risk, these are the vector borne and waterborne diseases that are increased at risk.
I mentioned dengue, malaria, and chicken gona.
This is having a direct impact on both patients and providers, healthcare workers needing to access those facilities, limiting transport, our ability to call and identify those women that are at high risk in terms of pregnancy who need immediate attention, and then most importantly, on the health system at large that need to shut it down in essential services.
We've already a illustrated at least 100,000 patients have had delayed surgeries and of the hundred thousand more than 11,000 are children.
So this is already having an impact on health seeking behavior as well as health outcomes.
A quick follow up.
Did you get any indication at all that fuel shipments might resume or at least another big shipment from Russia, which did the only one that I recall recently.
Thank you, Ed.
We keep pushing for fuel into the country, of course, for our purposes, if I may stress, for the humanitarian assistance delivery, without our ability to move in country, we cannot even monitor our assistance.
We're trying to do that within the limitations.
This is the first it's good.
We were able to pool resources and hire a big van, minivan to put all of us and our teams into the van to travel across the country to be able to see firsthand the communities who are affected.
But of course, we need this is not sustainable, and we need to ensure that when the fuel comes in, we can also use some of that for the humanitarian purposes.
There are ongoing discussions with different member states to be able to get this done.
And from our end, we are also from the UN side, there are ongoing conversations and discussions to ensure that fuel comes in for definitely for the purposes of humanitarian aid delivery in the country.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you for the briefing.
I'm Evelyn Leopold from the DGA Marshall Fund for Journalists.
I'm going to ask the obvious.
There is an embargo that is imposed on Cuba by the United States year after year after year.
And is what you're doing there considered a violation of that embargo? Miss Leo, thanks a lot.
We are in touch with the member states, including, as I said, with the US in New York, in different parts.
Our Secretary-General is engaged at the highest levels.
It is clear that humanitarian goods and humanitarian assistance is not part of that.
We have back and forth conversations in this regard.
The reason we've been able to secure at least 30% funding for the plan of action, which is humanitarian is because we are allowed to do humanitarian assistance in the country.
So it's open transparent conversations with all member states on this regard.
And we have good assurances that we're able to continue the work that we do.
That's what I can say.
Thank you, miss Left.
Thank you for debriefing.
My name is Abdul Hamid.
I'm from the Arabi Daily Al Kutsal Abi.
First, if you can share with us some of those countries contributing to the funds to help Cuba.
Which countries and in particular OAS countries, are they helping their brothers in Cuba? My second question maybe has some political angle.
But don't you see that 10 million Cubans are under embargo and that is collective punishment, which is violation of international law.
In your briefing, you said, These measures imposed on Cuba, but you avoided saying who is putting those measures in place.
Thank you.
Thank you, Abduhamis.
Again, you've heard me many times in these briefings ensuring the strict deviation of our humanitarian mandate.
That is why I went to Cuba.
UN has many, many hats.
My hat is strictly humanitarian.
Thank you so much for asking the question on which Member States have funded the appeal.
I'd like to stress the transparent nature of our documents.
They are all online.
The EU, Spain, Canada, Qatar, the Central Emergency Response Fund, our Fund for all by all, a key instrument by UN Secretary-General and the ERC, ensuring that assistance gets to people as quickly as possible.
$7.5 million from the SRF already given to Cuba is an example of how we focus on the needs of populations on the ground.
And here, let me flip it and call on all donors and member states to assist.
You talked about assistance also coming from the region.
Indeed, I was able to engage with that we will be able to engage with the Mexicans, the Brazilians in country as well, the diplomatic corps and their conversations.
There is South South cooperation, there is assistance coming through the different channels.
But I really want to take this opportunity to highlight the fact that this UN plan of action, which has been discussed, is a transparent mechanism to be able to look at what is going in through what we need from the health side, water sanitation, food, security, the energy, fuel, everything that we need is in that plan.
It's not a lot, $94 million for 2 million people.
The good news, we've gotten some.
The bad news is a $60 million gap.
So here, let me take this platform to call on funding for this appeal as soon as possible and to reinforce the fact that the June hurricane season is upon us and the vulnerabilities will continue to get worse if assistance is not delivered now.
