A Cuban mother raised the alarm on Thursday about the lengthy queues at "Juan Manuel Márquez" Pediatric Hospital in Havana. Dozens of children are forced to sign up on makeshift lists just to receive emergency care. This overwhelming strain on pediatric services comes amid a growing wave of fever and gastrointestinal illnesses sweeping across the nation.
"It's both disgusting and heartbreaking just to walk in. Relatives of the children lie on the floor, trash piles up, and the bathrooms stink horribly," expressed Facebook user Antonio Fernández, who shared a video by Cuban citizen Glenda Rancaño.
Activist Idelisa Diasniurka Salcedo Verdecia shared an image on social media showing a medical document given to the parents of children diagnosed with an emetic syndrome at another Cuban hospital. The recommendation was home rest and oral rehydration, with no additional medication or treatment offered.
Health System Strain Across Multiple Regions
Independent journalist José Luis Tan Estrada reported a similar crisis at the Pediatric Hospital in Camagüey, where families endure long waits for symptoms resembling dengue, such as high fever, vomiting, and lethargy. The emergency room is packed from the early hours, staffed by only one specialist doctor working shifts of 48 to 72 hours, while residents handle the rest.
Many medical professionals in Camagüey have requested to leave or be relieved from duty due to exhaustion, leaving the emergency area inadequately supported with just residents.
Images of crowded hallways and desperate families are repeated in other provinces, highlighting the collapse of Cuba's healthcare system.
Official Acknowledgment of Dengue Deaths
The Cuban Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP) acknowledged this week the deaths of three individuals from dengue as of 2025, following weeks of official denials. The announcement was made by Vice Minister Carilda Peña García, who also confirmed the concurrent spread of three arboviruses: dengue, chikungunya, and Oropouche fever.
Peña García withheld details regarding the ages or provinces of the deceased, sparking further suspicion of informational opacity and manipulation by the regime’s health authorities. She stated that patients with mild symptoms are being treated at home, a measure the regime touts as "hospital decongestion" but effectively leaves thousands of families without medical oversight or medications.
Heavy rains, garbage accumulation, and lack of insecticides have facilitated the spread of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the carrier of dengue and other viral diseases. Fumigation resources are dispatched only to confirmed case areas, leaving vast urban regions without vector control.
The acknowledgment of these deaths contradicts recent statements by Health Minister José Ángel Portal Miranda and national epidemiologist Francisco Durán García, who publicly denied any dengue-related fatalities.
FAQs on Cuba's Healthcare Crisis and Dengue Outbreak
What are the main illnesses currently affecting Cuban children?
Cuban children are primarily affected by febrile and gastrointestinal illnesses, along with symptoms consistent with dengue, such as high fever, vomiting, and fatigue.
Why are Cuban hospitals struggling to provide adequate care?
Cuban hospitals are overwhelmed due to the surge in illness cases and a lack of medications and medical staff, many of whom have left due to exhaustion and poor working conditions.
How has the Cuban government responded to the dengue outbreak?
The Cuban government has been slow to acknowledge the dengue outbreak, recently admitting to three deaths after weeks of denial. Measures have been taken to treat mild cases at home without proper follow-up.