Cuban Woman Exposes Hospital Conditions in Matanzas While Caring for Her Grandmother

A Cuban TikTok user, @briana_matancera, recently shared a video detailing her experience while attending to her grandmother at the Comandante Faustino Pérez hospital in Matanzas province, following her grandmother's surgery for an intestinal blockage. "Here's what a day looks like in a hospital here in Cuba. Stick around, and I'll show you," she narrated at the start of the video, which has since gone viral on the platform.

Throughout the video, she describes her night spent in an uncomfortable wooden chair and briefly shows the hospital ward where her grandmother, along with another patient, was staying. "Of course, I spent the entire night without sleeping here on this rock-hard wooden chair," she remarked. She also shared, "What you're seeing there was my breakfast because, well, there was nothing else available."

The video also captures the moment she had to leave the ward while doctors made their rounds, acknowledging their excellent care: "Honestly, we've received magnificent attention." Yet, she highlighted the hospital's structural deficiencies by noting that she had to fetch water in a bucket: "I had to fill the bucket, as I needed a reserve since I didn't know when it would be available again." Despite these challenges, she emphasized, "Thank God for the doctors' care, who, despite the lack of conditions, have the best intentions."

In another part of the recording, she is seen assisting her grandmother in walking through the corridors to aid in her post-surgery recovery.

Public Reaction to Hospital Conditions

The video has sparked numerous supportive reactions for the young woman and her grandmother, as well as comments that reflect the deteriorating state of the Cuban hospital system. "A hospital without water! God protect us," one user wrote. Another commented, "That place looks terrible; not even the worst hospital in Panama is like that. God, that doesn't look like a hospital."

Some users compared the situation to conditions in other countries: "It looks better than in Venezuela," while another person noted, "At least the cleanliness is evident, which is very important for recovery."

Others focused on the healthcare staff: "Cuban doctors are excellent people," and "Thank God you were at a less terrible hospital."

Further Reports on Cuban Hospital Conditions

Recent months have seen multiple citizen complaints about hospital conditions across Cuba. In Guantánamo, a young woman remarked, "This shouldn't even be called a hospital," showcasing the conditions her grandfather endured during his stay.

Patients at the Lenin Hospital in Holguín have reported infestations of bedbugs, broken bathrooms, and spoiled food. In Güines' maternity hospital, users documented garbage piling up for weeks. Meanwhile, at the same Faustino Pérez hospital where the grandmother was treated, another woman had to bring her own syringes for a test.

In January, at the José Ramón López Tabrane Hospital in Matanzas, a pregnant woman nearly lost her life due to a non-working elevator. In March, following a massive blackout, critically ill patients had to be emergency transferred to other facilities because of a lack of power generation.

Despite the widespread decline, many Cubans continue to commend the efforts of medical staff. As one TikTok comment summarized, “Cuban doctors are truly great, and they also lack what they need.”