A woman who accidentally fell into an uncovered well on a street in Bayamo, Granma, had to be transported to the hospital on an electric scooter because, after being rescued, there was no ambulance, stretcher, or paramedics available to handle the emergency.
The transfer was recorded on video and shared on Facebook by José E. Gonzélez Marín. The images show the woman lying on the platform of the small electric vehicle, surrounded by firefighters and neighbors as they prepare to take her for medical attention.
The accident occurred after the woman fell into an unprotected well in the middle of a public street. According to the account shared on social media, neighbors quickly alerted the authorities, and members of the Bayamo fire department arrived at the scene.
The rescuers were able to extract her using the available rescue equipment. The problem arose once the woman was out of the well and needed to be transported 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 motorbike, Unizuki, appeared, which ended up serving as the makeshift ambulance, explained the author of the post.
The video shows the injured person lying on the vehicle's platform, while firefighters wearing helmets and several civilians stand around 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 needed, according to figures acknowledged by the health authorities themselves.
The result 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 makeshift means.
The accident this weekend also reveals another everyday danger: the potholes, manholes, and open or unprotected access points that remain on 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 pulled into an uncovered sewer during flooding in Havana.
Cuban authorities have announced several measures in recent months aimed at alleviating the deterioration of the emergency medical 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 on immobilized vehicles and the scenes that continue to unfold in various provinces show that these additions are far from meeting the accumulated needs.
Filed under: