Geneva, March 26 (SANA) World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Thursday that the health situation in Cuba is “extremely worrying,” as energy shortages continue to affect hospitals and essential services.
In a post on the social media platform X, Tedros said, “Health must be protected at all costs and not left at the mercy of geopolitics, energy blockades, and power cuts.”
He added that Cuba is struggling to maintain health service delivery amid prolonged power outages and fuel shortages.
Cuba’s power generation system has been under increasing strain, with some areas experiencing daily outages lasting up to 20 hours, according to reports. Since the US ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Cuba’s closest ally, on January 3, the island’s economy has deteriorated further as Trump continues to impose a de facto oil embargo.
Tedros said hospitals are facing difficulties maintaining emergency and intensive care services, with thousands of surgeries postponed in recent weeks.
Patients requiring urgent care, including cancer patients and pregnant women, have been put at risk due to electricity shortages affecting medical equipment and vaccine storage, he added.
The crisis comes amid broader economic challenges and reduced fuel availability, which have worsened conditions across the island.
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