A Cuban expressed his outrage on social media over the shortage of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications in the pharmacies of Matanzas, questioning the quality of medical care in Cuba.
Carlos Martell Díaz, 60 years old, reported on Facebook that pharmacies are lacking these medications, preventing him from accessing the necessary drugs to heal a wound on one of his legs since last Sunday.
"There is nothing in this polyclinic or in the hospitals, and we are still considered a medical power—how long are they going to keep saying that?" she said, questioning Cuban public health, noting that at the healthcare center where she receives treatment, they only address her wound and cannot do anything else due to the shortage of supplies in the pharmacies.
"The sir has warned that antibiotics have not arrived this week, explaining that he now has to buy the medicine he needs in the informal market, where it can cost up to 1,000 pesos," he specified.
In his complaint, this gentleman also highlighted the deficiencies of the public health system by mentioning that there are no reagents available at the outpatient clinic to conduct diabetes tests, which has prevented him from determining whether he has the disease or not.
Additionally, Martell denounced the lack of freedom of expression in Cuba, stating: “You say something and they want to imprison you.” He also pointed out that by doing so, he risks being labeled as “problematic” and a “terrorist.”
He emphasized that he is not a terrorist; he is simply a Cuban citizen fighting to save his leg amidst the severe economic crisis affecting the country.
"If they amputate my foot, I will be disabled in this country," Martell remarked, also denouncing that, like other pensioners, he would only receive a check for 1,500 pesos, an amount insufficient to cover basic needs in Cuba.
"And you become a dog thrown in a sack," he said, making a sad comparison of what he would become if that were to happen.
Finally, he noted that he owes nothing to his country or the government, as at 60 years old, he is still working.
The shortage of supplies in pharmacies adds to the long list of issues affecting Cubans, causing frustration and discontent among the population.
An elderly Cuban woman reported last May that people have to spend the night in front of pharmacies, hoping to get the necessary medications the following day.
Carmen Pérez Martín shared a photo on her Facebook profile in which she is seen sitting on a small bench in a doorway, waiting for her turn. Nearby, another elderly man with his head down is also waiting. "Many slept outside the pharmacy, hoping to get the medication we need. Life is only one, and we are in line after line. And we keep enduring," she lamented.
In the province of Santiago de Cuba, the regime aims to address the shortage of medications by prioritizing the production of natural remedies, official sources reported.
A report aired by the Tele Turquino channel advocated for the production of natural origin medications as a "less invasive solution for treating ailments," without addressing the reasons behind the shortage of drugs, which increasingly forces affected individuals to turn to these remedies.
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