Dr. Adrián Antonio Legrá Góngora, a Cuban physician, has brought to light the dire circumstances under which healthcare workers in Cuba are forced to operate. His statement highlights over 72 hours without electricity, sleepless nights due to unbearable heat, and physical assaults with no one to defend them.
"We've been without electricity for more than 72 hours, and the food we've stored has spoiled. We've endured over two nights without sleep because the sweltering heat is inescapable without power to mitigate it," Dr. Legrá Góngora shared in a Facebook post.
Despite these challenges, the medical staff remains steadfast in their duties. "In spite of everything, we continue working in the worst conditions, like dogs. We suffer not only from the abuse of our system but also from the public, who, in their frustration, vent their anger on the on-duty doctor," he explained.
The Reality of Physical Assaults
A particularly alarming incident he recounted involved a colleague being physically attacked while on duty. "Yesterday, one of my colleagues was physically assaulted by a desperate individual in the emergency area. After a brief moment to process it, the doctor resumed attending to patients," he recounted.
Faced with such neglect, Dr. Legrá Góngora poses a critical question that encapsulates the institutional abandonment of the sector: "But who defends us? Who is accountable when the staff is attacked? Yesterday it was a colleague; tomorrow it could be me."
A Call for Political Change
He concludes his post with a direct political demand and a caution about the exodus of professionals unable to tolerate these conditions any longer: "We demand freedom for our people. We urge for change now." He further adds, "With a heavy heart, I tell my patients who so desperately need my attention and care, tomorrow I may not promise to be on duty. One less doctor."
Dr. Legrá Góngora's revelations are not isolated occurrences.
In June, Dr. Leudis Alfonso Minguía, an intensivist, was physically assaulted at the Cárdenas Hospital in Matanzas by a man associated with law enforcement, and an attempt was made to reverse the roles of victim and aggressor.
A month prior, the regime itself acknowledged that doctors were attacked in the emergency ward of the Saturnino Lora Hospital in Santiago de Cuba.
Understanding the Plight of Cuban Healthcare Workers
What are the working conditions like for Cuban doctors?
Cuban doctors are often forced to work in extremely challenging conditions, including long hours without electricity, lack of sleep due to extreme heat, and threats of physical violence without institutional support.
How has the Cuban government responded to attacks on medical staff?
While there have been some acknowledgments from the regime about attacks on medical staff, effective measures to protect them or hold perpetrators accountable have not been clearly established.
What changes are Cuban doctors advocating for?
Cuban doctors are calling for political change, freedom for the Cuban people, and improvements in working conditions to prevent further professional emigration from the sector.