An elderly man lay for hours in the middle of the street in Reparto Sueño, Santiago de Cuba, without an ambulance arriving to assist him, in an incident that has generated outrage and distress among local residents.
The complaint was filed by the independent communicator Yosmany Mayeta Labrada, who documented the situation that occurred this Tuesday, January 27, on 8th Street, between D and E.
He reported that the elderly man was in an evident state of vulnerability, with visible signs of illness, very limited mobility, and a bandage on his left leg, which raised concerns about serious medical complications.
Images shared by Mayeta show the man lying on the pavement, propped against some stairs, with his body stretched out and his limbs motionless, as neighbors tried to shield him from the cold and prevent his condition from worsening.
According to testimonies gathered at the scene, the elderly person appeared disoriented, was trembling, expressed feeling cold, and was unable to get up on their own.
“Neighbors have been sitting him down for about three hours now. He cannot get up,” is heard saying a person in an audio sent to the communicator and shared on social media.
The recording details the ordeal experienced by those who tried to help him: repeated calls to emergency services, phones that went unanswered, and evasive responses from various institutions.
According to the testimony, the police hung up the phone, the firefighters stated that it was not their responsibility to handle the case, and the Integrated System of Medical Emergencies (SIUM) reported that at that moment, the province of Santiago de Cuba did not have ambulances available for emergencies. “In other words, people are dying and nothing is being done,” laments the voice recounting the scene.
In the absence of any official response, the neighbors attempted to contact a friend of the elderly man to come to his aid, but the lack of transportation made it impossible for him to be taken to a hospital immediately. Meanwhile, the man remained exposed to the elements, at risk of falling, suffering a medical crisis, or facing a fatal outcome.
The case once again highlights the neglect faced by many elderly people in Cuba and the collapse of the emergency medical system, especially in situations that occur in broad daylight and in front of dozens of witnesses.
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