In a startling revelation, doctors at the provincial hospital in Camagüey resorted to using buttons as a makeshift solution due to a shortage of medical supplies for a patient with colostomy, as reported on social media. An image shared by independent journalist José Raúl Gallego on Facebook captures a patient at Manuel Ascunce Domenech Provincial Hospital. Here, in the absence of adequate medical resources, doctors sewed up the patient's wound using buttons.
The patient, who had undergone a colostomy, experienced partial protrusion of the intestine. As an emergency measure, the doctors fastened it with buttons, owing to a lack of suitable sutures, according to the post. The procedure was conducted under local anesthesia since general anesthesia was unavailable at the time. Sources close to the situation report that the patient's condition has deteriorated, with the buttons beginning to embed into the skin.
This incident has reignited discussions about the dire condition of Cuba's healthcare system, where public hospitals suffer from resource shortages, while high-quality medical services are reserved for the political elite and foreigners, such as at CIMEQ and Cira García. Social media users have criticized the government for prioritizing investments in patrols, hotels, and repressive equipment over basic medical supplies for the populace.
"The situation is unbearable. We are being neglected, and no one is reacting. Meanwhile, the leaders and their families receive the best medical care," expressed a user on Facebook. Another comment questioned the doctors' response to the crisis: "Doing something like this and not blaming the government for the lack of resources is being complicit. Doctors take a Hippocratic oath, and that does not include covering up for the regime."
This case is among several recent reports highlighting the precarious state of Cuba's healthcare system. Notably, the case of Damir Ortiz, a child who needed emergency transfer to a Miami hospital following a misdiagnosis in Cuba, has drawn attention. The Ministry of Public Health, facing criticism, has shifted blame onto the victims' families. After Damir's case, the regime organized a televised segment blaming the child's mother for interfering with his treatment.
Understanding Cuba's Healthcare Crisis
Why did doctors use buttons instead of proper medical supplies?
The doctors used buttons as a makeshift solution because there was a shortage of appropriate medical supplies, such as sutures, in the hospital.
What impact has this incident had on public perception of the Cuban healthcare system?
The incident has intensified scrutiny and criticism of Cuba's healthcare system, highlighting the disparity between public hospitals' resource shortages and the premium services available to the elite and foreigners.
How has the Cuban government responded to the healthcare crisis?
The government has often shifted blame to the families of patients for any negative outcomes, as seen in the case of Damir Ortiz, where the mother was blamed for allegedly interfering with treatment.