A nurse monitors a child in a neonatal care unit in a Cuban hospital. Photo: Rafael Fernández Rosell/Granma.
Some 32,880 pregnant women in Cuba face additional risks as a result of the intensification of the fuel blockade imposed by the United States, reported the Ministry of Public Health, highlighting the direct impact that the fuel deficit is having on medical care and vital services provided by the healthcare system.
According to official data, restrictions in fuel supply primarily affect the Maternal and Child Care Program, limiting pregnant women’s access to obstetric ultrasounds for foetal monitoring and genetic studies, which are essential for the timely diagnosis of malformations and complications.
The fuel deficit also hampers the mobilization of medical commissions responsible for evaluating cases of extremely severe maternal morbidity and critical newborns, in addition to causing delays in childhood vaccination schedules.
Cuban public health authorities decried that these effects could significantly impact the 61,830 children under one year of age who require special care during their first stage of life. Similarly, care for children with specific needs such as home ventilation, mechanical suction, and climate control is at risk due to instability in electricity supply and the limited availability of transport for urgent and emergency cases.
The Ministry of Public Health added that the situation also compromises care for oncology patients, people with chronic non-communicable diseases, as well as the monitoring of programs related to communicable diseases, which could impact mortality indicators.
Logistical limitations and increased cost of supplies
The tightening of the US blockade has caused greater difficulties in acquiring medicines, reagents, disposable supplies, medical instruments, and spare parts for hospital equipment. In addition to this, the reduction in commercial flights and the increase in freight costs are hindering the urgent arrival of supplies to the country.
The minister of Public Health of Cuba, José Ángel Portal Miranda, explained that the healthcare system has adopted strategic measures to preserve the vitality of services in the current situation. Among them, he highlighted the concentration of essential services, the strengthening of the family doctor and nurse program, the prioritization of the maternal and child program, and the reduction of hospital stays when clinically possible.
Surgical activity will also be reduced, prioritizing only emergency interventions, while guaranteeing care for patients with chronic conditions, including those requiring hemodialysis.
Sustained effort of healthcare personnel
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Cuban healthcare system has faced a scenario of high logistical and financial pressure. Authorities point out that the current fuel blockade worsens conditions for providing hospital services, intensive therapies, and operating rooms.
Nevertheless, the ministry emphasized that medical personnel and healthcare institutions remain committed to ensuring care for the population, prioritizing the most vulnerable cases and reorganizing resources to confront the limitations arising from the US blockade.
Cuban authorities have reiterated that the US blockade constitutes a policy of maximum pressure that directly impacts the lives of millions of people.
(Telesur)
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/CB/SC
Cameron Baillie is an award-winning journalist, editor, and researcher. He won and was shortlisted for awards across Britain and Ireland. He is Editor-in-Chief of New Sociological Perspectives graduate journal and Commissioning Editor at The Student Intifada newsletter. He spent the first half of 2025 living, working, and writing in Ecuador. He does news translation and proofreading work with The Orinoco Tribune.
