Cuba's Deputy Health Minister Julio Guerra on 6 August 2025 warned that the long-running US trade embargo and a recently imposed fuel blockade are causing power outages and medicine shortages that directly endanger patients' lives across the island. The warning came during a ceremony at the Hermanos Ameijeiras Clinical Surgical Hospital in Havana, where a donation of medicines was formally handed over.

The Human Cost of Blackouts

'When the lack of a stable power supply directly affects the preservation of medications, every blackout and every restriction translates into a risk to the lives of our patients,' Guerra said in remarks delivered at the ceremony. He described the embargo as a 'genocidal blockade' that has stripped Cuba of essential resources needed to sustain its healthcare system.

According to official Cuban figures, more than 100,000 Cubans are currently awaiting surgeries due to supply shortages and the ongoing energy crisis — among them over 5,000 cancer patients and 12,000 children.

Economic Losses Mount Over Six Decades

Cuban authorities say the public health sector suffered economic losses of up to 288 million US dollars between March 2024 and February 2025 alone. Cumulative losses attributed to more than six decades of US sanctions have reportedly reached nearly 4.2 billion dollars.

Reynaldo Denis de Armas, deputy director of the Hermanos Ameijeiras hospital, said that while the embargo had battered Cuba's economy for decades, the newly imposed fuel blockade had left the country 'practically being strangled.' The hospital serves as a national referral centre, treating patients from across Cuba.

Medicine Supply Under Severe Strain

BioCubaFarma, Cuba's state biotechnology and pharmaceutical group, has warned that it cannot guarantee supplies of 300 essential medicines due to difficulties in accessing raw materials and production inputs. The Cuban government has acknowledged that deteriorating health indicators reflect the broader economic crisis, noting that child cancer survival rates have declined and infant mortality rose to 9.9 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2025.

Tightened US Sanctions Since January 2026

The United States has intensified sanctions on Cuba since January 2026 under President Donald Trump's administration, including a direct fuel blockade on the island. Cuban officials and several United Nations agencies have criticised the measures, citing their documented impact on the country's public health infrastructure.

What the Medicine Donation Means

The donation ceremony at Hermanos Ameijeiras was described by hospital officials as critically significant given the current shortages. Guerra said the contribution would have a positive impact on hospitals, medical workers, and patients. The gesture, while welcomed, underscores the scale of the gap that external donations are now being asked to fill in Cuba's healthcare system.

With over 100,000 surgical cases pending and essential medicine availability in question, the pressure on Cuba's health infrastructure is expected to intensify unless sanctions conditions change.