The General Directorate of Health of Matanzas published this Sunday an official statement on its Facebook page to deny rumors that circulated in recent hours regarding alleged deaths at the “Iluminado Rodríguez” Territorial Hospital in the municipality of Jagüey Grande.
The text assures that "so far, there is no report of an unusual number of deaths nor is there a health crisis situation in that hospital institution. The center continues to provide services and ensure medical care for the patients who need it." The institution did not specify the origin of the rumors nor the number of fatalities mentioned in them.
The statement urges the public to "remain calm, avoid sharing unverified content, and rely exclusively on the official channels of the municipality and the General Directorate of Health for information." It concludes with the phrase: "Do not share rumors! Get informed through official sources."
The denial follows a pattern that has repeated several times in 2026. In February, the Municipal Health Directorate of Mayarí responded to a viral complaint claiming 14 deaths in a single day, officially acknowledging only four deaths. In March, the Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital in Havana denied that patients on mechanical ventilation had died due to electrical failures. In October, the Eliseo Noel Caamaño Pediatric Hospital in Matanzas denied being overwhelmed.
The most recent and nearby case occurred just five days prior: the Faustino Pérez Hospital in Matanzas accused those who shared images of the collapse of a false ceiling in its Orthopedics department, which happened on October 30, of "manipulation" and "slandering campaign." An independent communicator then responded with a phrase that captured the sentiment of many Cubans: "Hospitals do not need their image defended. They need their ceilings repaired."
The context in which this new denial occurs is that of a health crisis that the authorities themselves have acknowledged. A few days ago, the Minister of Public Health, José Ángel Portal Miranda, admitted to the Central Committee of the Communist Party serious issues in hospitals and polyclinics: a lack of medications, shortages of equipment, breakdowns in elevators, boilers, generators, and water systems. Although he tried to clarify the situation by stating that “no institution has been closed in the country.”
The crisis is also reflected in the exodus of medical personnel. The Cuban health system ended 2025 with 71,635 registered doctors, nearly 3,730 fewer than in 2024 and over 34,000 fewer than in 2021. In total, the National Health System lost 55,605 workers between 2023 and 2025.
In Matanzas and other provinces of the country, hospitals have accumulated electrical failures, a lack of basic supplies such as orthopedic casts and reagents, and reports of patient neglect throughout the year.
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