Elderly Man's Body Left Unattended for Hours Amid Funeral Crisis

In Camagüey, the family of 70-year-old Miguel Santana, who passed away on Saturday due to various health complications, has reported that his body has been left at the Amalia Simoni Hospital morgue since 5:00 a.m. This is a result of significant delays in funeral services throughout the city.

The family, speaking to journalist José Luis Tan Estrada, explained that when they went to the hospital demanding that the body be prepared and transported, they were informed by the hospital's chief on duty that the entire city has only one available hearse. This shortage has caused a chain reaction of delays in the collection and handling of deceased bodies.

The situation with Miguel Santana's remains highlights the ongoing collapse of the funeral system in Camagüey. Issues such as the lack of hearses, delays in body preparation, and shortages of basic resources are becoming all too common.

According to Tan Estrada, "His body remains in the Amalia Simoni Hospital morgue in Camagüey, unprepared and beginning to emit a foul odor, as reported by his family."

Besides dealing with the grief of their loss, families are forced to endure uncertainty and prolonged waits to properly mourn and bury their loved ones with some semblance of dignity.

The complainants emphasize that these shortcomings lead to deeply painful scenes: bodies left unattended for hours, strong odors in morgues, and families repeatedly pleading with hospital and funeral officials to expedite processes that should normally be swift and respectful.

This situation in Camagüey is part of a broader crisis affecting funeral services across the country.

In Santiago de Cuba, for instance, families recently reported a complete breakdown of funeral and hospital services at the Saturnino Lora Provincial Hospital. At least 13 deceased individuals remained unburied due to the lack of management and response from authorities.

This dire situation was shared on Facebook by independent journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada, who noted that the problem existed even before Hurricane Melissa struck. Despite the passing of the storm, the bodies were still not handled or returned to their families, leading to scenes of desperation and deep sorrow in the hospital corridors.

“At least 13 people have died in the Provincial Hospital since before the hurricane. There are no answers, no organization, no respect for human suffering,” reported Labrada.

In Camagüey, the family of Miguel Santana stresses that their experience is not an isolated incident but rather indicative of a systemic issue: the chronic lack of funeral transportation and means for handling deceased bodies.

For them, the blend of resource scarcity, disorganization, and lack of effective response from authorities has turned the mourning period into an even more traumatic experience, marked by indignity and neglect during what should be a dignified final farewell.