Independent journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada shared disturbing photos this Saturday, revealing the appalling state of the restrooms in the emergency ward of the Orlando Pantoja Tamayo Hospital located in Contramaestre, Santiago de Cuba. The images depict toilets overflowing with urine, filthy floors flooded with water, and overall signs of neglect.
The photographs, provided by an anonymous source, show exposed and rusted pipes, damaged tiles, walls laden with moisture, and floors so deteriorated that patients and their companions resort to walking on cardboard as a makeshift solution.
“These images don’t speak of luxury or comfort. They speak of hygiene, maintenance, and dignity for those who come to a hospital seeking medical care,” Mayeta commented on his Facebook post highlighting the situation.
Urgent Care in Dire Condition
What makes this issue particularly severe is that the affected area is the emergency ward, the critical zone where individuals in urgent need and their families seek help daily. Here, sanitary conditions should be of utmost priority.
The Pantoja Tamayo Hospital has been the subject of numerous complaints since late 2025. Back in December of that year, photographer Yois Ramos captured images of collapsed restrooms infested with maggots, cockroaches, and rats. The hospital also faced shortages of medications, water, stretchers, and ambulances.
Widespread Neglect and Lack of Official Response
In April, further complaints arose concerning the Intensive Care Unit, where a toilet was filled to the brim with sewage and floors turned into a mud pit. Just two weeks prior to the latest exposure, reports surfaced about pregnant women admitted to the hospital needing to carry buckets of water up the stairs due to lack of supply.
None of these reports have elicited any official response from the hospital or the Ministry of Public Health. This neglect highlights the broader collapse of Cuba’s healthcare system. Similar complaints have surfaced at the Juan Bruno Zayas Hospital in Santiago de Cuba, involving sewage under patients' beds, cockroaches in the delivery room, and rats in the Perinatology area.
Healthcare Crisis: A System on the Brink
Cuba suffered a loss of over 30,000 doctors between 2021 and 2024. By July 2025, a mere 30% of essential medications were available, a fact acknowledged by the government itself. The Minister of Public Health, José Ángel Portal Miranda, conceded in February that the government would not be able to resolve the resource shortages in the healthcare sector in the near future.
Understanding the Healthcare Crisis in Cuba
What are the sanitary conditions like at Orlando Pantoja Tamayo Hospital?
The sanitary conditions at Orlando Pantoja Tamayo Hospital are dire, with images showing overflowing toilets, filthy floors, and general neglect in the emergency ward.
How has the Cuban healthcare system been affected in recent years?
Cuba's healthcare system has faced significant challenges, losing over 30,000 doctors between 2021 and 2024, and experiencing critical shortages of essential medications.
Has there been any official response to the complaints about hospital conditions?
As of now, there has been no official response from the hospital or the Ministry of Public Health regarding the complaints about the conditions at Orlando Pantoja Tamayo Hospital.