Photographs released this Saturday by independent journalist José Luis Tan Estrada show the deteriorating condition of the Garrido Dental Clinic in Camagüey, featuring rusted dental units, trays with severe stains, instruments on corroded surfaces, and a sink with its drain completely destroyed by corrosion.
The images, shared on their Facebook profile under the #TanteandoCuba series, reveal an old dental unit covered in dirt on all its surfaces, the control panel barely recognizable, and the hoses of the instruments in a state of neglect.
In another photograph, gloves, dental instruments, and materials are observed laid out on a tray with dark stains and clear signs of corrosion, in what should be a space of strict asepsis.
The sink in the facility has a completely corroded drain, with reddish-brown rust, a detached piece, and a buildup of dirt in the central hole.
What makes the situation worse is that, according to several commentators in the publication, the Garrido Clinic is considered one of the best in the province and the only one with a stable electricity supply, making it the sole facility for nighttime dental emergencies throughout the city.
"But that clinic is one of the best, the professors are excellent, and they have electricity to work; unfortunately, that's not the case in the others," wrote a user.
Tan Estrada responded forcefully: "But one thing does not negate the other."
A citizen who went to the emergency room about two months ago described a chaotic experience: "The light wasn't working, so with my phone in hand... The dental drill couldn't have its water pressure adjusted, and to make matters worse, it was at maximum pressure, so every half second I had to stop; it was a whole odyssey."
Another user who worked at the clinic tried to clarify the situation by pointing out that the stains on the chairs are caused by solutions and medications like eugenol, and that "there are stains that won't come out even with bleach." However, she acknowledged that daily cleaning is an obligation that is not being met.
Several commentators warned that Garrido's case is not the worst. "If you see the one from Ciego de Ávila," wrote one. Another was more straightforward: "That's just at the dental clinic; go to the provincial hospital to see real things."
The complaint adds to a series of reports regarding the deteriorating conditions of the Provincial Hospital of Camagüey, which has accumulated complaints in recent months about rodents, stagnant water, flooded basements, and walls covered in mold in the Observation Room.
In May, the Perinatal Care Unit of the Maternal Hospital was reported to have been turned into a parking area for electric motorcycles.
Nationally, dental care is facing a structural crisis that includes non-functional compressors without replacement parts, capable of supporting dozens of dental chairs, and the closure of 45 dental clinics between 2010 and 2024.
The Minister of Public Health, José Ángel Portal Miranda, acknowledged in February before the AP news agency that the Cuban healthcare system was "on the brink of collapse" and that the situation could put lives at risk.
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