Amid an exacerbation of the health situation on the island, Cubans denounce the dreadful conditions and lack of resources at the Saturnino Lora provincial hospital in Santiago de Cuba to deal with the increasing influx of patients.
The journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada published on his Facebook page images sent by one of the people affected by the situation.
The person, who requested anonymity, said that a family member arrived at the Saturnino Lora Provincial Hospital with shortness of breath, and there were no oxygen cylinders available, as they were reserved for severe cases.
He also reported that the observation room was overcrowded, full of flies, and without beds or air conditioning, despite the Oropouche fever and dengue pandemic affecting that area.
"It's very sad to see how everything is a mess, the huge filth that exists in that hospital, that we have nothing to help us, that's a facade, it's not easy, may God protect us from illnesses," commented a neighbor from that locality.
Despite these complaints, Manuel Falcón Hernández, the governor of the province, boasted on Facebook about the repair of the premises of the emergency service at the Saturnino Lora Provincial Hospital, a constructive intervention that, according to the leader, will "provide a more comfortable and functional space for patients in need of medical attention."
However, a nurse consulted by CiberCuba, who preferred to remain anonymous, explained that they are currently forced to use washed gloves that are not sterilized.
He comments that he has even seen doctors perform procedures without gloves due to the lack of this supply in the healthcare center.
There are no cephalosporins or meropenem, two of the most important antibiotics. Right now, there is also a shortage of dipyrone and diclofenac. Gastric protectors are also missing," pointing out that repairs are important, but so are those drugs.
The day before, it was revealed that in addition to the shortage of medicines and medical supplies, and the lack of personnel, the workers at the Tamara Bunke North Maternity Hospital in Santiago de Cuba must also work 12-hour shifts with only a plate of white rice, as reported by a technician.
On Facebook, Mayeta echoed the complaint of an employee from Materno Norte, who warned that currently they are only offering white rice for lunch, without any other type of side dish.
The person who made the complaint, who preferred to remain anonymous for fear of reprisals, explained that they were subjected to an unfair labor sanction because the administration requires them to wear shoes and socks, which are not provided by the hospital and they cannot afford to buy them with such a low salary.
"They are issuing fines of 100 and up to 400 pesos," added the woman, who found it contradictory that they demand so much when in her building the administration does not even provide them with a fan and they suffocate from the heat.
Recently, the regime in Santiago de Cuba was criticized for prioritizing repairs in certain areas of another hospital, while important issues such as the shortage of medical supplies and medication remain without a definitive solution.
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