During the 16th BRICS Health Ministers Meeting in India, Cuba's Minister of Public Health, José Ángel Portal Miranda, highlighted alarming statistics reflecting the deteriorating healthcare situation on the island. He called for enhanced international cooperation to ensure universal access to quality healthcare services.
Though unable to attend in person from July 22-24, Portal Miranda addressed attendees from member countries and partners of the bloc through a recorded message.
He explained his absence by citing "the complex situation faced by my country, marked by an unprecedented tightening of the economic, commercial, and financial blockade imposed by the United States Government, an energy siege, and the constant threat of possible aggression."
Avoiding mere official rhetoric, Portal Miranda presented concrete data illustrating the collapse of Cuba's healthcare system: over 100,000 individuals, including 12,000 children, are awaiting surgical procedures.
The Impact of Healthcare Shortages
Infant mortality rates soared to 9.9 per 1,000 live births by the end of 2025, the highest level in more than two decades. Meanwhile, the survival rate for children with cancer has declined due to the lack of access to first-line treatments.
"Behind these restrictions are faces, patients, families who are suffering," the minister asserted to his counterparts in the bloc.
The Cuban regime blames the healthcare deterioration on the U.S. embargo and Cuba's re-inclusion in the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism, a designation made by the Trump administration on January 21, 2025.
Root Causes of the Crisis
However, analysts and independent media argue that the crisis is also a result of decades of mismanagement, the mass exodus of medical personnel, and the structural decay of hospital infrastructure.
Even officials within the regime have acknowledged the severity of the situation. Deputy Prime Minister Eduardo Martínez Díaz admitted on July 3 that over 100,000 people were waiting for surgery, and Portal Miranda himself declared in February that the system was "on the verge of collapse."
According to Think Global Health data, by September 2025, 69% of Cuba's 651 essential medicines were in short supply, a figure that worsened to 80% for locally produced medicines by March 2026.
Cuban Medical Professionals Abroad
In contrast to the domestic scenario, Portal Miranda highlighted that more than 16,000 Cuban health professionals are currently working in 50 countries as part of a "South-South cooperation based on solidarity."
The minister's intervention came a day after the U.S. State Department sanctioned him personally, along with nine entities and two individuals linked to the Cuban medical missions system, under Executive Order 14404 signed by Trump on May 1, 2026. Hours after the announcement, his social media account on X was hacked.
The Chandigarh meeting concluded with a Final Declaration prioritizing multilateral cooperation against infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, regulatory coordination, digital health, and the construction of inclusive health systems. It also proposed the creation of a BRICS TB Network and an Integrated Early Warning System for infectious diseases.
Understanding Cuba's Healthcare Crisis
What are the main causes of Cuba's healthcare crisis?
Cuba's healthcare crisis is attributed to decades of mismanagement, the mass exodus of medical personnel, the structural decay of hospital infrastructure, and the U.S. embargo.
How is the infant mortality rate affected in Cuba?
The infant mortality rate in Cuba has risen to 9.9 per 1,000 live births by the end of 2025, marking the highest level in over two decades.
How many Cubans are awaiting surgery?
Over 100,000 Cubans, including 12,000 children, are currently waiting for surgical procedures.