Hospitals across Cuba are suspending surgeries, struggling to keep critical equipment running, and facing severe medicine shortages as prolonged blackouts and fuel constraints deepen pressure on the country’s healthcare system, senior United Nations officials warned Friday.
Officials from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) said hospitals are increasingly unable to maintain stable emergency and routine services due to shortages of electricity, fuel, pharmaceuticals and medical supplies.
The briefing was delivered by OCHA’s Edem Wosornu and WHO’s Altaf Musani following a three-day mission to the island.
They said disruptions are affecting emergency care, blood banks, laboratories, immunization programs, and maternal and child health services.
In some regions, blackouts lasting up to 20 hours have forced hospitals to postpone non-emergency surgeries, while fuel shortages are limiting ambulance operations and delaying access to urgent care.
Officials estimated that more than 100,000 patients—including about 11,000 children—are currently waiting for delayed surgical procedures linked to outages and supply constraints.
They also warned that roughly five million people living with chronic illnesses face interruptions to essential treatment, including patients requiring radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
“Human cost is significant and continues to grow,” Musani said, noting that clinics are operating under unstable conditions with critical shortages of supplies and electricity.
Maternal health services are also under pressure, with more than 32,000 pregnant women facing heightened risks due to reduced access to diagnostics, transport disruptions and unreliable power supplies in neonatal units.
“Staff have to carry water up the stairs while women give birth since pumps don’t work,” Wosornu said, describing conditions inside some facilities.
She added that transportation breakdowns are also affecting food deliveries, reducing access to fresh produce and protein for vulnerable populations.
Public health experts warned that disruptions to water systems, refrigeration and sanitation could increase the risk of diseases such as dengue and chikungunya. Immunization programs remain in place but are being strained by cold-chain failures and logistical challenges.
Despite the deteriorating conditions, UN officials praised frontline health workers, saying doctors and nurses continue to operate under extremely difficult circumstances.
“Life saving aid must reach people without delays. Acting fast and working together is the only way to stop the situation from getting worse,” Wosornu said.
