The Cuban doctor Alejandro Chong, head of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the William Soler Pediatric Hospital in Havana, earns more money from a food stand than from his job leading a service dedicated to caring for critically ill children.

Her story was revealed this Sunday by 60 Minutes of the American network CBS News, in a report conducted in Cuba that collected testimonies from doctors forced to seek additional income while facing shortages of medication, equipment, and hospital supplies.

Chong's case highlights the contradiction faced by professionals with years of training and crucial responsibilities for their patients' lives, yet whose salaries do not enable them to meet their basic needs.

He is not the only doctor in the hospital who needs another job. Lórien Rodríguez, a second-year Pediatric Surgery resident, also works as a radio host to support herself financially.

Meanwhile, the young woman explained to CBS that the lack of staff and resources increasingly complicates medical care.

According to their testimony, professionals must continuously inform families that they cannot provide certain treatments due to a lack of necessary resources.

The difficulties include the shortage of cancer medications, anesthetics, and laboratory equipment.

During the visit from American television, the doctors explained that a little girl had been waiting 68 days for an essential part for an extracorporeal circulation machine needed for her surgery. Under normal circumstances, the wait would have only been two days.

Power outages pose another risk. Chong explained that even the seconds that pass between a power interruption and the activation of generators can be critical for patients under general anesthesia or connected to mechanical ventilation.

Doctors reported that when the generators also fail, they have had to complete surgeries using the light from their cell phones and provide manual ventilation to patients who rely on electric equipment.

The report also includes the case of a two-month-old baby who had arrived at William Soler after being abandoned. The child was suffering from dehydration and malnutrition, and weighed less than 2.3 kilograms.

After stabilizing him, the doctors needed specialized infant formulas that were not available. Chong explained that the scarcity forces them to improvise food alternatives made with malanga and chicken.

The 60 Minutes team contacted the doctor again before airing the program. Chong reported that the baby had suffered respiratory complications and had to return to intensive care, where he passed away last Thursday.

Coincidentally, the William Soler hospital had also received a recent visit from Miguel Díaz-Canel. The leader praised the efforts of the healthcare staff, although he acknowledged the difficulties related to fuel, transportation, medications, and electricity.

The publication of their tour generated criticism from citizens who reported the deterioration of the facilities.

Chong's testimony adds to a previous report from CBS News, which had already documented the shortages of medications, prolonged blackouts, and the economic struggles of the population from Havana.

Other cases show how salary insecurity drives doctors to seek alternatives outside of hospitals.

In May, a Cuban woman shared that her mother, also a doctor, sold homemade flans because her hospital salary was not enough to support the family. As her daughter explained, she could earn in two days of sales what she would make in a month as a doctor.

Likewise, in October, another Cuban professional reported that she had decided to resign from practicing medicine in search of better income, despite the years dedicated to her training and her passion for caring for patients.