Cuba's universal health system falters amid power outages and sanctions

Cuba's once-lauded universal health network is now confronting a humanitarian emergency as daily blackouts and fuel scarcity disrupt hospital operations and ambulance services. Accumulating waste on streets heightens infection hazards, while inadequate refrigeration endangers life-saving vaccines and leaves pharmacy shelves barren. The collapse follows a series of natural disasters, including Hurricane Melissa, and the termination of Venezuelan oil deliveries after a political shift, leaving the power grid unable to sustain essential services.

Reports from UN and WHO officials highlight that more than 32,000 pregnant women face limited diagnostic access and that over 100,000 elective procedures have been postponed. Infant mortality rates have risen sharply since 2018, and disease surveillance is hampered by damaged water and sanitation infrastructure. In response, the government has permitted limited private pharmacies and elder-care homes to operate, though the core socialist health model remains intact.