Havana, February 21 (QNA) - Cuba's Minister of Public Health, Jose Angel Portal Miranda, warned on Friday that the country's healthcare system is nearing collapse, citing the impact of US sanctions on oil supplies to the island.
In remarks carried by local media, Portal Miranda said Cuba's already strained healthcare system is "approaching the brink of collapse" as a result of US restrictions on fuel shipments. He argued that the sanctions "are no longer merely paralyzing the island's economy but are now threatening basic human safety."
The health minister noted that it is impossible to damage a country's economy without affecting its population, warning that the situation could endanger lives, particularly as some five million people suffer from chronic illnesses and depend on regular access to medication and treatment.
He pointed out that among them are 16,000 cancer patients in need of radiotherapy and 12,400 others undergoing chemotherapy, reiterating that economic pressure inevitably carries humanitarian consequences.
Cuba's healthcare system had already been grappling with long-standing shortages of supplies, personnel, and medicines amid the island's broader economic crisis. However, the situation has worsened in recent weeks. Ambulances are struggling to secure sufficient fuel to respond to emergencies, hospitals are experiencing recurring power outages, and flights carrying vital medical supplies have been suspended. The government says it is currently unable to refuel aircraft at its airports. Experts and some international leaders have warned that Cuba may be on the verge of a humanitarian crisis if conditions continue to deteriorate. (QNA)