A baby just a month and a half old died at the Carlos Manuel de Céspedes hospital in Bayamo, Granma province, after not receiving the necessary antibiotic in time to treat a severe infection contracted within the health center itself.
The case was reported by the Cuban opposition leader José Daniel Ferrer, who had warned days earlier about the critical situation of the infant and the lack of the medication Aztreonam in Cuba, essential for combating the bacteria affecting the newborn.
The girl, identified as Naelis Barrio Oliveira, remained hospitalized in the intensive care unit on assisted ventilation and undergoing multiple procedures, while her family attempted to obtain the medication that is unavailable in the country.
According to Ferrer’s explanation in a video, as soon as the case was known, urgent efforts were initiated to acquire the antibiotic abroad and transport it to the island.
However, since it is a hospital medication and given the logistical limitations, it was not possible to deliver it on time.
The opposition figure detailed that the delivery of the medication was eventually realized thanks to the collaboration of several individuals who managed to gather not only the antibiotic but also the necessary supplies for its administration; however, the help arrived after the minor had already passed away.
Ferrer attributed the baby's death to the crisis in the healthcare system in Cuba and directly held the regime responsible for the lack of essential medications, pointing out that situations like this mainly affect the most disadvantaged families.
It was also reported that, after the case became public, State Security agents allegedly intervened at the hospital to investigate how information about the girl's situation and the absence of medication was leaked.
The leader of the Cuban Patriotic Union (UNPACU) stated that such tragedies are not isolated and warned that other children and the elderly remain at risk due to the shortage of medications and poor hospital conditions.
He also emphasized that while the ruling elite has access to resources and privileged medical care, the majority of Cubans face a collapsed system that is unable to provide basic treatments in critical moments.
The death of Naelis Barrio Oliveira highlights once again the shortcomings of the Cuban healthcare system, where the lack of medication, inadequate hospital conditions, and inequality in access to care continue to cost lives.
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