Related videos:
In a country where pharmacies and hospitals are operating with barely 30 percent of the essential medicines, the Cuban regime once again reveals its healthcare cynicism.
In the midst of a chikungunya epidemic that has overwhelmed hospitals, the government recommends addressing the aftermath of the virus with vitamins and omega-3 supplements, products that are nearly impossible to find on the island.
The official newspaper Granma published a report based on a note from the Ramón González Coro Gyneco-Obstetric Teaching Hospital in Havana, where Dr. Loysel Peláez Morales describes the joint sequelae of chikungunya as a case of post-viral arthritis with persistent inflammation in the small joints and tendons.
The text cites the guidelines of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), which recommend the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, gentle physical therapy, and night splints.
However, in Cuba, these medications are among the scarcest and are rarely available in public hospitals.
According to the report, "supplements such as B vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids can contribute to recovery," a suggestion that contrasts with the reality of the Cuban healthcare system, where obtaining these tablets, or even a simple blister pack of dipyrone, can cost a minimum of 500 pesos and, in many cases, depend on relatives in exile.
According to the report, the most common symptoms of chikungunya include morning stiffness, a sensation of swollen fingers, and functional limitation, with partial improvement throughout the day.
Residual inflammation, the specialist explains, can last for weeks or months and, in some cases, is accompanied by tenosynovitis and transient compression of the median nerve, with symptoms similar to carpal tunnel syndrome.
The hospital warns that persistent inflammation requires rheumatological evaluation and that patients should seek medical consultation in case of warning signs such as recurrent fever, noticeable swelling, or loss of muscle strength.
But in practice, many health centers lack specialists, and consultations are overwhelmed due to the rising cases of dengue and chikungunya, diseases that spread amid power outages, a lack of drinking water, and a shortage of mosquito nets.
While the regime tries to present a facade of normality through medical reports, the population is facing a healthcare crisis that has already surpassed the system's capacity, and this kind of recommendation feels like a cynical mockery.
In such a context, suggesting vitamins and omega-3 as part of the treatment not only reflects the improvisation of the Cuban healthcare system but also its complete disconnection from the reality of the country.
"Many Cubans on social media say it just lacked —that the regime should have added at the bottom of the recipe: 'Request them from your relatives in exile.'"
In that context of crisis, the Cuban regime publicly admitted that it cannot carry out mass fumigation in the country, as it used to do years ago, due to the shortage of fuel, insecticides, and the deterioration of the machines used in vector control campaigns.
Filed under: