The US embargo against Cuba has inflicted severe humanitarian damage across the Caribbean nation, emerging as the primary barrier to its social and economic development, according to a report by the Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) cited by Cuban news outlet Cubadebate. The findings, published on 16 June 2026, document a sharp deterioration in public health, food security, and energy access since sanctions were tightened.

Infant Mortality and Healthcare in Crisis

Cuba's infant mortality rate has surged from 4 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2018 to 9.9 per 1,000 in 2025 — a rise of 148 per cent, according to the CEPR study. Researchers suggest the tightening of US sanctions, which began during President Donald Trump's first term in 2017, may have been a primary driver of this increase.

The survival rate for children with cancer has also fallen sharply — from 85 per cent to 65 per cent — since the United States imposed restrictions on oil supplies to the island and intensified its broader sanctions regime, according to official statistics cited by Cubadebate.

Cuban officials have recently spoken out against the embargo's healthcare impact. Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez and Deputy Public Health Minister Carilda Pena have both denounced the effects of executive orders issued on 29 January and 1 May this year, describing the measures as 'collective punishment.'

Patients Awaiting Surgery and Dialysis Affected

According to Cubadebate, the US measures have affected more than 100,000 patients currently awaiting surgery, including 5,152 cancer patients and nearly 12,000 children. An additional 2,888 patients undergoing hemodialysis face disruptions to treatment that depends on imported supplies, water, and specialised equipment, Cuba's Public Health Ministry has reported.

The restrictions have also hampered Cuba's ability to procure raw materials, equipment, and financial resources needed to sustain domestic production of vaccines, essential medicines, and diagnostic tools for diseases including cancer.

Energy Crisis Worsens Food and Supply Chains

Cuba's deepening energy crisis, exacerbated by US oil restrictions, has resulted in power outages exceeding 20 hours in Havana and a daily electricity shortfall of approximately 2,000 megawatts, the outlet reported. So far in 2026, Cuba has received only one fuel shipment — 100,000 metric tonnes of crude oil carried by the Russian tanker Anatoly Kolodkin.

The fuel crisis has disrupted transport from production centres to cities, preventing more than 100,000 children from receiving state-subsidised milk, according to food industry officials cited by Cubadebate. In addition, 170 containers of essential goods valued at $6.3 million have not been distributed across the country.

UN Agencies Flag Aid Distribution Difficulties

International humanitarian organisations — including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the World Food Programme (WFP) — have also reported difficulties distributing containers carrying food aid inside Cuba, according to Cubadebate.

This comes amid a broader international debate over the legality and humanitarian consequences of unilateral economic sanctions. Cuba has long argued before UN bodies that the embargo violates international law; the United States maintains the restrictions are a legitimate policy tool linked to governance and human rights concerns in Havana.

As the embargo enters its seventh decade, the compounding effects on healthcare, energy, and food access suggest the humanitarian cost is accelerating — and international pressure for a policy review is likely to intensify.