thiagoavilabrasil👇🏽 11,000 Cuban children are waiting for surgery Dr. Liane works at the Frank País Orthopaedic Hospital in Havana, a national reference hospital for orthopaedics in Cuba. Tightened U.S. sanctions limit access to medicines, medical equipment, spare parts, fuel and international payments. Medical supplies often have to be purchased through third countries, which increases costs and delays deliveries. Reuters reported in March 2026 that 96,000 Cubans were on a surgical waiting list, including 11,000 children. More than 300 paediatric surgeries per week were reportedly affected by shortages of medicines, oxygen, anaesthesia or other medical supplies. Cuban officials warned that the waiting list could continue to grow. Cuba’s foreign minister links this situation to the U.S. energy blockade and the wider impact of the embargo. The pressure on the healthcare system is also visible in broader indicators. The Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) calculated that ...