US sanctions endanger patient lives in Cuba: Health Minister

Cuba's prolonged economic difficulties, compounded by US sanctions and a recent fuel blockade, are contributing to power shortages and disruptions in medical services, putting patients' lives at risk, Deputy Health Minister Julio Guerra said.

Speaking at a ceremony marking a medicine donation to Havana's Hermanos Ameijeiras Clinical Surgical Hospital on Wednesday, Guerra said unreliable electricity was particularly damaging to the healthcare system because many medicines and medical supplies require stable storage conditions.

He criticised the US sanctions, describing them as a "genocidal blockade" and alleging that they had restricted Cuba's access to essential resources needed to maintain healthcare services.

According to Cuban government figures, the country's public health sector suffered economic losses of up to $288 million between March 2024 and February 2025. Cuba estimates that the cumulative impact of more than six decades of US sanctions has reached nearly $4.2 billion.

Reynaldo Denis de Armas, deputy director of the Havana hospital, said the latest fuel shortages had placed additional pressure on an already strained healthcare system. He described the situation as leaving the country "practically being strangled."

The United States has tightened its sanctions policy towards Cuba since January 2026 under President Donald Trump's administration. Cuban officials and UN agencies have raised concerns about the impact of the measures on essential services, including healthcare.

The medicine donation is particularly significant for Hermanos Ameijeiras Hospital, one of Cuba's major referral centres, which treats patients from across the country.

Official figures cited by Cuban authorities indicate that more than 100,000 people are currently waiting for surgery because of shortages and the energy crisis. The figure includes more than 5,000 cancer patients and around 12,000 children.

Cuba's biotechnology group BioCubaFarma has also warned that it may be unable to guarantee supplies of around 300 essential medicines because of difficulties obtaining raw materials and other critical inputs.

The Cuban government has linked the worsening economic crisis to a deterioration in several health indicators. It said child cancer survival rates have declined, while infant mortality rose to 9.9 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2025.

The developments have further highlighted the severe strain facing Cuba's healthcare system as authorities grapple with shortages of fuel, medicines and other essential supplies.