The presentation of a bicycle as recognition for outstanding employees of the Dr. Juan Bruno Zayas Alfonso General Hospital in Santiago de Cuba sparked a wave of criticism, irony, and disbelief on social media, where numerous users questioned whether this is the reward given to professionals who hold the lives of their patients in their hands on a daily basis.
The General Hospital Dr. Juan Bruno Zayas Alfonso reported this Monday on the recognition made under the Cuba Soberana project and the cooperation with Belgium.
The institution presented the award as a tribute to its employees recognized for their "daily dedication and spirit of service" and emphasized that the bicycle should not be viewed solely as a material object.
“The delivery of a bicycle as recognition is not just a material gift, but a gesture that represents mobility, effort, and continuity in the collective work,” stated the hospital.
The publication added that the recognition reaffirmed the value of international cooperation and stated that the bicycle would be a "permanent reminder" of the value of "every effort and every sacrifice" of the workers.
However, the message generated numerous critical reactions. One of the most discussed summarized the contrast that many users perceived between the responsibility of healthcare professionals and the level of recognition received.
"It is hard to stay silent... I had promised myself not to express my opinion, but it's striking to see those who save lives in Cuba... to gift them a bicycle...", wrote a person.
Another was much more blunt: "You have no shame. And the doctors who go along with this have even less. They lack self-respect."
The sarcasm also appeared among the responses. «That is a creative strategy of the Revolution to improve the physical quality of health workers,» joked an internet user.
Others questioned the practical usefulness of a bicycle in a city characterized by numerous hills. "Is it electric? I appreciate the gesture, but I can't imagine a surgeon, for instance, after pedaling a few kilometers in this city full of hills. I don't know what the doctor's pulse will be like before starting their first surgery," commented one user.
Another reaction followed the same line: "A bicycle in a place that is nothing but uphill... they go by, but well, congratulations."
There were also those who considered the acknowledgment insufficient, although they recognized that it could partially alleviate the serious transportation issues.
"It's a small relief, but why weren't they electric scooters? They save lives, they deserve the best; but well, it's better than returning home due to lack of transportation," said one person.
“Great idiots are those who drive luxury cars and don’t have to pedal to get anywhere,” another comment sarcastically remarked.
Some users compared the situation of Cuban doctors with the economic opportunities available to those professionals outside the island.
A person recounted that their brother practiced medicine in Cuba and stated that he was never able to buy a bicycle with his salary, while after emigrating to the United States, he was able to acquire two cars by working in construction.
"Ridiculous, a bicycle", summed up another user. "Great prize for loyalty", stated one more, while another person reacted with disbelief: "This is a joke, right? A bicycle...".
Critiques were not unanimous. A user explained that her sister was among the beneficiaries and defended the gesture, although she acknowledged its limitations: "Although it may not be an optimal solution to their transportation needs, it is a recognition of her dedication, effort, and quality as a healthcare worker in the hospital. Hopefully, there can be better and more recognitions of this kind."
But other criticisms even extended to the way the bicycles would have been distributed.
A worker or person associated with the center questioned why some beneficiaries already had means of transportation and argued that general service employees also deserved to receive them. «I feel outraged by that distribution», she stated.
In a context marked by demands for fair wages and criticisms of recognitions that many consider insufficient, this is not the first time the presentation of a gift of this kind to healthcare workers has stirred controversy in Cuba.
A similar episode occurred in July with the delivery of a bicycle to the head of the Intensive Care Unit at Manuel Fajardo Clinical Surgical University Hospital in Havana, which also sparked criticism and mockery on social media.
In that case, the project "We Must Love Cuba" presented the vehicle as a recognition of the specialist's career, while users questioned why an elderly doctor had to pedal after completing a hospital shift.
Juan Bruno Zayas himself has been the setting for other modest recognitions of its professionals.
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers at the hospital received flowers and had access to the sale of chicken packages as part of the tributes for their efforts against the coronavirus.
At that moment, there were also those who believed that the food should have been provided free of charge to the doctors.
Related videos:
Filed under: