Vaccine Developers Declared As 'Work Heroes' In Cuba

Cuba's scientists Gerardo Guillen, Eulogio Pimentel, Marta Ayala, Vicente Verez, Yury Valdes, Dagmar Garcia, Belinda Sanchez, Tammy Boggiano, Eduardo Ojito, and Lorenzo Perez were named "Work Heroes" for their merits in developing three COVID-19 vaccines.

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The Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (CIGB) experts Pimentel, Ayala, and Guillen, developed the 92-percent-efficient Abdala COVID-19 vaccine and Mambisa vaccine, which is administered by nasal spray.

The rest of the award-winning scientists produced the Sovereign 01, Sovereign 02, and Sovereign Plus vaccines through the Finlay Vaccine Institute (IFV) and the Center for Molecular Immunology (CIM).

"We appreciate this recognition. Our love for Cuba motivates us to continue working," Ojito tweeted.

On Thursday, the Tropical Medicine Institute Pedro Kouri (IPK) researcher Maria Guzman also received the Women in Science L'Oréal-UNESCO Award for her research on the dengue viral disease, which is transmitted by tropical mosquitoes.

"I would not have been the scientist I am today without the revolutionary project of putting science at the center of development and in the function of improving the health of the people. Therefore, this award is also from the Revolution," Guzman stated.

As of Sept. 29, over 20,8 million doses of the Abdala, Sovereign 02, and Sovereign Plus vaccines had been administrated to the Cuban population. Besides immunizing the entire population by the end of the year, authorities assured Cuba will produce 100 million doses for export. So far, Venezuela, Iran, Mexico, y Vietnam has been interested in acquiring them.