The Ministry of Public Health of Cuba (MINSAP) has once again highlighted the scarcity and lack of preparedness with which the regime confronts the severe epidemiological crisis sweeping the nation.
As dengue, chikungunya, and other arboviruses simultaneously spread, health officials have resorted to advising the public to "cover up" as a preventive measure due to the lack of repellents and essential resources to control the Aedes aegypti mosquito.
In a report aired by the National Television News (NTV), MINSAP Deputy Minister Carilda Peña García acknowledged that "the country's complex economic situation does not allow for the mass acquisition of all necessary antibacterial supplies."
In simpler terms, there are no resources for fumigation or to ensure the minimal protection of the population, yet official media maintain their usual triumphant tone, celebrating “the strengths of the Cuban public health system, recognized internationally.”
Inadequate Fumigation Efforts
The figures for "smoke trucks" and "bazookas" provided by Peña García are negligible for applying adulticide treatments against an outbreak affecting the entire nation, with "a rate of 24.3 cases per 100,000 inhabitants," according to MINSAP's own data.
The deputy minister admitted that fumigation occurs only "in the most intense areas and where there is evidence of transmission," a diplomatic way of acknowledging that there is neither enough fuel nor insecticide to cover the entire island.
An Out-of-Control Epidemic
At the same press conference, another deputy minister, Reynol Delfín García Moreiro, reported that nine additional respiratory and digestive viruses are currently circulating in Cuba, exacerbating the health landscape and hospital saturation.
"We may encounter a child or adult with fever, diarrhea, and nasal discharge, who has dengue, chikungunya, and also influenza," he admitted.
Despite the gravity of the situation, MINSAP insisted that the country has the "necessary resources" to handle the situation "in a targeted manner," a claim that starkly contrasts with the everyday reality faced by Cubans: pharmacies stripped of supplies, hospitals lacking basic materials, the unavailability of repellents in local currency, and essential products accessible only in dollar stores.
"Cover Up": The New Official Remedy
Unable to provide repellents or effective fumigation, the NTV report concluded with an extraordinary recommendation: wear clothing that covers most of the body to avoid mosquito bites.
This suggestion, which has sparked outrage and ridicule on social media, underscores the regime's hypocrisy and helplessness. Rather than taking responsibility for the lack of planning and resources, the burden of prevention is shifted onto an exhausted, hungry, and sick population with no alternatives.
Meanwhile, authorities continue to chant the old slogan that "the strength of the Cuban health system is recognized internationally," a hollow rhetoric that contrasts sharply with the real deterioration of hospitals, scarcity of medications, and the State's inability to control an outbreak that has silently claimed lives.
Understanding Cuba's Health Crisis
What measures has Cuba's health ministry suggested to combat the mosquito-borne diseases?
Due to a lack of repellents and resources, the health ministry has advised the public to wear clothing that covers most of the body as a preventive measure against mosquito bites.
How has the Cuban public reacted to the government's health advice?
The advice has sparked indignation and ridicule on social media, as many see it as a sign of the regime's failure to adequately address the health crisis.
What other health challenges is Cuba facing?
In addition to mosquito-borne diseases, Cuba is also dealing with nine other respiratory and digestive viruses, further complicating the health system's capacity to respond.