Karen Boffill Pérez, a resident of Centro Habana, has taken to social media to urgently call on the government to address the overwhelming garbage crisis plaguing her neighborhood. Through a post on an official Havana Government page, Karen shared powerful images and expressed her deep frustration and fear of contracting diseases like dengue, given the unsanitary conditions she endures alongside her 86-year-old mother and her daughter.
The family faces a severe health threat due to the accumulation of waste near their home, which endangers not only their well-being but also that of the entire community. "For days, I have been desperately pleading through every possible channel for the removal of the massive solid waste dump at the corner of Oquendo and Salud in Centro Habana. No one has responded or provided a solution to the report," Karen stated, appealing for any agency or entity to send garbage collection trucks.
Karen's daughter has previously suffered from illnesses such as dengue and oropouche fever, with hospitalizations required due to complications. The living conditions in their home have deteriorated to an intolerable state: "The flies inside our house make living unbearable. At any moment, maggots could start crawling up the sidewalk, as has happened before," she lamented.
Government Inaction Amidst Growing Health Crisis
Despite constant reports made by both Karen and her daughter, who is also a family doctor in the area, the issue remains unresolved. The garbage crisis in Havana worsened following a hurricane, yet authorities have remained vague about their plans for waste removal, avoiding discussion of sanitation actions in the capital.
The images shared by Karen highlight the severe buildup of trash in a densely populated urban area, where the stench and flies have become a part of daily life for the residents. The unsanitary conditions following Hurricane Rafael present a genuine risk to her family and the entire community. There is a prevailing fear among residents that the post-rainfall environment will lead to outbreaks of diseases amidst this urban hygiene crisis.
Her desperate plea underscores the urgent need for institutional action. Karen insists that it is "impossible to live amid filth" and begs for an intervention that would improve life quality in Havana.