A surgeon from the Dr. Luis Felipe Graham Cañas Teaching Hospital in Cárdenas has taken to Facebook to criticize a decision by authorities to move the hospital's only operational anesthesia machine to the city's pediatric hospital. This move, he warns, would leave the main healthcare facility in the municipality without surgical capabilities.
The doctor, Koyen Sánchez, expressed his concerns, noting that the decision was made without consulting the experts who understand the implications best: "Those making the decisions are not considering the input from the anesthesia service or the hospital's electromedicine service, who are, in essence, the ones who know the most about the consequences of this decision."
Dr. Sánchez highlighted that this transfer would exacerbate an already dire situation, as patients needing urgent surgery would need to be transferred to the Faustino Pérez Clinical-Surgical Teaching Hospital in Matanzas, which is about 28 miles away from Cárdenas.
Implications of the Equipment Transfer
"The plan also overlooks the number of transfers to Faustino that would be necessary in a situation of 'no fuel and scarce ambulances.' The outcome: complications for patients due to delays in care," he emphasized.
The surgeon challenged the rationale that the machine is solely for the pediatric hospital's needs: "In Cárdenas, we've also operated on children due to increased school violence. And I've been the one performing these surgeries."
Sánchez further criticized the use of international donations as a justification for the move: "Stop using the 'guise' of donations, which, although they have solved 'some' issues, are not enough. Many of the items either don't work or are incompatible with what we have, leaving us still without what we need."
Community Outrage and Broader Health Crisis
The complaint was shared by journalist Christian Arbolaez, who published it under the headline "Outrage in Cárdenas Over Possible Removal of Hospital's Sole Anesthesia Machine," noting that when a doctor speaks out publicly, "it's because they intimately understand the reality faced by patients, nurses, anesthetists, surgeons, and entire families dependent on that hospital."
This isn't the first recent complaint about the declining state of the Cárdenas Hospital. On May 9th, another doctor from the same facility anonymously reported that patients must bring their own supplies: syringes, catheters, IV equipment, and even blood for transfusions due to shortages.
The healthcare situation in Matanzas is progressively collapsing. Although a Chinese Fotón ambulance was assigned to the Cárdenas territory in January 2026, fuel shortages severely restrict its operation.
In July 2025, the Ministry of Public Health was only covering 30% of the essential medication list, and in April 2026, the UN declared a humanitarian emergency in Cuba, documenting over 96,000 postponed surgeries, including 11,000 pediatric cases.
Dr. Sánchez concluded his criticism with a question capturing the healthcare workers' frustration: "I don't know where our leaders’ 'sense of belonging' they claim to have is."
Key Issues with Cárdenas Hospital's Anesthesia Machine Removal
What are the potential consequences of moving the anesthesia machine from Cárdenas Hospital?
The transfer could leave Cárdenas Hospital without surgical capabilities, resulting in delays and complications for patients requiring urgent care, who would need to be transported to a facility 28 miles away.
Why is the decision to move the anesthesia machine controversial?
The decision is controversial because it was made without consulting relevant specialists. It also relies on inadequate justification, such as the supposed necessity for the pediatric hospital and misuse of international donations.
What is the broader context of healthcare in Matanzas?
Healthcare in Matanzas is facing a severe crisis, with shortages in medical supplies, limited ambulatory services due to fuel shortages, and a significant backlog of postponed surgeries documented by the UN.