A young Cuban mother from Holguín has accused a local hospital of medical negligence following the death of her 20-day-old infant. Arlety González, who resides in the Reparto Negrito neighborhood in the Holguín municipality of Antilla, shared her harrowing experience with the independent media outlet CubaNet.
According to González, the ordeal began on January 24th when her baby fell ill. She took her son to the hospital at 6:00 am, where a nurse took the child away, and she did not hear anything for the next 12 hours. "I only saw doctors going in and out, but no one told me anything," González recounted.
During this time, the baby reportedly had an adverse reaction to the antibiotic Rocephin, leading to cardiac arrest and seizures. "The nurse in the ambulance didn't want me to come along, saying I couldn't ride with them. But I insisted and got in the ambulance," González remembered.
Upon arrival at the provincial hospital, she was told to sit and wait, with no information given about her son's condition. The publication did not clarify the baby's underlying illness. Eventually, González was told that if she wanted to see her son alive, she had to go to the ward. "He stayed like that for three days. The Rocephin caused an adverse reaction and he contracted a bacteria," González was informed.
On January 26th, after multiple cardiac arrests, the baby died, the report specifies. The following hours were agonizing and humiliating for the family. González stated that her son died at 3:20 am, but by noon, his body was still in the ward because no orderly was available to take him to the morgue.
In her grief, González carried her son to the morgue herself. Yet, she faced further obstacles when trying to hold a wake at home. "Since he was a baby and didn't have an ID, the doctor told me to pretend he never existed," she recounted indignantly.
Lastly, authorities tried to prevent her from taking her son's body home for the wake, even involving the red berets to remove the body, which she resisted. "I stood my ground and told them they had to give me my child because he was my baby. Even though he was dead, he was still my son. He was 20 days old," she emphasized.
The number of Cubans losing family members and reporting medical irregularities or negligence is on the rise. From the perspective of Médico Cubano Libre, its president Miguel Ángel Ruano attributes this to the fact that many seasoned doctors are on missions abroad, leaving inexperienced new graduates struggling with diagnoses on the island.
Just two weeks ago, a three-year-old girl died after being admitted to a hospital with vomiting and headaches.
Understanding Medical Negligence in Cuba
The following questions and answers aim to provide more insight into the issue of medical negligence in Cuba, as highlighted by this tragic incident.
What is medical negligence?
Medical negligence occurs when healthcare professionals fail to provide the standard care that a reasonable person would expect, resulting in harm or injury to the patient.
How common is medical negligence in Cuba?
Reports of medical negligence are becoming more frequent in Cuba, particularly as experienced doctors are often sent abroad, leaving less experienced medical staff to handle complex cases.
What are the consequences of medical negligence in Cuba?
The consequences can be severe, including prolonged suffering, permanent injury, or death. Patients and their families may also face emotional and psychological trauma.