Pharmacies in Matanzas have been without intimate products throughout 2023, and this year they are priced at up to 1,000 pesos per package.

In a recent article, the Periódico Girón from Matanzas highlights the challenges and high costs that Cuban women face in accessing menstrual hygiene products amid the severe crisis the country is experiencing.

In the report titled "How Much Does it Cost to Menstruate in Cuba?", the official media highlights the critical shortage of sanitary pads in the province and the economic impact that this situation entails.

Throughout 2023, the pharmacies in Matanzas did not receive a single shipment of "intimates," while in 2024, the deliveries have been limited, with only 63,696 packages in April and 15,984 in August, insufficient for the 82,495 menstruating women in the province.

The journalistic report reveals that the Public Health System in our country ensures the regulated sale of domestically produced intimate products in pharmacies, priced at one peso and twenty cents per package. However, a shortage of imported materials has reduced production to minimal levels, making it unable to meet the demand.

Faced with the situation, women turn to the informal market or to small and medium-sized enterprises, where the price of a pack of sanitary pads ranges from 400 to 1,000 pesos, accounting for between 10 and 30 percent of the monthly income of an average Cuban woman.

A reflection of the living conditions of the Cuban people, while the regime showcases its ineffectiveness and focuses on demanding greater efforts and patience.

Sanitary pads are not a luxury; they are a hygienic and medical necessity that women must have access to, and they cannot wait indefinitely, as biology does not wait. In addition, this shortage is compounded by a lack of other essential products such as personal care items, condoms, and medications, among a long list of others.