Cuban drugs reduce fetal miscarriages in Yemen

Thousands of Yemeni babies are being given a chance to live—a chance they did not have prior to the establishment of a trade relationship with Cuba. 

Although Cuba, and its long-time leader Fidel Castro are often associated with negative stories, Cuba is making positive accomplishments in the field of gynecology in Yemen. According to Ariel Gonzales Hernandez, third secretary deputy head of mission at the Cuban Embassy in Sana’a, Cuba is set to sell an increased number of the drug “Anti-D” to Yemen. As of now 10,000 dosages have been sold to Yemen and more are expected. The drugs have an estimated value of $100,000.

Anti-D is used to treat babies born to parents who have a difference in their Rhesus (Rh) factors. “People who are Rh positive have a protein known as D antigen on the surface of their red blood cells, and they are said to be Rh D-positive,” according to an article written by medical expert Hameed A. and published on the U.S.-based Baby Center website. “When an Rh D-negative mother is carrying a Rh D-positive baby (inherited from a Rh D-positive dad), Rh Isoimmunization can occur.”

According to Dr. Abdo M. Shidiwa, director and manager of the Al-Medina Medical Corps in Sana’a, Isoimmunization causes the mother’s immune system to view the fetus as a parasite and it attacks and destroys the fetus. 

“The immune system may react to the baby’s blood as if it were a foreign invader, and produce anti-bodies against it,” said Chrissie Hammond, a professional midwife in Yemen. “The antibodies may then attack and destroy the baby’s red blood cells,” which bring about liver or heart failure, and ultimately death.

In the opinion of Dr. Shidiwa, between 5,000 and 10,000 babies have probably died in Yemen from Rh Isoimmunization syndrome because many parents didn’t have proper diagnoses. The government of Yemen does not have any statistical information about Rh Isoimmunizaton syndrome. 

Dabiya Hussein is a 28-year-old farmer and housewife from Morocco. She is currently a patient at Al-Thawra General Medical Hospital in Sana’a and is expecting to give birth to her 6th child. 

“One of my children died inside my womb,” she said. That is why she wants to take the Anti-D medication. According to obstetrician and gynecologist Dr. Samira al-Towaity, Hussein’s fetus probably died of Rh Isoimmunization syndrome, which the Anti-D medication could prevent. 

Nadia Abdullah, a 28-year-old housewife in Sana’a, has taken Anti-D twice during previous childbirths and she is expecting to take it for her 5th child. Neither she nor her children have experienced any side effects from the Anti-D medication. 

According to Hammond, side effects from using Anti-D rarely occur. “There can be a local reaction at the site of the injection, or an allergic reaction in the mother,” Hammond said. But in Yemeni women, “I don’t see any side effects,” said Dr. al-Towaity, who has examined and tested many Yemeni women from both rural areas and major cities. 

The National Institute of Clinical Excellence recommends routine Anti-D vacations at 28 and 34 weeks of pregnancy to all Rh -negative mothers to prevent antibodies being produced following small silent bleeds, which may happen in 1/1.5 percent of pregnancies.

Cuba’s desire to increase medical expertise in Yemen started in 1975, when it helped create the facility of medicine at the University of Aden. Another significant development in Yemeni-Cuban relations was when the scientific advisor of Cuba’s State Council promised to manufacture anti-cancer medications in Yemen to combat the increasing number of cancer cases among Yemenis. “The faculty of medicine has produced over 3,000 Yemeni medical doctors, mainly taught by Cuban professors,” says Mr. Hernandez. 

As of now, “Cuba has about 65 doctors and professors working in Yemen,” and most of them work in military hospitals such as the Central Military Hospital in Sana’a.

Cuba would like to form a stronger and more lucrative trade relationship with Yemen, but U.S. sanctions against the Caribbean nation stand in the way of establishing larger profitable relations. While many countries in the region export and import products such as textiles, computer technology, electronics, and automobiles, sanctions have severely affected Cuba’s economy, limiting Cuba to exporting and importing only a small amount of products. One of Cuba’s main exports is educated professionals.

“A Yemeni cannot purchase a product that has more than 10 percent raw Cuban material in it,” Hernandez said. But Cuba has exported its medical expertise to every part of the known world. “We’ve sent over 30,000 doctors around the world. When the United States has people killing abroad, we have people saving lives,” he said.

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