This Thursday, Cuba's Ministry of Public Health revealed plans for a special broadcast on television and radio to present their narrative concerning the case of 10-year-old Damir Ortiz. The young boy was airlifted to the United States in a critical state to receive urgent medical treatment.
According to the official announcement made by the state-run newspaper Granma, representatives from the Juan Manuel Márquez Pediatric Hospital, the Institutes of Hematology and Immunology, Neurology and Neurosurgery, along with the Ministry of Public Health, will appear on Friday's Buenos Días program after 7:15 a.m. and on Haciendo Radio following 8:00 a.m. The aim of this address is to "clarify the procedures followed by Cuban institutions in handling cases of such medical complexity" and to emphasize the "ethics and compassion of the Cuban healthcare community," the statement elaborated.
In recent weeks, Damir's situation has sparked significant attention on social media platforms. His mother, Eliannis Ramírez, alongside Cuban activists, have accused the Cuban health system of failing to provide adequate medical care for patients with severe illnesses. After considerable efforts, activist pressure, and financial support from thousands of Cubans, Damir was transported on March 12 by air ambulance in a severely critical condition to a hospital in southern Florida, where he received a different diagnosis than that given in Cuba.
The incident has fueled widespread criticism of the island's healthcare system. Ramírez reported that her son arrived at Miami's Nicklaus Children's Hospital in septic shock due to a lung infection undetected in Cuba; she claimed he does not have the type of leukemia previously diagnosed and intends to keep the final diagnosis confidential as part of legal actions against the regime.
Activists have also alleged that the child was misdiagnosed and subjected to inappropriate treatment in Cuba, jeopardizing his life. Meanwhile, the government maintains that Damir received proper care in Cuba and asserts that all possible measures were taken despite the limitations of the healthcare system.
Ramírez has opted to keep Damir's current diagnosis under wraps, a decision that activist Diasniurka Salcedo suggests is to prevent the Cuban government from distorting the information and preparing for potential legal challenges. Salcedo also noted that the regime has been inquiring about the child's condition from Havana, raising suspicions about the true intent behind this "special broadcast" in official media. Many believe the regime might be orchestrating another manipulation of the case, following their usual pattern of discrediting victims in their public rebuttals.
Increasingly, Cuban families are turning to social media to highlight cases of pediatric patients with severe illnesses who cannot receive adequate treatment on the island, seeking assistance to transfer them to hospitals abroad.
Key Questions About Damir Ortiz's Medical Case
What prompted Damir Ortiz's transfer to the United States?
Damir Ortiz was transferred to the United States in critical condition to receive urgent medical treatment after alleged inadequate care and misdiagnosis in Cuba.
How did Damir Ortiz's case gain public attention?
Damir's case gained traction on social media through his mother's and activists' posts, highlighting the lack of adequate medical care in Cuba for severe illnesses.
What is the Cuban government's stance on Damir's medical care?
The Cuban government insists that all necessary efforts were made to care for Damir, despite the healthcare system's limitations, and plans a special broadcast to address the case.