A resident of Bayamo, situated in the Granma province, has stirred social media with a Facebook video revealing that state-run pharmacies in the area are selling drugs with only days left before expiration. These include critical medications like paracetamol and azithromycin, both set to expire on September 30.
Miredna Medina Hazlewood, visibly frustrated, recorded the video on a Friday. "It's shocking that today, when the pharmacy shelves are heartbreakingly empty... Bayamo pharmacies are selling some medications almost expired, such as paracetamol and azithromycin. To be precise, they expire on the 30th of September, and today is the 11th," she stated.
What angers Medina Hazlewood the most is not just the imminent expiration but the unanswered question: where were these drugs during the province's worst dengue and chikungunya outbreaks?
"Where were these medications that weren't available to the public when we were in the middle of that crisis? Dengue killed so many people, and chikungunya left people barely able to walk," she questioned.
Medina Hazlewood was informed that the drugs came from the state's "reserve." Her immediate reaction was, "What reserve? People need medication when they're sick."
This complaint is particularly significant as Granma was one of the hardest-hit provinces by the concurrent dengue and chikungunya outbreaks in 2025 and 2026. The Pan American Health Organization documented over 51,000 suspected chikungunya cases in Cuba since July 2025, along with 46 fatalities.
During those epidemics, the lack of basic pain relievers was especially harsh. The video author herself witnessed elderly individuals around her cry because they couldn't even purchase a blister pack of paracetamol on the black market.
Medina Hazlewood also pointed to a contradiction many Cubans experience daily: "It's contradictory when inspectors today are checking the expiration dates of privately-sold products... they should have a look at the state-run drug distributors."
While the state scrutinizes private workers, the state network seems to distribute near-expired drugs without apparent oversight.
The whistleblower also highlighted the real health risks: consuming expired medication might, at best, be ineffective, and at worst, cause poisoning or adverse reactions. "Cubans are the only people in the world consuming expired medications," she declared.
Medina Hazlewood concluded her video with a personal confession: since January, she has been unable to obtain an imported medication essential for her health. "I'm afraid that when it finally arrives at the pharmacy, it might already be close to expiring, and you can't gamble with expired drugs," she concluded.
This incident is part of the worst medication crisis Cuba has faced in decades. In August, even Miguel Díaz-Canel admitted that only 30% of the essential drug list is available in the country. In areas like Ciego de Ávila, availability plummeted to just 10%, with only about 60 out of the 603 essential drugs available.
The situation has had tragic precedents. In September 2025, a child died in Santiago de Cuba after consuming expired paracetamol from 2020, purchased outside the official network.
FAQs on Drug Availability and Safety in Cuba
Why are pharmacies in Cuba selling nearly expired medications?
The medications reportedly come from state "reserves" that were not distributed during critical times, leading to their current near-expiration status.
What are the risks of taking expired medications?
Taking expired medications can be ineffective and may pose health risks such as poisoning or adverse reactions.
How severe is the drug shortage in Cuba?
Cuba is experiencing its worst medication crisis in decades, with only 30% of essential drugs available nationwide and even lower availability in certain provinces.