A young Cuban identified as José Carlos Recio Galindo recently passed away after being admitted in extreme conditions of malnutrition at the Manuel Ascunce Domenech Provincial Hospital in Camagüey. His death has generated profound shock on social media, where family members are reporting institutional negligence and demanding justice for what happened.
The images of José Carlos's body, clearly wasted by severe malnutrition, were shared by his uncle, Humberto Galindo, who recounted that the young man was previously at the Center for Physically Disabled, located behind the Amalia Simoni Hospital, also in the city of Camagüey.
According to the testimony, the young man was admitted in critical condition and passed away shortly thereafter due to the severity of his condition not being addressed in time.
"My brothers who were so anxious about that young man learned of his critical condition just minutes before he died," wrote Galindo, accompanied by harrowing photographs that show the extreme thinness of the young man on a hospital stretcher.
In their post, the family member demanded that those responsible face justice and raised concerns about the risk faced by other children and young people interned in the same center. "Let’s save the other interned children. Our solidarity and denunciation matter," they stated, calling for attention to be drawn to the case and for measures to be taken to prevent similar tragedies from recurring.
The post has sparked a debate among social media users, some of whom have questioned the role of the family in the young man's care. "If they found out minutes before he died, it’s because they didn’t visit him often... I wouldn’t leave him there to his fate without knowing how he is being cared for," expressed a user, highlighting the need for constant support, even in contexts of mental disability.
Another testimony recounted the experience of a mother in Santiago de Cuba who, despite having a daughter with severe disabilities and a demanding professional schedule as a neonatologist, never fails to accompany and care for her. "The girl is chubby, beautiful, and very well taken care of. She takes her home in the mornings and picks her up in the afternoons using a wheelchair," she commented.
The voice of a woman who worked years ago in a center similar to the one where José Carlos was interned also added her complaint. "I witnessed many abnormal things, mistreatment, poor nutrition, and neglect. The complaint needs to be made public and go viral. These are human beings who are interned there, not animals," she expressed on social media.
Despite the media impact of the case, the health authorities have not issued any official statement nor announced an investigation to clarify the facts. This lack of institutional transparency has intensified the feeling of abandonment and lack of protection among relatives, citizens, and human rights defenders.
OTHER DEATHS THAT REVEAL A WORRYING PATTERN
The death of this young man adds to a series of cases reported in recent years that highlight serious structural failures in the Cuban hospital system. Although the government often remains silent in the face of these allegations, independent media have documented testimonies from citizens who have suffered or witnessed episodes of abandonment, medical negligence, and inhumane treatment within state hospitals.
Psychiatric hospitals have been the subject of numerous complaints, particularly following the case of the Mazorra Psychiatric Hospital, where more than twenty patients died in 2010 from cold, hunger, and neglect, leading to one of the most significant institutional crises in the Cuban healthcare system since the 1990s.
One of the most recent examples is the Placetas Psychiatric Hospital in the province of Villa Clara, where the conditions have been described as "inhumane."
Images and testimonials revealed the reality of that institution: destroyed mattresses, extreme filth, unusable bathrooms, food in deplorable conditions, and neglected patients.
One of the interviewed nurses reported that the patients "neither have appropriate clothing, nor soap, nor medications. Some don't even have family members to visit or advocate for them."
The photographs display rusty beds, broken windows, and unventilated rooms, in an environment that resembles a concentration camp more than a healthcare facility.
Another case highlighting the severity of neglect in Cuban medical institutions occurred in February 2023, when the deaths of at least 13 patients at the Psychiatric Hospital of Holguín were reported, under circumstances that led to allegations of negligence, deplorable conditions, and medical neglect.
These facts demonstrate that José Carlos's death is not an isolated incident, but rather part of a systemic crisis in institutional care that particularly affects citizens in the most vulnerable situations, such as those with mental illnesses.
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