Cuba: Energy crisis forces surgery to be suspended

Published at: 19/02/2026 04:40 PM

This Thursday, the Minister of Public Health of Cuba (MINSAP), José Ángel Portal Miranda, warned that the postponement of surgeries due to the crisis that the island is experiencing after the energy blockade of the United States (USA) impacts thousands of patients, many of them children.

“The inevitable delay of surgical interventions, due to the situation in Cuba, has a direct impact on thousands of patients, many of them of pediatric age. What human rights does the U.S. government talk about when its actions endanger life?” , the head of the entity wrote on the social network X.

In this regard, he stressed that primary health care in communities remains the essential pillar of the Cuban health system and plays a “decisive” role in caring for families.

The Granma newspaper reported on Sunday that more than 32,880 Cuban pregnant women will face “additional risks, threats and limitations” as a result of the U.S. government's energy blockade against the country.

He stressed that the actions will seriously affect other vital services for newborn patients, minors, diabetics, people with cancer treatments or in need of surgical interventions or emergencies.

According to the MINSAP, since the Covid-19 pandemic, the sector has faced “multiple challenges” to guarantee vital services to the population, while Washington's sanctions increase, which have a direct impact on the lives of Cubans.

Mazo News Team