The most important dental clinic in Matanzas has been closed for more than two months since a truck hit a pole on March 4, leaving the institution without electricity. This situation exemplifies the negligence and sluggishness of the socialist regime in addressing the issue.
The local government's inaction affects the 19,172 patients served by the clinic, who are now forced to seek treatment at other healthcare facilities. The delay also impacts the care of pregnant women, a program that the regime touts as "priority" in the National Public Health System.
According to Dr. Bárbara Serrano Romaguera, the clinic's director, after the pole's impact caused a transformer to fall and spill its internal oil, it was decided to dismantle the remaining transformers, as reported by the official newspaper Girón. Serrano denounced that, due to the insistence of the clinic's staff, the regime reinstalled the three transformers on March 21, "but without activating them," she emphasized.
The doctor recounted that the ordeal began three days later, when "workers from the Electrical Company returned and took the first transformer. On May 6, they repeated the action with the second one, and a week later, with the third," all without notifying her, she noted.
Serrano indicated that they have reported the issue to all levels of the government, the Electrical Company, and even the provincial Public Health union, but "we still have no response," she stated.
In addition to affecting patients, the dissatisfaction among staff is considerable, as they face salary cuts due to the inability to make special payments, performing only field activities, the director warned. This discontent among the workforce is exacerbated by the fact that they cannot receive their full salary, which is insufficient in the current economic crisis.
Additionally, the doctor warned of another problem if the clinic remains closed: "We have material resources for making dental prostheses, but their properties are lost in this situation. For example, the wax deforms with the intense heat, and we have to start over."
In the current landscape, where healthcare centers are severely affected by the shortage of medical supplies, it is unjustifiable for the regime to delay resolving the electric outage at the main dental clinic in Matanzas.
Earlier this year, a Cuban woman reported that her father was denied medical care at a hospital in Guantánamo due to a lack of supplies and was instead "sent home to die without receiving first aid."
"Good afternoon, friends, family, acquaintances, and everyone who feels identified. We are currently facing a critical situation with my father, better known as the Indio del Reparto Obrero, as he was denied attention at the General Hospital, they say due to a lack of resources (gloves, gauze, saline, tweezers, etc.)," reported this Guantanamera identified on Facebook as Nora GR.
Impact of Clinic Closure in Matanzas
The closure of the dental clinic in Matanzas has raised several questions regarding the local government's response and the broader implications for public health in Cuba. Here are some frequently asked questions and their answers.
Why has the dental clinic in Matanzas been closed for so long?
The clinic has been closed since March 4 due to a truck accident that damaged a pole and caused a transformer to fall, resulting in a loss of electricity. Despite reinstalling the transformers, they have not been activated, leading to prolonged closure.
How are the patients affected by the clinic's closure?
The closure affects 19,172 patients, forcing them to seek dental care at other healthcare facilities. Pregnant women, who are part of a priority care program, are also significantly impacted.
What has the clinic's staff done to address the issue?
The staff has reported the problem to various government levels, the Electrical Company, and the provincial Public Health union, but have yet to receive a satisfactory response or solution.
What are the broader implications of the clinic's closure?
The clinic's closure not only affects patient care but also leads to staff dissatisfaction and economic hardships due to salary cuts. Additionally, it risks the integrity of materials used for dental prostheses, exacerbating the crisis in the healthcare system.