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A Cuban mother reported this Thursday that the Polyclinic of Nueva Paz does not have oxygen to treat her sick child, despite the doctors ordering nebulizers three times a day.
Elienay Suárez, mother of the political prisoner Maikiel Armando Peña Suárez, who was sentenced for participating in the protests on July 11, 2021, made a public complaint about the deterioration of the healthcare system in her municipality, Nueva Paz, in the province of Mayabeque.
In a post made this Thursday in the Facebook group REVOLICO NUEVA PAZ (Uncensored), Suárez warned that his youngest son, who has been ill for several days, could not receive the prescribed treatment because there is no oxygen at the local polyclinic.
"Now I just took him to the Polyclinic in Nueva Paz and there is no oxygen to provide the aerosol that they prescribed three times a day. No oxygen has come in. So, should the children and everyone else who arrives and needs oxygen just die?" he wrote.
According to his account, he had previously taken the child to the hospital, and there were no materials even for a basic test.
In his message, he denounced the institutional neglect and total lack of resources: “The most valuable thing a human being has is life, and so little value is placed on the lives of Cubans. Cuba is moving forward... advancing toward the certain death of an entire people.”
A week earlier, from her personal profile, Suárez had already shared another critical experience.
Her son was taken to the Güines hospital with vomiting, diarrhea, and fever, but there were no medical supplies, not even a thermometer to take his temperature. “No one told me, I lived it,” she wrote.
In addition, he reported that the hospital bathrooms were all clogged, that he had to leave without receiving proper care, and that the hallways were filled with children suffering from bronchitis, alongside others suspected of having dengue. "The doctors were powerless to do anything," he said, lamenting the situation.
Despite the criticism, Suárez acknowledged the efforts of the healthcare personnel: “Cuba's doctors are truly heroes; they work without anything.”
The mother concluded her testimony with a phrase that encapsulates the daily struggle of many Cuban families: “If you go to the polyclinic and don’t bring the medication, you die.”
Cuba is currently facing a complex epidemiological situation that has raised alarms in several provinces, with outbreaks of dengue and chikungunya spreading while authorities continue to downplay the severity.
For many, this scenario revives the trauma experienced in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the shortage of oxygen in hospitals forced the government to publicly acknowledge a crisis that had been denied for weeks.
The memory of that moment, characterized by information concealment and improvisation, is gaining strength again due to the fear that the same pattern of official silence and healthcare collapse may repeat.
Although the current focus of attention is the province of Matanzas, where outbreaks of dengue and chikungunya are being reported, the spread of both diseases has already reached other regions of the country, while the government continues to downplay the severity of the situation.
The urgent establishment of an improvised hospital for children with fever in Matanzas and the statements by the Minister of Health denying deaths due to these causes, along with the official epidemiological updates, contrast with the complaints from doctors and family members of patients on social media.
It is not the first time a Cuban mother has raised her voice against the collapse of the healthcare system. Just a few days ago, another woman spoke out about the complete lack of care in a hospital in Mayabeque, where there were neither doctors, nor reagents, nor basic resources to treat her son.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Health System Crisis in Cuba
What is the current situation of the healthcare system in Cuba?
The healthcare system in Cuba is facing a significant collapse due to the lack of medical supplies, medications, and adequate personnel. Accounts from citizens reflect a deterioration in medical care, with hospitals lacking basic resources, severely affecting the population, especially the most vulnerable groups such as children and patients with chronic illnesses.
How does the lack of oxygen and medication affect patients in Cuba?
The lack of oxygen and medications in Cuban healthcare centers is putting patients' lives at risk, especially those who require urgent treatments such as aerosols for respiratory problems. Families are faced with the distress of being unable to access necessary care and must resort to their own means to try to obtain supplies, often through the black market.
What complaints have citizens made about the Cuban healthcare system?
Citizens have repeatedly reported the lack of adequate medical attention, the shortage of medications, and unsanitary conditions in hospitals. They have expressed their frustration and desperation through social media, highlighting cases of medical negligence and the deplorable conditions in which healthcare facilities operate, which do not ensure the safety or well-being of patients.
What measures is the Cuban government taking in response to this health crisis?
The Cuban government has declared that the healthcare system is guaranteed, despite the evident shortages reported by the population. No effective measures have been observed to address the structural crisis of the healthcare system, which has heightened distrust and dissatisfaction among citizens, who see contradictions between official statements and the reality they face every day.
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