Health should be protected at all costs and never be at the mercies of geopolitics, energy blockades and power outages. The situation in #Cuba is deeply concerning as the country struggles to maintain health service delivery at a time of immense turbulence, leading to energy shortages that have been affecting health. Reports show that Cuban hospitals have been struggling to maintain emergency and intensive care services. Thousands of surgeries have been postponed during the last month, and people needing care, from cancer patients to pregnant women preparing for delivery, have been put at risk due to lack of power to operate medical equipment and cold chain storage for vaccines. While I am encouraged by Cuba’s efforts to restore power to support services, people’s health, and the services that support them, cannot be left at the mercies of fluctuating power and geopolitics. Cuba’s hospitals, clinics and ambulances are needed now, more than ever, and must be supported to perform their life-saving work.
