Cuba’s public health system is in severe decline, with basic medical supplies and infrastructure largely unavailable to the majority of the population. The few facilities that receive foreign dollars serve only diplomats, high‑ranking military officers, and party elites, while ordinary Cubans face chronic shortages, unreliable electricity, and a lack of essential medicines.
- Dialysis and kidney care – An uncle died from kidney failure because the hospitals lacked dialysis equipment for the required three weekly sessions. Even when a specific medication was needed for an IV, it had to be shipped from abroad (in this case, from a brother in Germany) on a monthly basis because it was unavailable locally.
- Surgical complications – A father survived a botched operation only after his children took him to Germany for corrective surgery. The original Cuban hospital could not provide the necessary follow‑up care.
- Basic supplies missing – In a Venezuelan hospital, a motorcycle‑accident victim’s family had to purchase their own bandages, blankets, and bedding before any treatment could begin. Similar reports from Havana describe patients bringing their own medications and supplies because the hospitals lack them.
- Elite‑only clinics – The documentary filmmaker Michael Moore filmed only three clinics: one “AA hospital” that now serves only foreigners paying in dollars, and two western‑Havana clinics reserved for diplomats and high‑level officials. The rest of the population is left with dilapidated facilities.
- Black‑market health care – Those who can send remittances or barter goods obtain better treatment by offering doctors and nurses additional income, as many medical staff are themselves starving and underpaid.
- Infrastructure failures – The country has no running water, and electricity is unreliable, leading to frequent “load‑sharing” blackouts similar to those in Zimbabwe. These conditions further degrade hospital functionality.
The situation mirrors other socialist economies in crisis. A Venezuelan accident victim’s family had to supply their own medical materials, underscoring a broader pattern where state‑run health services cannot meet basic needs without external assistance.
Implications for travelers and expatriates
- Expect to bring personal medical supplies, especially for chronic conditions.
- Anticipate additional costs for medications that are not stocked locally.
- Access to quality care may depend on connections to the diplomatic or elite community, or on the ability to pay in hard currency.
These accounts illustrate a systemic collapse of Cuba’s universal health promise, leaving ordinary citizens to rely on informal networks, foreign aid, or costly private alternatives.
