Child dies in Santiago de Cuba after ingesting expired medication

A five-year-old boy passed away in the community of La Maya, in the municipality of Songo-La Maya, Santiago de Cuba province, after ingesting a "non-certified" medication with an expired expiration date at home, local health authorities reported on Monday.

According to an official note published by the General Directorate of Health in Santiago de Cuba, the community is "so shocked after the exogenous poisoning of two minors due to the consumption of an uncertified medication at home, which resulted in the death of one of them."

The statement details that the minor was taken to the Carlos Juan Finlay polyclinic on the morning of September 2 after experiencing seizures. It was discovered there that he had been given "500 mg of foreign-produced Paracetamol with an expiration date from the year 2020" at home. "He was immediately examined and assisted by medical personnel until his unfortunate passing," they added.

During an interview with family members, health professionals learned that another child living in the same household, aged 11, exhibited similar symptoms, prompting an urgent transfer to a medical facility. The report specifies that, due to the "evident deterioration of his health condition and confirmation of the consumption of the indicated medication," diagnostic and therapeutic protocols were activated, and he was admitted to the Juan de la Cruz Martínez Maceira Children’s Hospital, where he is currently in intensive care "recovering, stable, and under observation."

Due to the seriousness of the incident, the authorities confirmed that they are "conducting an investigation to clarify the circumstances of the incident and to strengthen security measures in the handling of pharmaceutical products at home."

"The tragic event draws attention to the importance of strengthening health education in communities and promoting safe access to medications under appropriate conditions," the note concludes.

The case has generated a wave of reactions on social media, where numerous citizens hold the healthcare system responsible for the tragedy and have denounced that the chronic lack of medications in pharmacies forces many families to resort to drugs sent from abroad or purchased in the informal market, without health guarantees.

"If there were medications in the pharmacies of this country, there would be no need to buy them on the street without knowing where they come from," wrote one user. Another mother commented, “I know very well the desperation we feel when our children are sick and we don't have the medication we need.”

In July, the Minister of Public Health himself, José Ángel Portal Miranda, admitted before the National Assembly that the country only has 30% of the basic medication inventory, and that the healthcare system is facing an unprecedented structural crisis.

The case also revives the alert issued in 2024 by the State Center for Drug Control (CECMED) regarding the circulation of counterfeit medications in Latin America.

Health authorities have warned that these products, which enter the country without control or certification, pose a serious risk to public health. However, due to shortages, many families are compelled to self-medicate with whatever they can find, often without knowing if the medications are genuine, expired, or potentially hazardous.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Health Crisis in Cuba and the Death of a Child in Santiago de Cuba