Thank you.
Can I have a follow up? I just have a short follow up.
Venezuela used to supply Cuba with lots of its fuel.
Now, do you confirm that that stopped completely and who was responsible for ordering Venezuela to end its fuel supplies to Cuba? Can you share any information with us about that? Abdul, thank you.
Look, I will be very honest.
Our response efforts are focused on people and need.
I will not get into discussions on things that are already available in the media, our conversations with the members of the diplomatic corps, the government at the highest levels across ministries, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Trade, which is the UN's counterpart, our conversations with the NGOs, our conversations with local partners who are on the ground delivering and supporting was about how do we ensure the advocacy, including using this platform to highlight the needs on the ground.
The politics, I dare say, as humanitarians, it's important to draw a line where we stress impartiality, independence, humanity, and neutrality of humanitarian action.
But the balance is important.
The politics we leave out, we leave it to others.
The important thing is, as I said before, fuel conversations around fuel and getting fuel into the country continues.
You've seen the tweets back and forth.
We are avoiding all of that.
We're focusing on how best to engage and ensure that we get much needed fuel through the human channels to be able to deliver humanitarian assistance on the ground.
Thank you.
Stephanie, are you there? Oh, sorry, I didn't hear you.
Yes.
Well, in part, something was answered, but I tried to follow up anyway.
It's about what was asked about the US embargo.
Well, This is for, you know, for how journalists have to explain the situation in Cuba.
There is one side that said it's all the faults of the United States because if there was no embargo, this situation will not be there.
And then there is like Ambassador Waltz, for example, a few days ago, I asked him the specific question and he said it was all fake news because US doesn't do that kind of a humanitarian embargo at all, and actually was he suggested that he said that there were ships leaving from New Orleans and Florida with the medicine for Cuba.
Now, I don't want you to take a political side here, but I would like to explain exactly, if you can, who is responsible for what's happening now in Cuba? And you say, Well, we don't want to get in politics, but I ask you because if you are there in the field.
If we know who is responsible and the public knows, maybe we can fix the problem better.
Thank you, sir.
I didn't catch your name because the line was cut, but I caught your question and the answer is going to be I am asking as a humanitarian crisis response director who went into the country, I'm asking for from my side, from our perspective, the focus should be on the people.
The focus should be on getting assistance to them through the plan, which is hyper prioritized, the 94 million that we need across different sectors.
My job is not to hold court on responsibilities and accountabilities.
My job is to focus on highlighting the needs on the ground and the way we can get assistance in I'll give you an example of what I'm talking about.
The colleagues on the ground who are working tirelessly under the leadership of the resident coordinator are working with the response that they get, are working with the funding that they get.
We can through Farhan, the deputy spokesperson, where we stand right now.
It's available also on financial tracking system, where we stand right now on the how much we've received and what we've been able to do What I also do know is when you are on the ground and you're speaking to people and they're asking for what is in our plan saying that they need assistance to food and water and shelter, water and health facilities, et cetera, it is our duty, myself and my colleague from WHO, to ensure that we are passing these messages as well.
That's what I can say.
Thank you very much.
Thanks.
And Stefano, I'd also like to add the Secretary-General has spoken out very recently about the situation in Cuba.
You should look at what he said in his press encounter in Kenya earlier this week.
It's on our website.
Question from ED.
Just a quick follow up.
Who was the highest ranking Cuban officials that you met with? Thank you, ED.
We met with the president of Cuba, the Deputy Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cuba, the Deputy Vice Minister for Trade, which is the UN counterpart, and the Minister of Health.
Thanks.
Thanks.
General for Civil Defense, which of course, sorry Farhan, which is of course, our counterpart when it comes to International Search and Rescue Advisory Group, the United Nations Disaster Assessment Coordination team.
I met the General and his full complement of Civil Defense as well.
Thanks a lot.
Okay.
I don't see any further questions, so I will free my guests up.
Thanks again to Edem Wosornu and Altaf Musani for their presentations.
As they said, they're speaking to you from Panama following the visit to Cuba.
Thanks very much and best of luck on your work.
Thanks.
Bye.
Have a good afternoon.