Cuban Mother Accuses Doctors of Letting Her Son Die: "He Had Meningoencephalitis, They Claimed It Was a Cold"

A Cuban mother has taken to social media to allege that her son died at the Santa Clara children's hospital due to suspected medical negligence. According to her account, shared on a local Facebook page, doctors downplayed the child's severe symptoms over several days, misdiagnosing them as a common cold, when in fact he was suffering from a rapidly progressing meningoencephalitis.

Lucía Yera, overwhelmed with tears and frustration, recounted how she was repeatedly sent home with her sick child despite persistent signs of serious illness: high fever, dehydration, and a visibly worsening physical state. "Every time they referred us to the hospital, they said it was just a cold, that the fever was due to a rash. They never performed a lumbar puncture. They just sent me home," she wrote.

"By the time my boy was on his last breath, he couldn't even cry. I could tell something was wrong and begged for a doctor, but they insisted one was on the way," she emphasized. Her complaint reveals that the on-duty physician did not arrive until 8:30 the next morning, by which time her son was critically ill. It was only then that a lumbar puncture was performed, confirming the diagnosis of meningoencephalitis, a severe inflammation of the brain and meninges that demands urgent medical attention.

"It was too late. The infection had spread to his nervous system. My child endured 14 cardiac arrests in his fight to live. No doctor had the right to take his life as they did," the distraught mother detailed. She also criticized the lack of medications and the dire state of the hospital system, noting that families often have to purchase drugs themselves on the informal market.

She expressed her desire to speak out about the realities in Cuba, where, she claims, negligent doctors face no consequences. "Thousands of children and elderly die every day, and nothing is done. They took my child from me, and I can no longer have children. Who will ease my pain while they laugh?" she lamented.

The complaint arises amidst a growing number of testimonies challenging the transparency and effectiveness of the Cuban healthcare system. Exiled Cuban doctor Alexander Jesús Figueredo Izaguirre has frequently exposed similar cases, accusing the regime of manipulating infant mortality statistics for propaganda purposes. "The problem is the criminal system that turned public health into an altar of lies," Figueredo denounced on his social media, asserting that he holds documented evidence he intends to present to international courts.

The grieving mother concluded her message with a plea to others affected by similar tragedies not to remain silent. "Please, if something happens, don't stay quiet. They're shameless. Don't expect complaints to achieve anything. Take justice into your own hands if necessary. No one can bring my child back to me," she declared. As of now, there has been no official statement from the health authorities in Villa Clara or the Ministry of Public Health.