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The Cuban News Agency (ACN) published a report on Monday highlighting family planning consultations in Holguín as a strength of the healthcare system, set against the backdrop of a prolonged shortage of condoms in the country's pharmacies.
According to the official publication, the Provincial Health Directorate is implementing actions for sexual and reproductive health through multidisciplinary teams distributed across the 14 municipalities and the 42 health areas of Holguín.
The gynecologist Daisy Maritza San José Pérez explained to ACN that during these consultations, patients are guided on contraceptive methods such as intrauterine devices, tablets, and subdermal implants. However, the report does not mention condoms, the absence of which in the state market has been consistently reported over the past few years.
The official text concludes by stating that "Cuba provides these facilities to women and families free of charge, despite the challenging economic conditions the country is experiencing," as part of the government policy to protect reproductive health and stimulate birth rates.
Nevertheless, the shortage of condoms remains one of the main issues that the population faces in accessing contraceptive methods.
Cuba relies almost entirely on imports and international donations to supply itself with condoms. In 2020, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) delivered more than half a million condoms to alleviate the existing shortages on the Island.
The shortage has even been acknowledged by health authorities. In 2022, Manuel Romero Placeres, then head of the National HIV Prevention and Control Program, admitted that the low availability of condoms was the main obstacle to preventing new infections.
The situation is particularly significant in Holguín, one of the provinces with the highest rates of teenage pregnancy in the country. Official data indicates that this rate is at 22.3%, higher than the national average, while authorities continue campaigns to promote family planning.
The situation coincides with a profound demographic crisis. In 2025, Cuba recorded merely 68,051 births, the lowest figure since modern statistical records began, with a total fertility rate of 1.29 children per woman, insufficient to ensure generational replacement.
The shortage of contraceptives is part of the difficulties faced by the Cuban healthcare system. In recent years, there have also been reports of issues in ensuring the availability of medications, medical supplies, and fuel for the operation of hospitals and other health services, amid the ongoing economic crisis affecting the country.
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