The seizure of medications that were being resold at inflated prices in Centro Habana sparked a wave of questioning on social media. Amid the shortages affecting state pharmacies, many Cubans are wondering where they will now be able to obtain the treatments they need.
The Municipal Assembly of the People's Power of Centro Habana announced on Facebook that the authorities carried out several seizures as part of the actions against reselling and abusive pricing.
The post, accompanied by a photograph featuring numerous bottles, blister packs, and other pharmaceutical products, did not specify the quantities seized, their origin, or the intended destination of the medications.
"And where do we buy now? Because they were expensive there, but at least they were available. Do you have anything to offer us?" asked a user in one of the comments that reflected the concerns of those who rely on the informal market to access their treatments.
Another citizen was more emphatic: "If it weren't for those people selling medication, even at high prices, we would have already died because nothing has come into the state pharmacies for months."
A woman reported that she had not been able to get her blood pressure medication for some time, and that during a back pain crisis, she had to bring a vial of diclofenac to a health center because they did not have the medication to relieve her.
"Where can I find them at fair prices and through the government? If I need them urgently, do hospitals have them? Do pharmacies have them? Do polyclinics have them?" questioned another commenter.
The reactions also raised a concern: how do so many medications reach the informal market while remaining absent from state pharmacies?
"What needs to be done is to see how they come out of the factory because, unfortunately, all or most of them are of Cuban production," stated a citizen, without confirming the origin of the seized products.
Others asked what will happen to the seized medications and if they will be made available to the population.
“Can you tell me which pharmacy this merchandise is going to? I want to go buy it,” wrote a user.
The controversy arises just a few days after Miguel Díaz-Canel publicly acknowledged the shortage of medications in Cuba and once again attributed the supply difficulties to the U.S. embargo.
This is not the first time that an operation against the informal sale of medications has generated criticism. In February, a police intervention in Santiago de Cuba provoked similar reactions, when citizens questioned the measures in light of the shortages in state pharmacies.
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