A Cuban mother has condemned the agonizing hours her son endured waiting for an ambulance to transfer him to a hospital after suffering a serious chest wound. “Three hours at the Regla Polyclinic waiting for an ambulance. Enough is enough! This is abuse! Where are the ambulances of this country? The ones they mentioned on the news, where are they?” the woman, identified as Amarilis Pérez Ravelo, exclaimed in a live broadcast on her social media.
Pérez Ravelo referred to information released last December by official media, which claimed that the Cuban government had purchased a batch of 99 ambulances worth $4 million. Despite such announcements, the reality is that the services of the Integrated Medical Emergency System (SIUM) on the island remain inadequate and are heavily criticized by the public.
"They told me ‘there is no availability, no line,’” Pérez Ravelo said, repeating the response given by the administrative staff responsible for requesting SIUM services. Finally, after nearly four hours of waiting, the ambulance arrived, and the family was taken to the Juan Manuel Márquez Hospital, where the child was admitted to the surgery ward.
Despite her harsh words, Pérez Ravelo acknowledged the good care provided by the doctors and medical staff at Regla Polyclinic, who did everything possible to treat her son's severe injury. It remains unclear how the child sustained the injury, but it appears he fell and impaled himself on a piece of metal near the left side of his chest.
“The children of the officials have an ambulance at their doorstep,” the mother protested indignantly while waiting for the specialized transport. In a live broadcast after her son was admitted, she explained that he was “doing well, out of danger.”
“A huge thank you to everyone for their concern for my baby, thank God he is now out of danger. He is responding well to the antibiotics, thanks to everyone who has helped me in one way or another,” she wrote on her Facebook wall.
Healthcare Crisis in Cuba
Last May, the Ministry of Public Health (MINSAP) of Cuba reported that it only had 39.6% of the ambulances needed to handle various medical emergencies. The figure was disclosed by Minister José Ángel Portal Miranda during the annual review of the agency, which analyzed the situation in 2022.
“In many places, the response time to medical emergencies is prolonged, which is due, among other factors, to organizational issues and a low technical availability coefficient of ambulances, which closed at 39.6%,” explained the official.
Cubans frequently take to social media to complain about the lack of ambulances to transport critically ill patients to hospitals. In some cases, the ambulance never arrives, and patients die without receiving professional assistance. Many people express their concern over the severe crisis in Cuba’s public health system, citing shortages of supplies, medications, ambulances, and inadequate conditions in medical centers, problems that have worsened in recent years and which the government has been unable to resolve.
FAQs on Cuba’s Healthcare and Ambulance Shortages
Below are some frequently asked questions related to the healthcare crisis and the shortage of ambulances in Cuba, which have become pressing issues for many citizens.
Why are there not enough ambulances in Cuba?
The shortage of ambulances in Cuba is attributed to organizational issues within the healthcare system and a low technical availability of ambulances, which was reported to be at 39.6% last year.
How has the ambulance shortage affected the Cuban population?
The lack of ambulances has led to prolonged response times for medical emergencies, resulting in some patients dying before receiving necessary medical assistance.
What actions has the Cuban government taken to address the ambulance shortage?
The Cuban government announced the purchase of 99 new ambulances worth $4 million; however, the impact of this purchase on the actual availability and functionality of ambulances remains to be seen.