Argentinian journalist and influencer Melina Moriatis took to her social media platforms to unveil the purchasing power of a Cuban doctor's salary in the MLC (freely convertible currency) stores of Havana. "I'm going shopping around Havana with a doctor's paycheck. Let's see what I can buy. Supermarket products are priced in dollars," Moriatis (@melimoriatisfit) noted on TikTok.
The Argentine influencer, known for shedding light on Cuba's realities, provided a detailed breakdown of her shopping trip in an MLC store: milk for $2.30, flour for $1.35, a bottle of oil costing nearly $3, and mineral water for $2.70. "It's crazy, and already half of the salary is gone," Moriatis emphasized.
She continued, "I completed the shopping with cookies for $2.65 and shampoo for $5.60. With a doctor's salary, I bought a total of six items, spending $17.55," she pointed out, which translates to approximately 5,700 Cuban pesos at the current exchange rate. For Moriatis, it is astonishing that a medical professional cannot meet basic needs with their professional salary. This is the harsh reality faced by thousands of doctors in Cuba every day.
Minimal Salary Increases Fail to Improve Conditions
In 2024, the healthcare sector introduced "salary improvements" that include "night shift pay, additional pay for exposure and complexity, years of service, and maximum effort." However, these increments are considered negligible by the doctors.
Following the 2021 salary reform, a newly graduated doctor earns a monthly salary of 4,610 pesos. This amount rises to 5,060 pesos during residency. Upon completing their specialty, the salary slightly increases to 5,560 pesos. Doctors with higher specializations (those with dual specialties) can earn up to 5,810 pesos per month.
Veteran Doctors Struggling Despite Extra Efforts
Some health professionals hold teaching and scientific roles, earning additional pay for these responsibilities and for their longevity in the field. Despite this, due to overexertion and depending on their service type and the number of shifts they work, a specialist doctor with 20 years of experience might earn up to 16,000 pesos.
A specialist doctor from Las Tunas, who spoke with CiberCuba on condition of anonymity, explained that this "overexertion" varies with the number of unfilled positions in each hospital. "By the end of the month, I receive about 10,000 pesos extra for 'overexertion,' which, in the hospital where I work, is because there are about five specialist positions unfilled. This means we do shifts every fifth day, and we split their salary among six doctors," he explained.
Still, even with the well-known "overexertion," a doctor struggles to meet monthly needs. "I can barely cover the needs of two people, in terms of food and basic hygiene, with no luxuries, for 15 days," he concluded.