Cuba’s Deputy Health Minister: U.S. Energy Blockade Puts Hospital Patients at Risk

Cuba’s Deputy Health Minister Julio Guerra Izquierdo has denounced the U.S. energy blockade as ‘genocidal,’ warning that repeated power outages in hospitals are endangering patients’ lives. Speaking at a handover ceremony for donated solar panels at the Juan Manuel Marquez Pediatric Teaching Hospital in Havana, Guerra Izquierdo said every blackout ‘translates into risks to the lives of our patients and deep exhaustion for our health professionals.’

The deputy minister detailed how the lack of stable energy affects the preservation of medicines, use of high-tech equipment, surgeries, and basic emergency care. He revealed a surgical waiting list of over 100,000 patients, rising infant mortality, lower survival rates for children with cancer, and shortages of medicines.

The donated solar panels, shipped by the Spanish NGO Open Arms via the sailboat Astral, provide clean energy for the pediatric hospital. Alicia Cedeno, head of the intensive care unit, said the panels ensure ventilators and monitors stay on during grid failures. Mother Dayana Blanco, whose baby is being treated, praised the staff for seeking alternative treatments despite shortages, stating, ‘They never leave him unprotected.’

The donation is part of the international solidarity project Rumbo a Cuba, which channels humanitarian aid to the island amid ongoing U.S. sanctions.

Article and image source: trinidadtimes.com