In Miami, Solidaridad Sin Fronteras (SSF) and Cruz Verde Internacional (CVI) unveiled "911 Cuba," a project aimed at fully rehabilitating Cuba's healthcare system in anticipation of a potential sociopolitical shift on the island.
Julio César Alfonso, president of SSF, shared insights into the program with CiberCuba. The initiative is an all-encompassing plan to aid Cuba's healthcare recovery, orchestrated by SSF and CVI in collaboration with La Colonia Medical Center and other entities.
The formal launch took place at the facilities of La Colonia Medical Center, the first company to officially join the project. The event featured Julio César Alfonso, Dr. Taimy Alfonso, president of CVI, and Dr. Jorge Acevedo, founder and president of La Colonia Medical Center.
Uniting Efforts for a New Era
"We are coordinating with various U.S. and Cuban-American businesses willing to engage in this project to rebuild Cuba's healthcare system if a sociopolitical change occurs on the island," Julio César Alfonso told Martí Noticias.
The name "911 Cuba" is inspired by the U.S. emergency number, highlighting the urgency of the initiative. It has been operating for two years in an initial phase, providing medication and critical patient support on the island.
Two-Phase Plan for Health System Overhaul
The project is divided into two phases. The first phase involves immediate humanitarian assistance, featuring field hospitals, mobile medical units, and potentially U.S. military hospital ships, expected to last about two years.
The second phase, which would run concurrently, aims to establish a permanent healthcare system combining private sectors with subsidized social programs, resembling the mutualist model that existed in Cuba before 1959.
SSF boasts a network of 57,000 healthcare professionals, mostly Cuban. Alfonso estimated that between 15,000 and 20,000 would volunteer in the emergency phase.
"Several thousand, at least 15,000 to 20,000 professionals, are ready to enter the island's various regions to volunteer for the Cuban people's aid," he elaborated.
A Collective Effort from the Exile Community
Dr. Taimy Alfonso emphasized the exiled community's role: "Our aim is to set up a recovery system in Cuba's health sector by deploying professionals we already have and supplies from companies mainly owned by Cubans in South Florida."
The initiative seeks to unite hundreds of health, construction, technology, and finance companies, both Cuban-American and from Europe and Canada, offering contracts and tax incentives for their participation.
Alfonso also mentioned the U.S. military's preemptive humanitarian aid shipments to the Guantánamo naval base, preparing for a potential shift in Cuba.
Healthcare Crisis Amidst Economic Collapse
The announcement coincides with an unprecedented healthcare collapse on the island. According to the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI), the regime allocated a mere 1.3% of national investment to health in 2024, compared to 34.7% for tourism and hospitality.
Carilda Peña García, Deputy Minister of Public Health, acknowledged on state television's Mesa Redonda that the sector suffered losses exceeding $288 million from March 2024 to February 2025. Over 96,000 patients await surgeries in Cuba, including over 11,000 children, and infant mortality rose to 9.9 per thousand live births in 2025.
Julio César Alfonso described the dire situation: "The health system isn't just in ruins; it practically doesn't exist. Hospitals lack every essential supply, medication, etc., making operation impossible."
He added that, in his experience working in Haiti and Africa, no country is as deteriorated as Cuba.
Dr. Acevedo sent a heartfelt message to Cubans on the island: "As Cuban doctors, we want to help and ensure that when Cuba is free, it has a truly decent healthcare system. When we arrived in this country, we were blind to what a real human healthcare system is."
Key Questions About Cuba's Healthcare Reconstruction
What is the "911 Cuba" project?
The "911 Cuba" project is an initiative by Solidaridad Sin Fronteras and Cruz Verde Internacional aimed at reconstructing Cuba's healthcare system in anticipation of a sociopolitical change on the island.
How will the project address Cuba's healthcare crisis?
The project plans to provide immediate humanitarian assistance with mobile medical units and field hospitals, followed by establishing a permanent healthcare system that integrates private and subsidized programs.
Who is involved in the "911 Cuba" initiative?
The initiative involves Solidaridad Sin Fronteras, Cruz Verde Internacional, La Colonia Medical Center, and various U.S. and Cuban-American businesses and institutions.