On Thursday, Cuban leader Miguel Díaz-Canel paid a visit to the Ramón González Coro University Obstetric Hospital in Havana, trying to uplift healthcare workers by introducing the concept of "creative resistance." This term was used to describe the dedication of those working amidst power outages, medication shortages, and lack of transportation, as reported by a video from Canal Caribe.
Díaz-Canel openly acknowledged the challenging circumstances faced by the hospital staff, stating, "Today, you doctors, nurses, and healthcare personnel, without transportation, many of you probably had to stay up all night to complete tasks at home. You are here today, arriving almost on foot, and yet you continue to save lives."
Instead of offering concrete solutions, Díaz-Canel resorted to rhetoric about sacrifice, citing Fidel Castro to justify the dire situation: "These are difficult times. Fidel always told us that in crises, we must find opportunities to grow, develop, and professionalize ourselves, and sooner rather than later, we will overcome this situation."
The leader described the country's overall state without sugarcoating: "Teachers finished the school year teaching without electricity, and people working in food production and other businesses are doing so without fuel. This is the reality of a nation and a people who are suffering daily."
Defining "Creative Resistance"
He defined "creative resistance" as more than just enduring the adversity of the blockade, but also as finding virtuous ways to progress amid restrictions.
Díaz-Canel was joined by Deputy Prime Minister Eduardo Martínez Díaz, Health Minister José Ángel Portal Miranda, and Communications Minister Mayira Revich Marín.
Challenges Facing the González Coro Hospital
The González Coro Hospital serves approximately 1,000 pregnant women from various Havana municipalities and provides specialized services to women across the nation. Among the challenges highlighted by the hospital to Díaz-Canel were reducing maternal and infant mortality rates to previous levels, filling staff positions—particularly in nursing and cleaning—and expanding digitalization efforts.
The hospital also aims to increase its bed capacity to 200 and install solar panels.
Cuban Healthcare System on the Brink
This visit comes at a time when the Cuban healthcare system is reportedly "on the brink of collapse," as Portal Miranda admitted earlier this year. The country operates with only 30% of its essential medications available, with 461 out of 651 basic drugs in complete shortage or with minimal coverage.
Infant mortality in Cuba has more than doubled since 2018, rising from 4.0 to 9.9 per 1,000 live births by the end of 2025. In Havana, this rate reached 14 per 1,000 in the first two months of 2026, marking the highest level in two decades. Maternal mortality increased by 50% between 2024 and mid-2025.
Over 77,500 healthcare professionals emigrated between 2021 and 2024, including more than 30,000 doctors, while the regime continues to deploy over 16,000 healthcare workers in 50 countries through international missions criticized by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights as having serious indicators of forced labor and salary retention up to 97.5%.
Addressing the staff at González Coro, Díaz-Canel warned of the consequences if medical personnel abandoned their positions: "Imagine if our medical staff in an institution like this fell apart, if people became discouraged, if you yourselves stopped having that... who would attend to the pregnant women, who would deliver the babies, how would we manage births?"
Understanding "Creative Resistance" in Cuban Healthcare
What is "creative resistance" according to Díaz-Canel?
"Creative resistance" is defined by Díaz-Canel as not just enduring the adversity posed by the blockade, but also finding virtuous ways to advance and progress despite restrictions.
What challenges does the González Coro Hospital face?
The hospital is facing challenges such as reducing maternal and infant mortality rates, filling staff positions, expanding digitalization, increasing bed capacity, and installing solar panels.