A young man from Santiago de Cuba reported that the emergency dental department at the Frank País Polyclinic, located in the Nuevo Vista Alegre neighborhood, lacks the necessary tools to treat patients.
Journalist Yosmany Mayeta shared on Facebook this Tuesday that a young man arrived at the emergency service with severe tooth pain but found no relief due to the shortage of medical implements.
The 28-year-old man expressed that on Monday night he could barely open his eyes because of the pain: “Today, I don’t know what to do because I still can’t speak due to the pain,” the man said, also criticizing the poor attention from the healthcare staff at the facility.
“How is it possible that a dental emergency department doesn’t have the basic tools for first aid?” the young man questioned, shocked by the level of scarcity in Cuba.
“It’s heartbreaking what’s happening in this country,” he reflected. “If I have to pay 12,000 pesos, I will, but it’s a lack of respect,” he said, noting that private dental chairs in the city do have the necessary resources.
More Reports of Shortages
Journalist Yosmany Mayeta also highlighted another complaint sent by a young woman from Santiago. She alerted about similar shortages at the Camilo Torres Polyclinic, located on Heredia Street.
“She had to leave the dental center due to the lack of tools and implements,” Mayeta noted.
Finally, the journalist held the provincial health administration of Santiago de Cuba accountable for failing to ensure proper patient care.
“I also call on Beatriz Johnson Urrutia, Manuel Falcón Hernández, to get out of their offices and visit all the facilities in the province, just like Lázaro Expósito used to do,” Mayeta stated, criticizing the inaction of these leaders. “Fix the many deficiencies, as the most affected are those who cannot afford private or even in-facility payments to doctors,” he warned, noting that some people are now resorting to private practices, which are penalized by the regime.
The public health crisis has forced people into desperate measures.
A Cuban farmer demonstrated how he pulls his own teeth and claims he does so due to the lack of resources in dental clinics in his community in Holguín province.
Alexander Rodríguez Santiesteban, a resident of Los Pinos, Antilla municipality, starred in a scene reminiscent of a chapter from "Don Quixote," where the ingenious gentleman gets a tooth knocked out in a fight.
In addition to the lack of resources, poor hygiene is also an issue. Cuban mother María Dinorah Arocha shared on social media the harrowing experience she had in the emergency dental service at the Bernardo Posse Polyclinic in Havana.
Her son was suffering from intense tooth pain, and they sought help at the emergency service, only to find that the on-call doctor was not at her post.
FAQs on Dental Department Shortages in Santiago de Cuba
In light of the ongoing shortages in dental departments in Santiago de Cuba, here are some frequently asked questions and answers that provide further insight into the situation.
What are the main issues facing dental departments in Santiago de Cuba?
The primary issues include a severe lack of medical implements and tools necessary for basic dental treatments, as well as poor hygiene standards.
Who is being held accountable for these shortages?
Journalist Yosmany Mayeta has held the provincial health administration of Santiago de Cuba responsible, specifically calling out Beatriz Johnson Urrutia and Manuel Falcón Hernández.
What alternatives do patients have?
Some patients are turning to private dental practices, which are better equipped but come at a high cost. Others resort to extreme measures, such as self-treatment, due to the lack of available resources in public clinics.
How have these shortages affected the general population?
The shortages have led to increased suffering due to untreated dental issues and have forced many to seek expensive private care or resort to dangerous self-treatment methods.