Cuba’s healthcare system faces severe deterioration following economic pressures imposed by the United States government. In January, the Trump administration implemented a fuel blockade against Cuba, threatening countries that export fuel to the island with tariffs. The action has resulted in nearly daily power outages lasting up to 20 hours and critical shortages of medical supplies and medications.
Medical professionals report alarming consequences from these restrictions. At the William Soler Pediatric Hospital in Havana, neonatal surgery mortality rates have risen from below 10 percent to over 50 percent in the first half of the year. Dr. Alioth Fernandez, head of the hospital’s surgical unit, stated that doctors are forced to make impossible choices about which patients receive treatment, describing the situation as having to “play God.” Many deaths result not from surgical complications but from infections stemming from poor hygiene standards, malnutrition, and antibiotic shortages.
The restrictions have forced the Cuban government to suspend non-essential medical services, a category that includes preventive care critical for catching fatal conditions early. Survival rates for childhood cancer have dropped from 85 percent to 65 percent. Infant mortality has climbed from 4 per 1,000 live births in 2017 to 9.9 in 2025. Over 100,000 Cubans await elective surgeries, including 5,152 cancer patients and approximately 12,000 children, with some waiting months for procedures.
Medication shortages have become acute. Of 395 medicines produced domestically, 300 were recently out of stock due to inability to secure raw materials. Pharmacy deliveries have become sporadic, with some municipalities experiencing gaps of months between shipments. Community doctors lack basic medications and increasingly recommend herbal remedies instead. A pharmacy clerk reported purchasing her own hypertension medication on the black market at inflated prices, with state salaries averaging only about $11 monthly.
The broader context reflects decades of U.S. trade restrictions. The comprehensive embargo, now in its seventh decade, has prevented Cuba from accessing medicines and equipment containing more than 10 percent American components. Recent executive orders have further complicated international trade and shipping to the island. The strain has prompted significant emigration, with Cuba’s population shrinking more than 10 percent since 2020, creating additional healthcare workforce shortages as doctors seek employment abroad offering substantially higher wages.
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