Cuban doctor abandons his career due to the 'degrading situation' of the healthcare system on the island

A young Cuban doctor, with just three years since graduating from university, shared a poignant confession on social media: he left the profession he loves due to the deteriorating state of public health in the country.

Yoelvis Estanquero Oliva, originally from Güines, Mayabeque, recently shared on the social network X that he made the decision to stop practicing as a doctor 10 months ago, despite it being “what I love most.”

The young doctor argued that the reasons that led him to make such a drastic decision include "the degrading situation, the lack of resources, and the control over the patients."

Additionally, he firmly stated that he prefers to be called a coward for his decision not to practice medicine in Cuba, as "I consider myself brave for not being part of a circus with people's health."

However, it is impossible not to feel sadness over the decision of this Cuban doctor, or any similar choice involving a professional who is just starting out, especially when it is driven by a deep sense of frustration and helplessness.

On his Instagram profile in 2021, Estanquero joyfully shared the news of graduating from university as a doctor.

"And that's how things happen… in a big way. Today, I am so proud of my colleagues, of myself… after six intense years of study, sacrifice, and courage… today I see my people smiling and I tell them it was worth it. Thank you for all the recognition; it has been a very important day for me," he expressed.

He also noted, “Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this dream, for dreams do come true.”

The disillusionment and frustration experienced by Cuban doctors when they begin their careers in the healthcare system have driven many—those who have the opportunity—to leave the sector.

Others, with great sorrow, continue to practice, although they are overwhelmed by the sadness of seeing patients die due to a lack of medications and other issues that deeply affect the profession.

Recently, a doctor from Santiago de Cuba, exhausted from witnessing the death of patients due to a shortage of medications and supplies, and faced with the regime's inability to find effective solutions, compared the precariousness of the health system—long portrayed as a symbol of the government—to the death of the homeland.

"Our homeland has died, damn it, and there’s nothing we can do about it now," concluded a doctor from the eastern province in a series of reflections shared with CiberCuba.

According to the doctor, most of his acquaintances maintain some form of contact with people abroad and observe how the Cuban diaspora strives to achieve their dreams: well-paying jobs, purchasing a car or a new home, or obtaining bank loans.

Meanwhile, those who remain on the island confront a reality where "existence has been reduced to a struggle for survival, navigating the narrow margins of blackouts, a lack of water, the search for cash, concern over what to eat, and the constant battle with queues, shortages, and inflation..."