Gerardo Hernández Nordelo, the national coordinator of the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR) and one of the so-called "Five Heroes" of the Cuban government, recently took to Facebook to announce the donation of a rechargeable lamp, powdered milk, and other supplies to the "Guillermo Fernández Hernández-Baquero" Dermatology Hospital in Havana. He portrayed this as an act of revolutionary solidarity.
The donations, characterized as gifts to the CDR, were presented to Dr. Rolando Montero Díaz, a Hero of Labor and director of the center, which is located in El Rincón, Boyeros municipality, on the outskirts of the capital. This facility is the only national reference dermatology hospital in Cuba.
Photos accompanying the post show the doctor, clad in a white coat, accepting the items in front of a CDR banner that reads "with the guard up," alongside boxes featuring the logo of the organization’s 65th anniversary and blue plastic bags containing the supplies.
Rather than being seen as positive news, the post sparked a wave of outrage among Cubans who commented on it.
"The only country in the world where a health worker has to survive on scraps because their salary isn't enough, it's embarrassing to see this post," one user remarked.
Another comment highlighted the stark contrast between official propaganda and everyday reality: "Look at how nicely you paint everything, my one-year-old daughter hasn't seen powdered milk for months, they didn't even give her a layette, not even a simple loaf of bread from the store."
A third user directly criticized the CDR: "I already knew the CDR lives off handouts and donations, what need is there to publish that a present was given to someone, they only live off slogans and publishing this nonsense, it's clear they do nothing."
This incident is not isolated. Back in December 2025, Hernández Nordelo boasted about a donation of mosquito repellents from a Serbian company to the CDR, which was also met with ridicule and criticism for its symbolic nature amidst the ongoing crisis.
The underlying situation is dire. The health minister admitted in July 2025 that Cuba operates with only 30% of its essential medication stockpile, meaning 461 out of 651 essential drugs are unavailable in the country.
As of September 2025, a mere 3% of citizens found the medications they needed in state pharmacies, according to the regime's own data on the national health collapse.
The physical conditions of hospitals are also in a state of decay. Prominent facilities have reported unsanitary conditions in intensive care units, with sewage water under patient beds documented as recently as January 2026.
In this context, the CDR coordinator’s portrayal of delivering a rechargeable lamp and powdered milk to a national reference hospital as an achievement is not seen by Cubans as an act of solidarity but rather as another snapshot of the misery to which 67 years of communist dictatorship have reduced the island's healthcare system.
Cuba's Healthcare Crisis: Key Questions and Answers
What supplies were donated to the Havana dermatology hospital?
A rechargeable lamp, powdered milk, and other unspecified supplies were donated to the "Guillermo Fernández Hernández-Baquero" Dermatology Hospital in Havana.
How did Cubans react to the donation announcement?
The announcement was met with frustration and criticism from Cubans, who viewed it as a reflection of the country's dire economic and healthcare conditions rather than an act of solidarity.
What is the current state of healthcare in Cuba?
Cuba is experiencing a severe healthcare crisis, with only 30% of essential medications available and widespread reports of unsanitary conditions in hospitals.