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The lack of electricity at the hospital in Sagua de Tánamo has sparked a wave of outrage on social media. Residents report that the facility remains in darkness "day and night" and that even medical tests have been canceled due to the power outage.
The complaint was posted in the group Facebook Revolico Sagua de Tánamo, where an anonymous participant questioned why the municipal government does not prioritize the hospital circuit.
"Never before have I gone to the hospital and been told that they can't perform a test because there's no power," points out the original message.
Outrage and fear for the patients
The reactions were immediate. "The hospital is a PRIORITY... we've reached the worst of limits," wrote one user. Another person warned: "Not even during the Special Period did we experience what we are living today regarding the hospital."
There was also concern about a possible closure of the medical center and the lack of fuel for the power plant at the health institution. “It’s a lack of respect; they don’t even care about people’s lives,” expressed another comment.
Several messages questioned the availability of fuel for official vehicles while the hospital remains without electrical backup. "It's better to light up a hotel than something as delicate and vital as the hospital," criticized a user.
Worsened structural crisis
Cuba is experiencing a fuel crisis that has worsened following the capture of Nicolás Maduro and the imposition of tariffs by the United States on countries that trade oil with the Island.
However, the deterioration of the healthcare system predates those events and is the result of many years of disinvestment in medical centers by the state, as the regime chose to prioritize tourism. Today, Cuba has thousands of empty hotels, and there is not a single hospital in the country that guarantees all necessary services for the population.
Similar cases to that of Sagua de Tánamo have been reported in other provinces. The Cuban father Baysel Acosta Moreno reported power outages at the hospital in Guane, where his sick daughter is hospitalized.
Meanwhile, fear is growing across the island that a medical emergency could happen in the dark and without transportation to reach a hospital.
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