A woman residing in Los Colonos, on the Island of Youth, claims that she needs to undergo surgery, but first she must independently obtain several of the medical supplies required for the procedure, a task she says she does not know how to tackle due to her precarious economic and family situation.
Her story was collected by content creator Yoana Pérez, who shared the testimony on Facebook during a visit to her home.
"I have to have surgery. I don't have the surgical kit that they say I need to find in order to have the operation; I have to find the serum, the trocar, the catheter, the Levine, I have to find everything. Where am I supposed to get that? I don't have family, I don't receive any help or anything like that," the woman recounted.
But the operation is just one part of their problems.
The woman lives with her mother, an elderly person with serious vision difficulties, and with her daughter, who studies at a special school. She explained that her health condition also prevents her from maintaining regular employment.
"I am here alone with my mom and the girl, and I have been like this for years. As I already told you about work, I can't work, they don't allow me, they won't retire me," she lamented.
He assures that when his leg becomes inflamed, he must stop working, but he has not been able to access a disability pension either.
The household income mainly relies on the just over 3000 pesos she receives and a similar amount her mother gets.
"I'm managing with the three thousand and something they pay me and the three thousand and something they pay her to buy whatever comes up, at whatever price, in order to keep going more or less," she explained.
The difficulties are also evident within the home. As she mentioned, the machine she used for work broke down, the house has leaks, and several of the appliances she owns are no longer functioning.
Even the celebration of her daughter's 15th birthday was made possible thanks to the help of an uncle living in Havana, who covered some of the expenses.
The case recalls other recent reports from Cuban patients who claim to have had to seek out materials in order to undergo procedures.
In June, a 23-year-old displayed a handwritten list of supplies he needed to obtain before a surgery. Among them were a urinary catheter, cannulas, a transfusion set, sutures, and blood donations.
The shortage of medications and medical supplies continues to affect hospitals and pharmacies on the Island. Published reports indicate that approximately 70% of the essential drug formulary was unavailable, while health authorities have acknowledged the severity of the shortages.
For this woman from Los Colonos, however, the problem has an immediate dimension: she needs surgery and insists that she has no money or relatives who can provide her with what they are asking for.
"Where am I going to find that?" he/she asked in front of the camera.
Filed under: