Yednay Pupo García, a 19-year-old from Havana, is fighting for her life every day. She's been living with chronic kidney failure since she was 16, a condition that has profoundly impacted her health and future. The most painful aspect for her is the hopelessness stemming from the lack of resources and medical care in Cuba.
In a heartfelt social media post, Yednay shares how she has relied on a machine to survive, undergoing hemodialysis twice a week. Despite medical efforts, her condition is complicated by other issues, including ocular hypertension, pulmonary hypertension, chronic gastritis, and a heart murmur. Weighing only 36 kilograms, her frail body is a testament to her deteriorating health.
Yednay's frustration is exacerbated by the fact that although doctors have confirmed her suitability for a kidney transplant, such a procedure is nearly impossible in Cuba. She claims that the Cuban healthcare system, once a source of national pride, lacks the resources and infrastructure to provide her with a dignified future.
Yednay isn't asking for pity; she's asking for a chance to live. "I don't want to stay connected to a machine; I want to live," she writes on Facebook, hoping to reach those who can help where the government has failed. "I'm not asking for charity; I'm asking for an opportunity," she pleads.
Her family relies on the generosity of those abroad, as access to a decent life is no longer guaranteed in Cuba.
The Collapse of Cuba's Healthcare System: A Dire Shortage of Supplies and Medicine
Despite promises to improve healthcare and official campaigns about advancements in kidney transplants, Yednay and countless others continue to wait for adequate care. She reports deplorable conditions in her adult hospital: a lack of supplies and medication, and hemodialysis filters not replaced regularly.
She's endured up to 15 days with the same filter, risking serious illnesses like hepatitis. While the regime boasts of universal healthcare, the reality for the most vulnerable patients is starkly different.
Promises to improve hospital conditions have yielded nothing but chronic shortages and a total collapse in services. "My greatest wish is to access a transplant, and for that, I need to leave this country. I need to get to where there's at least a real chance of surgery," Yednay explains.
The official statistics on kidney transplants, which the government claims to have resumed in 2022, do not match the experiences of patients. In hospitals like Miguel Enríquez and Centro Habana Pediatric, there's a constant shortage of essentials like erythropoietin, iron, and hypertension medications. Patients must even bring their own supplies to continue treatment.
Yednay's hope for a kidney transplant lies outside Cuba, but the cost of treatment and surgery is prohibitive without international aid.
The Exodus of Patients: Seeking a Dignified Life Abroad
Unfortunately, Yednay's story is not unique in Cuba. Last April, the case of another young Cuban with chronic kidney failure, Ayamey Valdés, went viral on social media. At 19, Ayamey had spent her life on a hemodialysis machine and reached the terminal stage while awaiting a transplant.
She also turned to fundraising campaigns to leave the country and receive necessary treatment. In less than a month, the Cuban community inside and outside the island raised over $10,800, enabling her to travel to Brazil with her mother and stepfather. In Florianópolis, they found housing among a large Cuban community and proximity to a renal hospital where Ayamey hopes to receive specialized, cost-free care.
Journalist Mónica Baró Sánchez, who led the fundraising effort, reported that Ayamey arrived in Brazil in delicate health, aiming to access a kidney transplant and fight for a dignified life.
The Dire Reality of Cuba's Healthcare System
The Cuban government is unable to provide an effective response to these human tragedies. Although the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP) could theoretically facilitate overseas treatment for these patients, the program is no longer functioning.
The experiences of Yednay and others like Ayamey highlight a social and human tragedy far beyond the lack of medication. It's a reflection of a healthcare system that can no longer sustain itself, of a government maintaining a narrative of efficiency that doesn't match reality.
The healthcare crisis is glaring: insufficient resources, a lack of trained personnel, and inhumane conditions directly affecting the most vulnerable citizens. Thousands of Cubans with chronic illnesses share the same fate, watching their lives fade while the regime continues its empty rhetoric on public health.
In a country once hailed as a model for medical care, the current reality is starkly different: most patients cannot access basic treatments, let alone a life-saving kidney transplant.
Questions About Cuba's Healthcare Crisis
What are the main challenges facing the Cuban healthcare system?
The Cuban healthcare system faces significant challenges, including a lack of resources, insufficient medical supplies, outdated equipment, and a shortage of trained personnel. These issues result in inadequate patient care, particularly for those with chronic conditions.
Why is it difficult for Cubans to access kidney transplants?
Accessing kidney transplants in Cuba is difficult due to the healthcare system's lack of resources and infrastructure. Although there are official claims of resumed transplant operations, patients report a severe shortage of necessary medical supplies and medications, making transplants nearly unattainable.
How are Cubans with chronic illnesses coping with the healthcare crisis?
Cubans with chronic illnesses often depend on the generosity of the international community to seek treatment abroad. They face inadequate healthcare services at home and are forced to rely on personal funds or fundraising efforts to access care in other countries.