HAVANA, Cuba, Feb 17 (acn) Cuba and South Africa look forward to expanding bilateral cooperation in the field of biotechnology, as has been revealed during the current working visit to that nation by the director of the Cuban Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Center (CIGB), Dr. Luis Herrera Martinez.

The visit by Dr. Herrera to Pretoria is aimed at strengthening bilateral exchange in the scientific field. Cuba has provided South Africa with the Hepatitis B vaccine, while other Cuban biotechnological products are the focus of new joint cooperation projects, according to a news release by the Cuban embassy in South Africa.

The Cuban expert met on Tuesday with South Africa's Trade and Industry minister, Mandisi Mphalwa. During the talks, Dr. Herrera gave the South African official a detailed account of the positive results of his visit, which has included meetings with other government officials, scientists and entrepreneurs. He also addressed different projects that can be jointly developed by the scientific sectors of both countries.

Minister Mphalwa, on his part, recalled his visit to the CIGB last year, on the occasion of the Havana International Trade Fair. He described the Cuban pharmaceutical known as Heberprot, used in the treatment of the diabetic foot, as a scientific product that could be very useful in South Africa given the high prevalence of that disease in his country.

Dr. Luis Herrera and the Cuban ambassador to Pretoria, Angel Villa, also met with the members of South Africa's Medical Insurance Council. Herrera briefed the officials about advances in the Cuban health system and the biotechnology field in particular, some of which are being implemented in South Africa by means of Cuban cooperation and other joint research and commerce actions.

The members of the Medical Insurance Council, which include health officials, social researchers, unions and other entities, sent the Cuban people a message of congratulation on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of their Revolution. The Council acknowledged the value of the medical scholarships being granted by Cuba, on an annual basis, to South African youths, a gesture, they said, that will progressively relieve the deficit of doctors facing that African nation.

Luis Herrera also gave two key lectures in Cape Town and Pretoria on Cuban biotechnology, which were attended by professionals in the sector, researchers and entrepreneurs. The origin, development, and results of the Cuban scientific sector were at the center of the lectures given by Herrera, who also addressed the challenges ahead.

Particularly interesting for the participants was the description of the ongoing relations between the Cuban sector and South Africa's BIOVAC enterprise, as well as the project aimed at developing a pentavalent vaccine in a liquefied formula. Also of great interest was the Cuban pharmaceutical known as Heberprot used to treat the diabetic foot.