Havana – The U.S. Economic blockade of Cuba continues to have a profound and devastating impact on the health and well-being of the Cuban people, extending beyond economic hardship to directly impede access to essential medical care. Stories emerging from the island reveal a system strained by shortages, forcing patients and healthcare workers to navigate extraordinary challenges to secure treatment and maintain hope.
Emma Doris Ricardo Santana, a higher education teacher, recently faced a harrowing battle with aggressive breast cancer. Her access to complete treatment was jeopardized by a critical shortage of cytostatic sera – drugs used in chemotherapy – directly linked to the blockade. She was forced to seek care across three different hospitals, enduring the physical and emotional toll of repeated travel while undergoing invasive treatment. “Medicines heal but solidarity also heals. It makes you rise,” she recalled, highlighting the crucial role of community support in overcoming these obstacles.
The impact extends beyond cancer care. Rocío Rincón, a 29-year-old civil worker at the Carlos J. Finley hospital, lives with a pituitary gland tumor. While she receives treatment, access to necessary medications is often disrupted by the blockade, a situation she attributes to the policies enacted during the Trump administration, which she describes as “much worse” than previous restrictions. Despite these challenges, she expressed gratitude for Cuba’s healthcare system, which provides free care, stating, “I do not have to pay doctors. I do not know what it means to go buy my pills.”
The blockade’s effects ripple through the entire healthcare infrastructure. At the Carlos J. Finley hospital, staff are implementing energy-saving measures, including limiting air conditioning, and establishing medicinal gardens to supplement dwindling pharmaceutical supplies. These efforts, while commendable, are insufficient to fully address the needs of the patient population. The hospital relies on a power plant to prioritize essential services, but shortages remain a constant concern.
The challenges aren’t limited to adults. Claudia, Emma Doris’s 10-year-old daughter, suffers from a growth disorder. Crucially, the necessary growth hormones for her treatment are unavailable in Cuba due to the blockade. “There are no reagents in the country to be able to treat it,” Emma Doris explained, illustrating the heartbreaking reality faced by families.
The Manuel Islas Pérez community, located in Havana, exemplifies the resilience of the Cuban people. Residents are actively engaged in food production, cultivating plots to grow fruits, vegetables, and medicinal plants to supplement their diets. The community prioritizes access to services and fosters a strong sense of solidarity, but even here, the blockade’s impact is palpable. María Eva Puentes Torres, a pastry chef, faces disruptions to her work due to frequent power outages, hindering her ability to earn a living. She expressed outrage at the U.S. Policies, stating, “We strongly repudiate the measures that the United States government has taken against our country.”
Even childhood is not immune. Ainara Neira Reyes, an 11-year-old pioneer, explained that the blockade limits access to school supplies and transportation, impacting her education and that of her peers. Despite these difficulties, she and her classmates are taught to value education, resilience, and national pride. “We are not going to give up because of the blockade, even if they increase it or put many obstacles in the way,” she asserted, embodying the unwavering spirit of the Cuban people.
The stories of Emma Doris, Rocío, María Eva, and Ainara represent a broader pattern of hardship and resilience. The blockade doesn’t simply restrict trade; it directly compromises the health and well-being of individuals, forcing them to confront systemic barriers to essential medical care. The Cuban healthcare system, while lauded for its accessibility and preventative focus, is continually challenged by the lack of resources, forcing healthcare professionals and communities to innovate and rely on solidarity to overcome adversity. The enduring message from Cuba is clear: the blockade is not merely an economic policy, but a humanitarian concern with far-reaching consequences for the health of its citizens.
