A government-run pharmacy in Holguín has sparked both ridicule and outrage on social media following a promotional campaign featuring personal care and household items, completely omitting any mention of medications from its offerings.
Images from inside the Peralta Pharmacy, located on Avenida de los Libertadores and dated October 23, reveal shelves stocked with thermoses, plastic cups, light bulbs, diapers, Barbie dolls, dinosaur toys, perfumes, sanitary towels, toothpaste, and stationery.
The Facebook post by Holguín's Provincial Pharmacy and Optics Company (Farmox) attracted numerous comments questioning the store's offerings. "Is this a pharmacy or a general store?" one user asked, while another summed up the criticisms succinctly: "Everything but medications."
Many online users reminisced about the pharmacy's past role in supplying medicines to the nearby Octavio de la Concepción and de la Pedraja Pediatric Hospital. "This pharmacy used to provide medications for the children at the pediatric hospital, very important cases," lamented one commenter.
Another user highlighted the struggle families face in finding treatments. "This is how parents with kids in the pediatric hospital are left asking for medications on social media, with a pharmacy two blocks away that doesn't have any," an internet user noted.
A former pharmacist who worked in the sector for years expressed her sadness over the pharmacy's transformation, recalling the challenging conditions under which they worked. Despite material shortages and low wages, the employees remained dedicated, she asserted.
The controversy also included a report on the service's operation. A citizen claimed he visited the location on "Sunday, October 25, at 11:30 am, intending to buy some personal hygiene items, and was denied the right," even though Farmox's publication advertised sales through payment gateways. "Farmox executives, beware of making announcements that don't hold true," warned the user.
Additional comments criticized the commercial shift of state pharmacies and the lack of transparency regarding their management. "They've turned pharmacies into bazaars, and sadly, they take pride in that," one person remarked.
The situation at Peralta Pharmacy is not isolated in Holguín. In September, La Botica de Los Parques opened at the corner of Frexes and Miró streets under a mixed scheme between Farmox and the microenterprise Galas Fénix SURL, offering cosmetics, adult diapers, natural juices, and fruit salads, again with no conventional medications in stock.
These commercial transformations occur amidst a severe pharmaceutical shortage crisis in Cuba. In August, the government itself admitted that only 30% of the basic medication list was available in the state network, highlighting the challenges faced by the population in accessing essential treatments.
Concurrently, by mid-September, health authorities in the eastern province had received about 15 applications to open private pharmacies under Decree 160/2026, although none had begun operating at the time of the controversy.
In September, the head of the provincial General Health Directorate's Medication Department stated there were no plans to lease establishments to operate as state community pharmacies.
Understanding the Pharmacy Crisis in Holguín
Why is there a lack of medications in Holguín's pharmacies?
The shortage of medications is part of a larger pharmaceutical supply crisis in Cuba, with the government admitting that only 30% of the basic medication list is available in the state network.
What has been the public reaction to the pharmacy's offerings?
The public reaction has been one of outrage and ridicule, as many have criticized the pharmacy for offering household items instead of essential medications.
Are private pharmacies being established in Holguín?
Despite receiving several applications to open private pharmacies, none had started operating by mid-September 2023 under the new regulatory framework.