A woman who accidentally fell into an unguarded well on a street in Bayamo, Granma, had to be taken to the hospital on an electric scooter because, after being rescued, there was no ambulance available to handle the emergency.
The transfer was captured on video and was shared on Facebook by José E. Gonzélez Marín. The footage shows the woman lying on a metal platform, surrounded by firefighters and neighbors as they prepare to take her to receive medical attention.
The accident occurred after the woman fell into an unprotected well in the middle of the street. According to accounts shared on social media, neighbors quickly alerted the authorities, and firefighters from Bayamo responded to the scene.
The rescuers managed to extract her using the available rescue equipment. The problem began once the woman was out of the well and needed to be transferred to a hospital.
In the absence of an ambulance, those present began to look for an alternative to prevent the woman from staying on the street.
The first attempt was to transport her in a cart, but eventually an electric Unizuki scooter showed up, which ended up becoming the makeshift ambulance, as explained by the author of the post.
The video shows the accident victim lying on the vehicle's platform, while firefighters in helmets and several civilians surround her. The scene highlights two of the issues currently affecting daily life in Cuba: the deterioration of urban infrastructure and the lack of resources to respond to a medical emergency.
The situation is particularly concerning in Granma, one of the provinces most affected by the healthcare transportation crisis.
In June 2026, the territory had only 17 active ambulances out of the 54 that were needed, according to figures acknowledged by the health authorities themselves.
The consequence has been the proliferation of images that just a few years ago might have seemed exceptional: patients being transported to hospitals in horse-drawn carts, state vehicles, and other improvised means.
This weekend's accident also highlights another everyday danger: the potholes, open manholes, and unprotected access points that remain in the streets of Cuba.
The deterioration of roads and the lack of manhole covers or grates have caused serious accidents in various parts of the country. One of the most tragic cases occurred in February 2025, when Jonathan Oliva, 13 years old, died after being dragged into an open manhole during floods in Havana.
Cuban authorities have announced in recent months several measures aimed at alleviating the deterioration of the medical emergency system. In January 2026, they reported the purchase of 50 ambulances from China, and in February, they incorporated 25 electric units into the health system.
However, the official figures regarding immobilized vehicles and the scenes that continue to repeat in various provinces show that these additions are far from meeting the accumulated needs.
Filed under: