Unusual: A horse walks inside a hospital in Sagua la Grande

An episode as unexpected as it was surreal shook the routine of the "Mártires del 9 de Abril" hospital in Sagua la Grande, Villa Clara, when a man on horseback managed to bypass the guard post and moved smoothly down the main hallway of the healthcare center.

A recording shared on social media by activist Diasniurka Salcedo shows a young man pulling the animal while walking calmly through the area, much to the astonishment of workers and patients.

It is important to clarify that the man appearing in the video is not the owner of the horse, but rather a hospital worker who took it out onto the street.

According to the station Radio Sagua, the incident occurred on Saturday afternoon.

The hospital director, Dr. Yara Díaz, reported that the owner of the horse, visibly drunk, rode it into the hospital and made his way through the admission area until he reached the snack bar, which is very close to the outpatient clinics.

There he was finally intercepted by the head of security and the shift supervisor, with the collaboration of several nurses.

Amidst threats of aggression, they managed to bring him down and detain him without any injuries or damage to the facilities.

The doctor emphasized that, after being evaluated, the man did not show any signs of hypoglycemia, only a state of alcohol intoxication.

"Such acts of indiscipline undermine the work dynamics and, above all, the health of the patients who visit the facility," he noted.

Police officers arrested the individual involved in the incident and took him to the nearest station, where he was processed criminally.

The incident went viral on social media.

Several internet users questioned the lack of security at the institution. "Was there no guard at the entrance? How is it possible that he/she was able to walk through the entire hallway?"

Another proposed strong penalties: "The horse is seized, then a hefty fine that hurts, and to top it off, a few years doing socially useful work at the hospital."

A nurse took the opportunity to report that people frequently arrive at the clinics and hospitals who disrespect the staff and even threaten them with physical aggression.

"We need to put a stop to that, as many of us make a tremendous effort, taking into account the current shortages and situations in our country; we try to offer our attention with humanity and love," he said.

But there were also others who found the incident amusing and joked that the horse went to get its blood pressure checked, to be vaccinated against meningitis, or that it had a sore leg and confused the hospital with a veterinary clinic.

"It's not surprising that every time we get sick, we are treated like animals," expressed a sagüero.

For her part, the user Yeni Sosa, who identified herself as a relative of the detained individual, stated that he is a psychiatric patient of the hospital, suffering from a neurodegenerative disease and carrying traumas since childhood.

"Two years ago, he shot himself in an attempt to take his own life, but the shotgun slipped from his hands. He lives behind the hospital; he didn’t come from far away to harm anyone. Only God knows what was going through his mind that led him to enter the hospital," he stated.

Yeni asked for understanding and empathy towards the boy.

"He is unfortunate and is not a criminal nor has he ever committed any crime; we all make mistakes. He is sick, and let me be clear, he did not hurt anyone nor break anything. (...) He is a young man very much loved by everyone who knows him, so focus on other worse things that happen and no one talks about," he criticized.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Incident at the Sagua la Grande Hospital