As the Cuban government boasts about its healthcare system as a hallmark of its "revolutionary achievements," a family in Granma is desperately pleading for something as basic as an ambulance.
The situation of young Érika Sabrina—a child with a terminal illness yearning to spend her final days at home with her sisters—has once again highlighted the dire state and institutional neglect faced by patients in Cuba.
"I Need an Ambulance" Érika's mother, Neldis Maceo Cabrera, made a public cry for help on Facebook with a message that moved hundreds: "All I can do is care for her and strive to give her the best. I need an ambulance."
Doctors at Juan Manuel Márquez Pediatric Hospital in Havana informed her that no treatment options are available. The child was given a devastating prognosis: nothing more can be done. Now, the family is left to fulfill Érika's wish to return home.
However, there is a significant hurdle: the transfer requires an ambulance, a service the state fails to provide, even in the most critical circumstances.
The family fears that waiting for a state-provided ambulance could mean spending an additional month in the hospital, time Érika likely does not have.
"The Regime Fails to Provide Ambulance" Amidst this despair, activist Idelisa Diasniurka Salcedo Verdecia, who resides in Miami, has offered to pay for a private ambulance to transport Érika from the Havana hospital to the Granma province.
In her message, she underscores that the public health system—which should be facilitating this transfer—won't: "The regime fails to provide the ambulance."
Doctors have already explained that Érika must return home, given her irreversible diagnosis: complex grade V arteriovenous malformations in the main arteries of the brain. Any surgery could result in brain death or worse.
Érika faces a high risk of cerebral hemorrhage and progressive brain tissue damage, leading to seizures, loss of bodily functions, severe headaches, and neurological decline.
“It's a dire situation where any sudden movement, stress, or improper transportation could fatally worsen her condition. Therefore, the transfer must be done in an ambulance, with medical staff, oxygen, continuous monitoring, and emergency equipment ready to act in case of a crisis,” Diasniurka detailed in another post.
For these reasons, specialists have recommended taking her home to fulfill her wish of being with her family.
Yet, the Cuban state, which prides itself on a "free and universal" system, either cannot or will not provide an ambulance to transport a dying child home.
Government Cuts Mother’s Internet Access Just hours after offering to pay for an ambulance, Diasniurka Salcedo reported in another post that the government had cut off the mother’s internet access.
“It takes a lot of audacity to leave a mother cut off when all she asks for is humanity,” she stated.
“This is not just disrespectful. It's cruelty. It's a violation of human dignity. Punishing a sick child and her mother for requesting something as basic as the ability to return home is the clearest reflection of a system that long ago stopped protecting lives,” she emphasized.
A Reality at Odds with Official Rhetoric Described as a lively girl and "one of the best in her class," Érika only wishes to spend her final days with her sisters.
The fundamental human right to die at home with loved ones now relies on donations, Facebook posts, and the solidarity of fellow Cubans.
Meanwhile, the government continues to celebrate its healthcare model at international events, while terminally ill children hope for a digital miracle to secure an ambulance.
In Cuba, the official discourse speaks of dignity. Yet, the reality continues to cry out for help.
Understanding the Healthcare Crisis in Cuba
Why is the family of Érika Sabrina pleading for an ambulance?
The family of Érika Sabrina is pleading for an ambulance to fulfill her wish of spending her final days at home with her sisters, as the state does not provide this critical service despite her terminal condition.
What is the condition affecting Érika Sabrina?
Érika Sabrina suffers from complex grade V arteriovenous malformations in the brain, which pose a high risk of cerebral hemorrhage and severe neurological damage, making any surgical intervention too dangerous.
How has the Cuban government responded to Érika's situation?
The Cuban government has not provided the necessary ambulance service for Érika's transfer and has reportedly cut off the mother's internet access, further isolating the family in their time of need.