Isaura Medero, a Cuban mother from Pinar del Río, took to social media to voice her frustration over the neglect she has faced from local authorities. Nearly two years ago, they promised her assistance, yet those promises remain unfulfilled.
In a heartfelt Facebook post, Medero shared her living situation in the La Palma municipality, where her four-year-old daughter, Karla Isabella, battles acute lymphoblastic leukemia type B. This condition demands specific hygienic and nutritional care that the Cuban state has failed to provide.
"More than a year ago, the government and the Housing Directorate in our municipality vowed to complete our home due to my daughter's health condition. We're approaching two years, and we've made very little progress," Medero expressed.
The mother recounted how local officials committed to finishing her house. However, her family continues to endure hardships and broken promises, besieged by constant delays and bureaucratic excuses.
"If it's not one thing missing, it's another. Can someone advise me on what steps to take or where to go when you can't trust anyone anymore?" she pleaded in desperation.
Isaura also criticized the inadequate food provided through the state's rationing system, highlighting that the milk intended for her sick daughter is often of poor quality or unavailable.
"The wretched milk they send through the ration book is only fit for pigs. Besides, they hardly ever send it, and they can't even differentiate that it's for a child with cancer," she lamented.
The mother openly questioned the lack of empathy from the government and the agencies responsible for vulnerable cases:
"Where are those who should care for children with special needs and nutrition? Where are the solutions for the gas, the housing, all these issues brushed aside with excuses?" she wrote, emphasizing that she is not interested in politics, only in raising her voice for her sick daughter.
Isaura Medero's plight has sparked outrage and support on social media, where many Cubans decry that such situations are increasingly common in an island plagued by crisis, shortages, and institutional neglect.
The struggle of Karla Isabella, the young Cuban girl with leukemia whose mother publicly exposed the state's neglect, is not an isolated incident.
Recently, another Cuban family desperately sought a humanitarian visa to treat their daughter, also suffering from leukemia, abroad due to a lack of medications, reagents, and basic conditions for treatment in Cuban hospitals.
Their hopes were dashed when the United States denied the humanitarian visa application, even though the child urgently needed care.
The father explained that his daughter endured frequent fevers, and the Havana Institute of Hematology and Oncology lacked essential supplies, including blood bags and chemotherapy, to provide her treatment.
In response to the uproar from these public grievances, Cuba's Ministry of Public Health issued an official statement acknowledging the healthcare system's issues but shied away from assuming direct responsibility.
The statement followed widespread allegations of negligence circulating on social media, particularly fueled by testimonies from desperate mothers like Isaura Medero.
Key Questions About Healthcare Neglect in Cuba
What is the main complaint of Isaura Medero?
Isaura Medero's main complaint is the neglect and unfulfilled promises from local authorities in Pinar del Río, who vowed to assist her family nearly two years ago but have yet to do so.
How has the Cuban state failed Isaura's daughter?
The Cuban state has failed Isaura's daughter by not providing the necessary hygienic and nutritional care required for her leukemia treatment, including poor quality and insufficient milk through the rationing system.
What broader issues does Isaura Medero's case highlight?
Isaura Medero's case highlights the broader issues of systemic neglect, broken promises, and the lack of adequate healthcare and support for vulnerable families in Cuba.