A Cuban mother reported that the food provided by the state as part of her son's medical diet, who has been diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, arrived in a state of decomposition. She documented the situation on video and shared it on social media.
The images, shared through the profile of Facebook Hermes Yasell, display visibly spoiled meat while the complainant describes the strong odor it emits.
"Look at how the meat of some children with chronic illnesses is. And the stench? I can't explain it. I don't even want to touch it because of the foul smell it has," he says in the recording.
The mother also questions that the amount given does not correspond to what was allocated.
"There aren't two pounds of meat there, there's not a kilogram of meat," he asserts.
In a second video, he shows the cheese included in the medical diet and claims that it has been stored for three months because it was already spoiled when he received it.
"Three months of cheese. It's just for the hell of it, because there’s no one left to eat it," he laments.
According to the explanation, the problem arises from the storage conditions of the products in the warehouse, where fish, beef, and cheese are kept together in the same refrigerator.
"They keep the fish, beef, and cheese there. Look at the immense disrespect towards our children, because it hurts us," she laments, visibly distressed.
The woman concludes with a question that summarizes her outrage: "Do you think one can give that to these children who are sick? It's not possible."
Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disease that primarily affects the lungs and the digestive system. Patients require a diet rich in calories, proteins, and fats to maintain adequate nutritional status, so receiving food that is spoiled poses an additional risk to their health.
In Cuba, this disease is part of the National Medical Dietary Program, which includes the subsidized provision of certain foods. As of October 2023, individuals with cystic fibrosis are now exempt from the periodic renewal of the authorization to receive that medical diet.
However, family members of patients have repeatedly reported issues with the supply. In April of this year, several mothers of children with cystic fibrosis publicly called for medications, food, and solar panels to cope with the prolonged blackouts that affect the operation of essential medical equipment for their children.
Difficulties also affect other food programs. In June, the Minister of Food Industry, Alberto López Díaz, acknowledged that more than 100,000 Cuban children were not receiving the milk that they are entitled to from the supply booklet due to supply limitations.
The complaint from this mother adds to other recent testimonies about the deterioration of medical diets intended for patients with chronic illnesses, a program designed to protect the most vulnerable sectors of the population, but which is facing increasing difficulties amid the ongoing food crisis in the country.
Filed under: