Cuba’s healthcare system is facing mounting strain as fuel shortages linked to longstanding US sanctions disrupt hospital operations and medical supply chains across the island. Doctors and patients in Havana and other provinces report growing scarcities of essential medicines, with some facilities struggling to maintain basic services amid power cuts and transportation bottlenecks.

The crisis has been exacerbated by restrictions imposed by the United States Department of the Treasury, which enforces sanctions that limit Cuba’s ability to import fuel and other critical goods. Cuban authorities argue that these measures, often described domestically as a “fuel blockade,” have severely constrained the country’s energy supply, affecting everything from ambulance services to refrigeration for vaccines and life-saving drugs.

Hospitals in Havana have reportedly scaled back non-emergency procedures, while patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension face delays in obtaining medication. Healthcare workers say that even common pharmaceuticals, including antibiotics and painkillers, are intermittently unavailable. Intermittent electricity outages have also complicated surgical schedules and the operation of diagnostic equipment.

Also Read: PM Modi and President Murmu Welcome Brazilian President at Rashtrapati Bhavan in Historic State Visit

The US government maintains that humanitarian goods, including food and medicine, are technically exempt from sanctions. However, Cuban officials contend that banking restrictions and penalties on shipping firms create indirect barriers that deter suppliers and raise import costs. The broader economic downturn, worsened by reduced tourism revenue and limited foreign exchange, has further strained the public health system.

International observers note that Cuba’s healthcare network, long regarded as one of the most comprehensive in the Caribbean, now faces a critical test. While authorities have sought assistance from allied nations and increased local pharmaceutical production, many residents say shortages persist. The unfolding situation underscores the complex intersection of geopolitics, economic policy and public health, as ordinary Cubans grapple with limited access to essential medical care.

Also Read: Wikipedia's Jimmy Wales is Not Worried About AI Encyclopedias — Here's His Reason