Mounting fuel shortages linked to the United States blockade are driving widespread blackouts across Cuba, with doctors and families warning that the country’s strained healthcare system is now facing life-threatening consequences for vulnerable patients.
For 21-year-old Jorge Pérez Álvarez, who suffers from a genetic condition that prevents him from breathing independently, the outages have become a daily fight for survival. Dependent on a ventilator, his life hinges on a fragile power supply that is increasingly unreliable.
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“I don’t know how long we can keep going,” said his mother, Xenia Alvarez. “his life depends on electricity.”
Cuba has endured repeated nationwide blackouts in recent weeks, with outages stretching for hours or even days. The crisis has been exacerbated by dwindling fuel supplies, which have disrupted electricity generation, transportation, and medical services across the island.
Medical professionals say the ripple effects are already being felt in hospitals and clinics. Dr. Alioth Fernández, chief anesthesiologist at one of Havana’s largest pediatric hospitals, indicated that deteriorating conditions are contributing to preventable deaths.
“I can’t tell you how many deaths, but i’m sure there are more than in the same period last year,” he said. “i see it in shift handovers, in colleagues’ comments and in children i’ve operated on.”
Life-saving equipment, including ventilators and monitoring systems, has become increasingly vulnerable during outages. In some cases, staff must manually intervene to keep patients alive when backup systems fail.
“when you’re in the middle of it, it feels like an hour,” fernández said, recalling a blackout during surgery on an infant when critical equipment temporarily shut down.
The blockade’s impact extends far beyond electricity. Hospitals are cancelling surgeries, scaling back treatments such as chemotherapy and dialysis, and discharging patients early due to staffing and supply shortages. Ambulances remain idle due to fuel scarcity, while pharmacies across the country report empty shelves.
Public health experts warn the situation is escalating rapidly. Paul Spiegel, who has led crisis responses in multiple conflict zones, described the severity of the conditions.
“this is not subtle, this is extreme,” spiegel said. “you’re already seeing hospitals changing how they are operating.”
Cuba’s healthcare system, once widely regarded as a model among developing nations, is now under unprecedented strain. While the government has historically allocated a significant portion of its budget to healthcare, economic pressures, compounded by sanctions, the COVID-19 pandemic, and internal policy challenges, have eroded its capacity.
Doctors report worsening conditions for pregnant women and newborns, driven by shortages of antibiotics, medical supplies and proper nutrition.
“we are receiving much more severe cases,” said dr. liliam delgado peruyera, an obstetrician-gynecologist. “especially in recent weeks, extreme prematurity has hit us hard.”
Government data indicates tens of thousands of patients are awaiting surgeries, while delays in vaccine distribution and inconsistent treatments for chronic illnesses are affecting thousands more.
The crisis is also fueling broader social challenges. Rising fuel costs have driven up food prices, contributing to increased malnutrition, particularly among infants. Community doctor dr. roxana martínez rodríguez said the situation has worsened significantly.
“A salary is barely enough for breakfast,” she said. “It’s a luxury to buy a cabbage.”
Despite efforts by the Cuban government to mitigate the crisis, including installing solar panels in clinics and prioritizing electricity for hospitals, officials acknowledge that the national power grid remains unstable.
President Miguel Díaz-Canel has warned that conditions may deteriorate further, as the country continues to grapple with fuel shortages and economic constraints.
For many families and healthcare workers, the outlook remains uncertain, as the combined pressures of energy instability and resource scarcity continue to test the limits of the island’s public health system.
