A Cuban woman has issued a desperate plea for help from the hospital where she has been admitted for over a month following a femur surgery, decrying the horrendous care that has led to severe skin ulcerations.
Maite Alonso Companioni, aged 42, went live from the Fructuoso Rodríguez Orthopedic Hospital in Havana, imploring for attention to her grave condition that threatens her life. After a month and 10 days of convalescence in the hospital—where she underwent femur surgery—Companioni developed multiple pressure ulcers due to the neglect of patient mobility by the healthcare staff.
According to Companioni, after suffering a femur fracture, she was operated on at Fructuoso Rodríguez Hospital and subsequently infected with a bacterium. Now, she requires treatment for the ulcers, but the doctors are unable to treat her wounds in the appropriate room because the air conditioning is broken.
Warning: Images may be disturbing.
“I need help, please. They are going to close the room because the air conditioning is broken, but there is another room. Please, come get me from [Hospital] Fajardo and take me to the room. I’m dying; I’m rotting, and they want to send me home,” pleaded the woman in a Facebook post.
She further described that she has had a fever for 21 days, suffers from severe anemia, and is receiving no attention. Doctors told her she would be transferred to the Manuel Fajardo University Clinical Surgical Hospital, where they could clean and treat her ulcers, but no one has come to fetch her, and at the Orthopedic Hospital, they are already discussing sending her home in her current condition.
“The director comes by every morning, the deputy director too, the doctors are personally kind, but this place is disorganized, there are no medications, and I am dying,” Companioni said in her live broadcast, breaking down in tears.
The Collapse of Cuban Public Health and the Rise of Necrotic Tissue Cases
The condition of patients with long-term hospital admissions in Cuba is dire, with many being prone to skin ulcerations due to a lack of medications and the necessary care.
A pressure ulcer, or bedsore, is a skin and underlying tissue injury caused by prolonged pressure or friction. This is a severe and common problem, particularly among elderly people.
In April, young Ángel Ernesto, bedridden since 2018 due to an accident, sought help to obtain medical supplies and medications needed to improve his quality of life.
In a desperate plea through social media, the 20-year-old requested wound care materials, 30mm urinary condoms, and anti-bedsore creams. Ángel Ernesto thanked Osleidy Catala for providing what he needed most, an anti-bedsore mattress, a crucial item for bedridden individuals and one of the many resources the Cuban government fails to provide. “It’s essential to prevent bedsores,” said the young man.
A similar situation was experienced by Lester Domínguez, a teenager attacked with a machete in Holguín, who, during his stay at the pediatric hospital in that province, sought help to treat a bedsore that had developed.
In addition to silver sulfadiazine and nitrofurazone, the teenager’s family also requested an inflatable raft [anti-bedsore mattress] to prevent skin abrasions.
In February 2023, elderly Carmen Leonides Botana Fernández, a resident of Havana, received help from several Cuban activists who became interested in her case after learning she had waited for hours for an ambulance to transfer her to the hospital.
The 87-year-old woman was diagnosed with severe dehydration, bedsores, and other ailments, prompting the activists to mobilize and gather supplies and medications to care for her.
"The surgeon debrided all the necrotic tissue, and tests also revealed that she has severe pneumonia. In addition to daily wound care, she was put on a Rosephin treatment," wrote Arián Cruz Álvarez (Tata Poet) on his Facebook page.
It was also reported that Botana Fernández received assistance with an anti-bedsore bed, adult disposable diapers, creams, and food.
FAQs on the Cuban Health Crisis and Patient Care
Below are some frequently asked questions regarding the current state of healthcare in Cuba and the issues faced by long-term hospital patients.
What are the main challenges faced by long-term hospital patients in Cuba?
Patients often suffer from a lack of basic medical supplies, inadequate patient care, and poor hospital conditions, resulting in complications such as pressure ulcers and infections.
How does the lack of air conditioning affect patient care in Cuban hospitals?
Air conditioning is essential for maintaining a sterile environment crucial for wound care and preventing infections. Its absence can exacerbate patient conditions and hinder proper medical treatment.
What measures are activists taking to help patients in Cuba?
Activists are mobilizing to provide essential medical supplies, medications, and basic necessities like anti-bedsore mattresses and adult diapers to improve the quality of care for patients.