The Cuban government announced this Tuesday the addition of 44 electric vehicles intended for the transportation of medications, medical supplies, and other essential cargo for the operation of hospitals and healthcare institutions, amid a severe fuel crisis that complicates the distribution of supplies throughout the country.
However, the Minister of Transport himself, Eduardo Rodríguez Dávila, acknowledged that the new fleet will not be sufficient to meet all the needs of the health sector.
The official informed this Tuesday on Facebook about the acquisition, arrival in the country, and distribution of the new equipment, each with a load capacity of 3.2 tons.
"Distributing medications, medical supplies, and other essential resources for the functioning of the healthcare sector is both a priority and a significant challenge in the current scenario of fuel shortages," stated Rodríguez Dávila.
The introduction of the vehicles aims to alleviate some of the logistical issues within the healthcare system, which needs to transport medications, materials, and other supplies between warehouses and medical institutions.
"The responsibility is very high because we know that the lives of human beings depend on whether medical institutions have the necessary supplies available, amidst the many tensions they face," he stated.
Of the 44 units purchased, 20 will be allocated to Havana, where numerous hospitals, specialized centers, and national health institutions are concentrated.
These vehicles will be operated by TRANSMED, the state-owned company established this year to meet the transportation needs of healthcare personnel, which will now expand its functions to include the transport of goods.
The remaining 24 units will be distributed among the other provinces and will be managed by the provincial transport companies, as explained by the minister.
The vehicles were acquired through projects funded by the Public Transport Development Fund, a state mechanism used for investments aimed at improving the mobility of passengers and goods.
The minister acknowledged that the available resources are insufficient in light of the magnitude of the accumulated needs.
"These are limited funds compared to the needs, but the goal is to use them in the best possible way and address priorities, such as supporting public health," he noted.
In that regard, he emphasized that the new acquisition represents a partial solution.
"They do not cover all the needs, but we continue to take steps to improve transportation services, in this case related to a sector that is so sensitive for the population," he acknowledged.
The announcement also includes plans to reduce dependence on the national power grid through the use of solar energy.
Rodríguez assured that charging stations equipped with photovoltaic solar panels have already been contracted to supply electricity to these vehicles and other electric units acquired previously.
However, his statement indicates that those facilities are still part of a project under development. The official did not specify how many stations will be installed, where they will be located, or when they will become operational.
This aspect is especially important in a country where prolonged blackouts also compromise the availability of electricity needed to charge electric vehicles.
The incorporation of means that do not consume gasoline or diesel can reduce direct dependence on fuels during operation, but their usefulness will be conditioned by the availability of energy for recharging, maintenance, and the organization of routes.
The minister assured that the purchase includes supplies to ensure the repairs and maintenance of the units.
"The purchase of these new vehicles is accompanied by the necessary support for maintenance and any repairs that may be required," he explained.
According to the official, proper management should allow the equipment to be maintained in good condition throughout its useful life.
The investment announced this Tuesday also expands a medical transport project presented by the Government at the beginning of the year.
In February, the Ministry of Transport announced the launch of TRANSMED with a fleet of 25 combustion buses and nine electric minibuses, primarily intended for the transportation of healthcare workers in Havana.
That initiative, also financed through the Public Transport Development Fund, represented an investment of over five million dollars.
At that moment, Rodríguez acknowledged that the project would not initially meet the sector's demand and that part of its operation would remain vulnerable to fuel shortages.
The new initiative also arrives in a context where the availability of medications remains one of the most serious problems for Cuban families.
A survey conducted by CubaData between February and March 2026, involving 1,788 participants from across the country, revealed that 95.6% of respondents had encountered difficulties in obtaining medications over the past 12 months.
Of them, 40.4% reported having experienced many difficulties, while 13.8% stated that it had been impossible for them to access the medications they needed.
The results also reflected issues in receiving medical care: 90.9% of participants reported some type of obstacle in accessing health services.
The shortages have also been acknowledged by the Cuban health authorities themselves.
In July 2025, the Minister of Public Health, José Ángel Portal Miranda, acknowledged before the National Assembly that the country only had around 30% of its basic medicine supply available.
Out of the 651 essential medications, 461 were either completely unavailable or had low availability.
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