An outbreak of tuberculosis in the provincial prison Las Mangas, in Bayamo, Granma, has reportedly raised alarms among the authorities.
According to what was reported on Saturday to Martí Noticias, political prisoner and activist of the Patriotic Union of Cuba (UNPACU) Julio César Vega Santiesteban “is increasing the problem of tuberculosis around here and positive cases are starting to emerge.”
The prisoner stated that "even the doctors here are now walking around masked, as if it were COVID. They move back and forth in green gowns and those masks they wear, and the guards with face coverings."
"How are we going to take care of ourselves and protect ourselves if they are not doing it?" she lamented.
Vega Santiesteban stated that this is “a very serious problem here, it’s going to be something serious, and it will bring consequences that will be delicate for us, and there are no medications of any kind around here, of any kind.”
"I have high blood pressure, and I haven't received my medication for more than two months. Well, everything here is bad," he added.
Reports of lack of medical attention in other prisons
From Las Mangas prison, activist Ariel Eugenio Arzuága Peña reported to Martí Noticias that he is not receiving “any type of medical attention, nothing, neither for my blood pressure, nor for my back, nor for my prostate, I’m dry, I can barely even sleep,”
Arzuága Peña, who is in fragile health, holds the prison police responsible for anything that may happen to him.
For his part, the 11J prisoner José Ramón Solano Rendiche reported that the living conditions in that prison are terrible and that there are a large number of inmates who are seriously ill.
"I just arrived at Confianza, you know, there are more problems here than on the street, no medications, no doctor up there to attend to you, there are hundreds of seriously ill people with diseases," he reported.
Solano Rendiche said that he is "allergic to everything, I have a hernia in my spine, a million ailments, high blood pressure. When I was asked about my 30s, I started suffering from high blood pressure, then the sentence came when I was 18, and later they reduced it by five years on appeal, so I ended up with 13."
Deaths from diseases in Cuban prisons
On January 30, Yankiel Justiz Despaigne, a 36-year-old inmate, died from tuberculosis in the Melena del Sur prison, in the province of Mayabeque.
Justiz Despaigne died in his cell without receiving timely medical attention, which has led to reports about the lack of healthcare in Cuban prisons.
His father, José Manuel Justiz, told the independent media ADN Cuba that his son was ill for approximately 20 days after being diagnosed with tuberculosis, but he was neither transferred to a hospital nor received the necessary medications in the prison.
Despite requesting an extrapenal permit to take him to a medical center, the prison authorities refused, citing a lack of medication and the need for the family to provide it.
A report from the Cuban Observatory of Human Rights and the independent media elTOQUE revealed that, in 2024, at least 40 inmates died in Cuban prisons. In the past five years, there have been 95 deaths in custody or during police actions, in addition to 287 cases of non-lethal police violence.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Tuberculosis Outbreak and Prison Conditions in Cuba
What is the current situation in the Las Mangas prison in Bayamo?
In the provincial prison Las Mangas, in Bayamo, a tuberculosis outbreak has been reported, raising alarms among the authorities. The inmates are reporting a lack of medications and proper medical care, which worsens the health situation and jeopardizes the health of all prisoners.
How do prison conditions affect the health of inmates in Cuba?
The prison conditions in Cuba are extremely precarious and severely affect the health of inmates. Overcrowding, unsanitary conditions, malnutrition, and lack of adequate medical attention are common, facilitating the spread of diseases such as tuberculosis and leading to multiple preventable deaths.
What complaints have arisen regarding medical care in Cuban prisons?
Medical negligence and the lack of medications in Cuban prisons have been repeatedly reported. Inmates do not receive the necessary care, resulting in deaths from treatable diseases such as tuberculosis. The case of Yankiel Justiz Despaigne is a recent example of this issue.
What measures have been taken to address the health crisis in Cuban prisons?
So far, no significant actions have been taken to improve sanitary conditions in Cuban prisons. The authorities have not issued statements or implemented measures to address complaints of medical negligence and inhumane conditions, despite calls for independent investigations by human rights organizations.
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