‘To play God’: Cuba’s healthcare system collapses under US pressure

Cuba's medical infrastructure is failing. Doctors at the William Soler Pediatric Hospital report that over half of newborns requiring surgery in the first half of this year have died. This sharp increase in mortality follows the United States decision to block fuel shipments to the island earlier this year. With electricity often unavailable for up to 20 hours a day, surgeons face a lack of antibiotics and basic supplies.

Healthcare workers describe an impossible situation. Because resources are so scarce, hospital staff are forced to decide which patients receive treatment and which do not. Elective surgeries, including cancer operations, are delayed or canceled entirely as operating rooms focus on emergencies. The backlog of patients waiting for necessary medical procedures has grown to over 100,000 people.

Public health officials note that the current crisis is a direct consequence of long-term economic sanctions. The latest fuel blockade has hampered the transport of medical supplies and the daily operation of clinics. Medication shortages are so severe that 300 of the 395 essential medicines typically produced in Cuba are currently unavailable. Many citizens now rely on herbal alternatives or seek medicine through the black market to manage conditions like hypertension.

Physicians who once treated a set number of patients now find their workloads doubled or tripled as clinics consolidate to survive. Despite the pressure, medical professionals stay at their posts to assist patients. The rising infant and maternal mortality rates serve as indicators of the collapse occurring within a system that was previously a pillar of the country's social model.