The American network NBC News was granted access to a Cuban hospital for the first time in over ten years. This visit, tightly managed by the regime, nonetheless exposed significant shortcomings within the island's healthcare system.
Challenges at a Leading Medical Institution
The report focused on the Institute of Hematology and Immunology in Havana, considered one of the country's better-equipped facilities. Both patients and healthcare workers shared the challenges they face in maintaining care amidst power outages, fuel shortages, and a lack of medications.
Yonelkys García, a 44-year-old patient with acute myeloid leukemia, shared how her treatment has been hindered by these shortages. "Sometimes the institute doesn't have many medications, and I have to reach out to friends and family abroad to send them to me," she said.
Medical Staff Confront Daily Obstacles
Hematologist Martin Hernández Isas described the significant hurdles even staff members must overcome to fulfill their duties. He recounted having to walk long distances to reach the hospital and explained how doctors ration medication by combining unused portions from different patients. "With 1 ml a patient doesn't use and 2 ml from another, we combine them so no one goes without treatment," he stated.
Lucelia Leyva Calderón, the center's deputy director, acknowledged that patients often rely on external assistance or the informal market. "We have to resort to having relatives send medications or buying them on the black market," she noted.
Power Outages and Operational Constraints
The impact of power outages was also highlighted by the medical staff. Nurse Norma Fernández explained that power cuts can last anywhere from one to eight hours, putting medication preservation at risk. "If it's one hour, they can stay cold, but eight hours makes it difficult," she warned.
The report further revealed that due to fuel conservation efforts, laboratories have had to reduce their operational days from five to just two per week. Meanwhile, many patients struggle with transportation issues due to high costs.
Wider Implications for Cuba's Healthcare
Despite visiting one of the best-equipped hospitals in the nation, workers admitted the situation in other facilities could be even more dire. The rare access granted to NBC underscored that even under controlled conditions set by the authorities, the deterioration of the healthcare system is hard to hide amid the country's ongoing crisis—a collapse largely attributed to the regime's failed policies over recent decades.
Insights into Cuba's Healthcare System
What challenges do Cuban hospitals face?
Cuban hospitals struggle with power outages, fuel shortages, and a lack of essential medications, greatly impacting patient care.
How do medical staff cope with medication shortages?
Medical staff ration medications by combining unused portions from different patients to ensure no one goes without treatment.
How do power outages affect hospitals in Cuba?
Power outages can last up to eight hours, compromising medication preservation and forcing hospitals to limit their operational days.