The Provincial Clinical Surgical Teaching Hospital "Saturnino Lora Torres" in Santiago de Cuba showcased the work of its cooks as an example of "resilience" and "dedication", as they are compelled to prepare meals for the patients using firewood due to difficulties with fuel and the energy crisis the country is facing.
In a Facebook post shared two days ago, the institution praised the workers responsible for ensuring the meals of the admitted patients as "heroes in the kitchen."
"Amid the complex circumstances our country is facing, where resource limitations and fuel difficulties are a daily reality, our health center is engaged in a silent yet fundamental battle: ensuring the nourishment of all patients," the hospital stated.
The recognition of employees is particularly significant because they are the ones who, despite the material hardships, continue to uphold an essential service. The images shared by the center itself show workers preparing large quantities of food over wood-fired stoves.
"Despite the energy contingency, they have had to resort to traditional methods, preparing food with firewood," the institution admitted.
The hospital emphasized that "the heat of the fire and smoke" has not stopped the cooks from continuing their work and described that effort as a demonstration of "commitment and love for one another."
"Your resilience and dedication are an essential pillar in the recovery of our patients," he added.
Beyond the deserved recognition for those who work under such conditions, the publication itself highlights the extent to which the shortage of fuel and energy issues have impacted essential services within a hospital institution.
Cooking with firewood is no longer seen here as an exceptional domestic practice but has become the method used to ensure the nourishment of hospitalized individuals.
The management of Saturnino Lora also attributed the continuity of service to coordinated strategies among the Board of Directors, the Communist Party organization, and the Union, aimed —as explained— at “optimizing resources,” ensuring logistical support, and keeping the workers motivated.
However, the need to rely on wood stoves arises in a center that has already faced other issues this year related to the deterioration of services and infrastructure.
In August, the hospital itself announced the opening of a private store within its facilities to sell hygiene products, food, and other items intended for patients, companions, and staff, including basic goods such as soap, toilet paper, toothpaste, and diapers.
None of those products are supplied to the healthcare staff by the institution.
Months earlier, in April, a voltage overload in the power lines caused a blackout in the intensive and intermediate care units of Saturnino Lora and forced the evacuation of 12 patients.
This situation highlighted the fragility of the insurance coverage for the supposedly most important hospital in the province.
Other reports also described a fire in the Neurology area.
There have also been reports about the sanitary conditions of the center. In August, a nurse from Saturnino Lora resorted to using fire to combat a bedbug infestation on a chair, amid reports of insufficient products to eliminate the pest.
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