Cuba's healthcare system nears collapse amid shortages and outages

Cuba's once-celebrated public health system is deteriorating rapidly, with patients facing severe delays in diagnosis and treatment due to broken equipment, medication shortages, and power cuts. In the Instituto de Oncología y Radiobiología (INOR), 1,200 patients are awaiting radiotherapy, and 80% of diagnostic and treatment technology is obsolete or broken. Source: infobae, clarin, diariolibree

What is happening

Rosa Valentina Pérez, a 64-year-old cancer patient, has waited weeks for a CT scan—only one scanner operates in Havana, covering the capital and other provinces. "Ustedes no pueden imaginar lo que es tener estos dolores," she told AFP. Source: clarin Doctors administer chemotherapy without being able to monitor its effects due to missing reagents and equipment. Source: infobae

Impact on children

The pediatric cancer survival rate has fallen from 85% to 65% in recent years. Dr. Mariuska Forteza, head of pediatric oncology at INOR, said: "Es muy frustrante que tú sepas que puedes salvar al niño… y no lo puedes hacer porque estás atada de manos." Source: infobae, clarin

Root causes

The crisis is attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic, tightened U.S. sanctions, fuel shortages, and frequent blackouts that damage medical equipment. The government has prioritized cancer, cardiology, and nephrology, but these programs are among the hardest hit. Zholem Jorge Isaac, national director of Electromedicine, said cancer technology is over 50% affected. Source: excelsiormx Additionally, an exodus of medical staff to better-paying jobs has worsened the situation. Engineers like Alexis Amado Domínguez work overnight to keep equipment running. Source: diariolibree A viral social media post described a hospital without water or electricity, with a doctor reportedly telling a patient to go directly to the funeral home in case of emergency. Source: excelsiormx