Dr. Yonardo Fonseca Mesa, a Cuban surgeon, took to Facebook this week to express his outrage over an incident that occurred at his hospital while he was trying to take an elevator to perform surgery on two cancer patients.
The incident unfolded even before he reached the operating room. Dr. Fonseca Mesa recounted enduring a sleepless night due to power outages, waking up without breakfast because of the lack of gas, electricity, or solar panels, and having to "creatively" find his way to work.
Once at the hospital, as he attempted to take the elevator to the fifth floor, an unfamiliar official ordered him to use the stairs instead.
"A 'manager of insignificant matters' (whom I've never seen) had the audacity to tell me to get out and use the stairs because, according to him, it was 'the hospital director’s orders' and that the elevator was 'for patients only,'" he recounted.
The surgeon detailed the encounter vividly in his post:
"Today, after a night of power cuts and a morning without breakfast (due to no gas, electricity, or 'solar panels'), after struggling 'creatively' to get to the place where they say I still work; I entered the elevator to try to reach the 5th floor and the operating room, where two cancer patients awaited surgery."
According to the account, the order was not just absurd but deeply insulting, given the circumstances.
Dr. Fonseca Mesa shared that despite the tension, he refused to comply.
"Though the situation got somewhat tense, I certainly didn't get out, I reached my operating room, and I did my best for those two people who were not at fault," he described.
His complaint, however, extended beyond this particular incident.
The doctor used his post to criticize the salaries and treatment health professionals receive.
"To those 'bosses' who secretly view my profile: the pittance you pay me (8,800 pesos = 17 dollars) isn't enough to buy toilet paper," he lashed out.
In one of the most stinging parts of his post, he emphasized: "every day, countless times, I curse this trash," hinting at the level of frustration built up over years of hardship.
He also highlighted his inability to leave his position despite repeated requests: "I've been asking for 'release' for almost five years, and they refuse to let me go."
In a warning tone, he concluded with a direct message to hospital authorities:
"I suggest you put my photo in the elevators or distribute it to all those with one-track minds assigned to such a shameful task because next time this happens, I'll turn around and, with regret for those not at fault, I won't operate on anyone, not even my own mother."
He ended with a phrase summarizing his indignation: "Stupidity has limits, please 'reorder' the synapses in your heads."
His post has garnered over 200 comments, many supporting the health professional and lamenting how the regime treats its doctors, who already endure dramatic working conditions from every perspective.
The situation highlights the reality of hospitals operating with less than 40% of the necessary staff, where health professionals face increasingly degrading working conditions.
In a system where doctors with decades of experience earn between 7,000 and 8,000 Cuban pesos, episodes like this reflect the profound institutional decline of Cuban public health.
Those who dare to publicly denounce such issues risk expulsions and sanctions that prevent them from practicing medicine for years.
Understanding the Challenges of Cuban Healthcare
What prompted Dr. Yonardo Fonseca Mesa's outrage?
Dr. Fonseca Mesa's outrage was triggered by being ordered to use the stairs instead of the elevator at his hospital, despite being on his way to perform surgery on two cancer patients.
How has the Cuban healthcare system been affected by current conditions?
The Cuban healthcare system is struggling with severe staff shortages, operating with less than 40% of the required personnel, and professionals are facing degrading working conditions.
What are the risks for Cuban doctors who speak out?
Doctors who publicly criticize the Cuban healthcare system risk expulsions and sanctions that might prevent them from practicing medicine for several years.