An urgent plea for help is circulating online to save the life of Michelle, a four-year-old boy from Ciego de Ávila in critical condition due to a blood infection and the dire living conditions he endures with his mother and younger siblings.
Minerva Sifonte posted on Facebook that the child has not received proper medical care: despite being given antibiotics, a blood culture has never been performed to determine the appropriate medication.
His health is rapidly declining, she warns.
"This child has no home or food. Sometimes he spends the entire day with nothing but a soda in his stomach because his mother has nothing to give him. He has two other siblings, and his mother is alone, without resources, without anyone to help her," Minerva wrote alongside photos of the boy, visibly malnourished and showing signs of neglect.
The Harsh Reality of Poverty and Neglect
Young Michelle is growing up in extreme vulnerability. His mother, struggling to raise three children on her own, lacks stable employment and steady income.
The family is without a permanent residence: they find temporary shelter with acquaintances or even sleep on the streets or at bus stops.
The current living situation is deplorable, with a dirt floor, humidity, and insect infestations, which have caused severe skin bites for the child.
The situation is so dire that Michelle has already suffered kidney failure due to the infection and malnutrition, and doctors have warned that another crisis could be fatal.
"Sometimes the mother has to leave to look for her other children, leaving the boy alone in a crib all day," added Sifonte, who, along with a friend, has tried to provide food and medicine, though they lack the means to fully support the family.
A Desperate Plea for Help
Activist Diasniurka Salcedo Verdecia shared the phone number 53 5 4127105 for Minerva Sifonte and her own number (786) 339, for those willing to help with food, medicine, vitamins, diapers, clothing, or a safe shelter.
"This is a heartfelt plea. Michelle needs a chance to live and recover. May God touch sympathetic hearts and help this family move forward," she wrote on Facebook.
The child's mother has received no institutional support. There is no social assistance, no health workers to support her, nor a family doctor to ensure basic care.
Dozens of internet users have expressed their outrage over this case.
"Where is the family doctor? Where is the medical power? What about prioritizing children and vulnerable sectors? Seeing this makes my skin crawl!" commented a resident of Havana.
The Human Face of a Deep Health Crisis
Michelle's case is a heartbreaking illustration of the collapse of Cuba's health and social assistance systems.
Hospitals across the country lack essential drugs, antibiotics, reagents for tests, and medical equipment.
Every day, thousands of families face similar situations amid a crisis the government neither resolves nor seems willing to address.
In a country where the regime has long boasted of having "the best healthcare system in the world," sick children now depend on the charity of fellow citizens to survive.
The scarcity of food, the deterioration of hospitals, and the lack of essential medicines have turned treatable ailments into death sentences.
Both doctors and patients report the absence of antibiotics, vitamins, serums, and reagents for basic tests like a blood culture, the very test that could save Michelle's life.
Meanwhile, the Cuban government remains silent.
In a nation where the state claims to guarantee social welfare, reality shows that citizens must fill the void left by the complete lack of official support.
Little Michelle not only needs urgent medical attention but also a safe home and basic nutrition—necessities that have become unattainable privileges for thousands of families in today's Cuba.
Understanding the Crisis in Cuba's Healthcare System
Why is Michelle's health condition so critical?
Michelle's health is in a critical state due to a severe blood infection and the poor living conditions he faces, which include malnutrition and lack of proper medical treatment.
What support does Michelle's family need?
Michelle's family requires immediate assistance with food, medicine, vitamins, diapers, clothing, and a safe shelter to ensure his recovery and improve their living conditions.
How does Michelle's case reflect broader issues in Cuba?
Michelle's situation highlights the profound collapse of Cuba's health and social systems, which are unable to provide basic care and support, leaving many citizens to rely on charity for survival.