A technical malfunction left all the elevators at the Dr. Agostinho Neto General Teaching Hospital in Guantánamo out of service for over two weeks, severely impacting the operation of key services in the province's main healthcare institution.
According to the official newspaper Venceremos, the issues began on April 30 with intermittent failures that worsened in the first days of May, when the elevators stopped functioning entirely.
The cause was attributed to the deterioration of electrical connectors and control boards, as well as the age of the system and the lack of spare parts in the domestic market.
The impact was immediate: the transportation of patients, food, supplies, and even the deceased had to be done manually via the stairs, adding to the discomfort of the sick and their families, who are already dealing with shortages and other issues.
Workers in the food service had to carry trays and utensils up and down between floors, while the transfer of patients was done exclusively on stretchers, complicating care and increasing the physical burden on medical staff, the state-run newspaper emphasized.
The situation only began to improve on May 19, when replacement parts arrived from Havana along with a technical brigade from Santiago de Cuba.
During three days of continuous work, the technicians managed to get two of the elevators functioning; however, the authorities decided to limit their use to preserve their operability, indicating that the problem, far from being resolved, could recur at any moment.
The current protocol restricts the use of the repaired elevators exclusively to the transport of patients, medications, and food, reflecting the precariousness of the implemented solution and the inability of the healthcare system to ensure the continuous operation of basic equipment.
However, the center's management promised that there is a national commitment to install two new elevators this year as part of a modernization program that, in 2022, included the launch of a medical oxygen plant.
However, the current reality shows that structural flaws persist and directly affect the quality of healthcare in Guantánamo.
The paralysis of elevators in Cuban hospitals is not an isolated incident. A similar situation occurred at the hospital in Cárdenas, in the province of Matanzas, where the only available elevator was out of service for fifteen days. Complaints from family members and workers highlighted the daily strain caused by the lack of sustainable solutions for a recurring technical problem, which directly impacts the dignity and safety of patients.
The human consequences of these failures have been dramatic. In another hospital in Matanzas, a pregnant woman was on the verge of death when, due to the elevator's malfunction, she was transferred on a stretcher down the stairs, complicating her clinical condition.
Such situations have transitioned from being exceptional to becoming part of a dangerous norm in Cuban hospital care.
Even in 2018, there were already documented incidents that highlighted the extent of the deterioration: a young man was removed from the operating room on a stretcher, carried down the stairs due to a lack of an elevator.
The forced transfer was captured on video, showing an alarming scene that starkly illustrated the state of hospital equipment, the modernization of which remains an unresolved issue.
Frequently Asked Questions about Elevator Failures at the Guantánamo Hospital
What caused the elevators to stop working at the Dr. Agostinho Neto Teaching General Hospital in Guantánamo?
The halt of the elevators was caused by the deterioration of electrical connectors and control boards, in addition to the age of the system and the lack of spare parts in the national market. This severely affected the hospital's operations and complicated the transportation of patients and supplies between the floors of the hospital.
How long were the elevators at the hospital in Guantánamo out of service?
The elevators at the Dr. Agostinho Neto General Teaching Hospital were out of service for over two weeks, from the beginning of May until May 19, when replacement parts arrived from Havana.
What measures were taken to resolve the elevator issue at the hospital in Guantánamo?
Spare parts were sent from Havana, and a technical team from Santiago de Cuba worked for three days to repair two elevators. However, their use has been restricted exclusively to the transportation of patients, medications, and food to preserve their operability.
How did the elevator malfunction affect the hospital's operations?
The elevator breakdown complicated the transportation of patients, food, and supplies, forcing everything to be carried manually up the stairs. This
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