Cuba's once-lauded universal healthcare system is experiencing a sharp decline, with widespread shortages of medical supplies and a critical lack of fuel impacting patient care. The crisis is deepening existing economic struggles, with analysts attributing the worsening situation to tightened U.S. sanctions on the island's energy sector.
Patients are facing delays for essential procedures and treatments. Irisleydis Tristá, a 34-year-old cancer patient, has been unable to obtain a CT scan for seven months to monitor her condition. The scanner at Havana's Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital, the country's premier medical facility, is broken, and doctors have informed her that they cannot perform further surgeries in Cuba due to a lack of resources. "I feel like my life is in danger," Tristá stated, emphasizing the inability to know if her tumor has grown.
Hospitals across the island report shortages of vital supplies, including syringes, gauze, vaccines, and anesthetics. Crucial spare parts for essential equipment like hemodialysis and CT scan machines are also unavailable, leaving patients like Tristá without necessary care. Compounding these issues, food shortages are making it difficult for patients to adhere to prescribed diets.
The exodus of medical specialists and technicians from the country has further strained the healthcare system. Cuba was already contending with economic difficulties following the COVID-19 pandemic and previous U.S. sanctions. The situation deteriorated further after early January, with the U.S. increasing pressure on foreign entities doing business with Havana and threatening countries that supplied fuel to the island. This has resulted in prolonged power outages, gasoline rationing, and reduced industrial and food production.
Mario Cruz Peñate, the Pan American Health Organization and World Health Organization representative in Cuba, described the situation as "shocking" for a country that previously maintained health indicators comparable to developed nations, including low mortality rates, high life expectancy, broad vaccination coverage, and widespread prenatal care. He noted that fuel shortages have caused significant disruptions to health services, impacting the continuity of care.
The United Nations has initiated a $94 million emergency plan to address the humanitarian crisis stemming from the energy blockade. According to a government report from June, the survival rate for children with cancer has fallen to 65% from 85% prior to the energy restrictions that began in January. "We have had children die. Two so far this year," said Yolainy Romero, a specialist at the National Institute of Oncology and Radiobiology in Havana, during a tour of the pediatric ward. She explained that children requiring regular treatment sometimes face delays of a week or even 15 days due to the fuel shortage.
Adriana Felipe García, whose 4-year-old daughter is undergoing treatment, shared the difficulties of traveling long distances for care, a journey that is further complicated by fuel scarcity. They traveled approximately 350 kilometers from their home in Sancti Spíritus to Havana for treatment.