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Cuba Faces Dengue crisis as Hospitals Strain and Resources Dwindle
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despite assurances from Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz, Cuba is battling a severe health crisis fueled by a surge in dengue, chikungunya, and Oropouche fever, with hospitals reportedly nearing collapse and citizens questioning the government’s ability too respond effectively. Marrero Cruz stated in a recent address that the situation “can be controlled even in a short time,” but acknowledged the need to dedicate “all the strength and the necessary means” to the effort.
The escalating epidemic, impacting at least a dozen provinces, has prompted a national response focused on epidemiological surveillance and insecticide treatments. Though,reports from the ground paint a starkly different picture,revealing a system crippled by shortages and a growing disconnect between official pronouncements and lived reality.
A System Under Pressure
The health crisis has become the central focus of government meetings, including a recent videoconference led by Marrero cruz and attended by Vice President Salvador Valdes mesa. While economic concerns and social programs were also discussed, the urgency of the health situation dominated the agenda. The Prime Minister emphasized the importance of keeping the population informed, even when it requires “denying where denial is necessary.”
Local authorities in Ciego de Ávila province have confirmed active transmission in the municipalities of Morón and the provincial capital, noting a sustained increase in febrile cases and a high infestation of the mosquitoes responsible for spreading the diseases. However, even as Marrero Cruz calls for “solutions,” public health officials are openly admitting to critical resource deficiencies.
from Fuel Shortages to Citrus Peels
A notably alarming admission came from a Vice Minister of Public Health, Carilda Pena, who recently acknowledged a lack of sufficient fuel for effective fumigation efforts. In a move widely criticized on social media, Pena recommended that citizens resort to burning citrus peels as a home remedy to repel mosquitoes. This suggestion underscored the precarious state of Cuba’s healthcare infrastructure, which is already struggling with shortages of essential medicines, insecticides, and medical personnel.
The Pedro Kourí Institute of Tropical Medicine (IPK) has identified environmental factors – including heat, rain, garbage accumulation, and deficiencies in the water supply – as key drivers of the viral spread, with children, the elderly, and individuals with chronic diseases particularly vulnerable. Dr. Maria Guadalupe Guzman, head of the IPK Research Center, warned that dengue and chikungunya are currently the most prevalent viral diseases circulating in Cuba, highlighting the population’s susceptibility to rapid transmission.
A Growing Disconnect Between Official Optimism and Reality
Testimonies emerging from neighborhoods across several provinces contradict the government’s optimistic rhetoric. Residents of Ciro Redondo, in Ciego de Ávila, report living amidst stagnant, larvae-filled waters for over a month with no intervention from authorities or the Acueducto water utility. Similarly, parents in pediatric hospitals in Havana and Camagüey describe overcrowded conditions, inadequate medical care, and unsanitary environments.
Despite the increasing number of infections – and the official acknowledgement of three dengue-related deaths so far this year – the government continues to emphasize a narrative of resilience and control. Marrero Cruz appealed to “discipline, the work of the cadres and the ‘fighting spirit'” to overcome the crisis.
however, in many Cuban communities, where basic preventative measures like repellents, mosquito nets, and access to clean water are scarce, a different sentiment prevails. As one resident succinctly put it: “Yes, it can be done… but without resources, no.”
