Camila Leyva Obregón, a mother from Cuba, is demanding justice after the tragic death of her newborn at Carlos Manuel de Céspedes Hospital in Bayamo, Granma. According to her account, her son passed away 11 days after birth, which she attributes to a series of alleged medical oversights and subpar care by the hospital staff.
In a heartfelt post on Facebook, Leyva Obregón recounted that on January 10, she went to the hospital after her water broke at home. Despite arriving around noon, she claims she continued losing amniotic fluid until 5:00 a.m. the next day, when she was finally admitted for delivery. She reported that during this period, the medical staff was negligent, with nurses and the on-duty doctor asleep.
The baby was born seemingly healthy on January 11 and was taken with his mother to the recovery room. However, on January 13, he was moved to the premature infant ward due to jaundice. A subsequent X-ray revealed he had pneumonia.
The mother claims a lumbar puncture was performed on her baby without her consent. While expressing concern about her son's bleeding and condition, nurses reassured her of his improvement. Unfortunately, the infant began having seizures and died following what hospital staff described as eight respiratory arrests.
So far, the hospital has provided inconsistent explanations regarding the cause of death. Leyva Obregón was told that her son died from pneumonia, a stroke, coagulation issues, and generalized sepsis. "My baby only lived for 11 days. They killed him," she expressed with profound grief, seeking justice to prevent other families from experiencing similar tragedies.
In recent years, multiple families have turned to social media to report the deaths of young children and newborns, allegedly due to medical negligence. In February of the previous year, a two-year-old boy in Havana died following an incorrect diagnosis of bacterial meningitis, a critical condition that can be fatal within hours if not treated promptly.
Additionally, at the start of 2024, a father from Guantánamo reported the death of his eight-month-old son. He claimed the doctors failed to detect a congenital heart defect in time and instead diagnosed the child with an ear infection. Another alleged case of medical negligence occurred in January of the previous year, involving the death of a newborn at the Enrique Cabrera Cossío Teaching Hospital, commonly known as the “National Hospital,” in Havana.
Such allegations are increasingly common amidst the apparent collapse of Cuba's public healthcare system, plagued by a growing shortage of specialists and essential supplies.
Understanding Medical Negligence in Cuba's Healthcare System
What led to the newborn's death according to the mother?
The mother believes her newborn died due to medical negligence, citing inadequate care and a series of oversights by the hospital staff.
How has the hospital responded to the allegations?
The hospital has given contradictory explanations about the cause of death, including pneumonia, a stroke, coagulation problems, and generalized sepsis.
What are the broader implications of these medical negligence cases?
These cases highlight the systemic issues in Cuba's healthcare system, including staff shortages and lack of medical supplies, which impact the quality of care.